The One Wood Monastery is located in Frâncești commune, Vâlcea county, being located only 25 kilometers from Râmnicu Vâlcea. This monastic settlement, dedicated to the Nativity of the Mother of God, is a unique place in Romania worth visiting, especially if you are nearby. According to a local tradition, the monastery was built by carving a single oak tree in the first decades of the 16th century.
The Legend of The One Wood Monastery
The One Wood Monastery has a remarkable history. Legend has it that a monk found an icon of the Mother of God in the hollow of an oak tree. Paul of Aleppo, who accompanied Patriarch Macarius of Antioch on his travels through the Romanian Lands, is the one who supports this legend of the founding of the church. This monk was urged by a voice to build a monastery from the trunk of that tree, whence the name of the settlement, “of a wood.” It is an attractive, captivating legend that makes you see this miracle with your own eyes. Another legend says that one night a shepherd named Radu dreamed of the icon of the Mother of God and, by a divine call, cut the oak tree where he found the icon. Thus, he built the monastery right on the place where the oak tower rises, considered a holy place.
History of The One Wood Monastery
The Monastery of a Wood was first mentioned in a document dating from 1635. The wall church was built in 1640 by Matei Basarab. According to other sources, the founder of this place of worship was Preda Brâncoveanu, a former great boyar. The triconch plan of the building recognizes Matei Basarab’s architecture.
In 1715, Ștefan Cantacuzino restored the monastery’s bell tower and the Royal House. Between 1938 and 1940, the place of worship was subjected to other consolidation works by the Ministry of Air and Navy. Thus, The One Wood Monastery symbolically became the prayer altar for aviators and sailors.
The architecture of The One Wood Monastery
Today’s The One Wood Monastery dates from 1810-1814, being built on the site of the old one and according to the exact dimensions. The one who created it was Constantin Socoteanu’s son-in-law, Iancu. This wooden church is made of thick oak beams finished in a dovetail, having a rectangular shape and with the apse of the altar detached. On the outside, it is surrounded by a twisted belt dug in the thickness of the wood, with an open porch, without a tower. This architectural monument is famous in that village, which renders beauty and authenticity.
In the second inner courtyard, we find the stone church, which is made of thick beams, rectangular in shape, having a length of 13 meters and a width of 4 meters. From an architectural point of view, the church is in a tri-coach style, with an octagonal altar, the abysses of the pews with four sides, and the narthex, which is slightly wider than the nave, ends with a porch on pillars. All the architectural elements present in the large (walled) church present the architecture of Matei Basarab. The places of worship rebuilt by the former lord of Wallachia have a more straightforward style than those built by Stephen the Great or Neagoe Basarab. These monuments were more modest, with a neat decoration that gave them beauty and monumentality.
There is also a fountain in the inner courtyard, which shelters under the small roof an icon with the Mother of God and the Jesus baby. The bell tower was restored by Ștefan Cantacuzino in 1715 and is similar to the one from Hurezi Monastery. After passing this bell tower, we will see the secular oak and the small wooden church.
Icon from The One Wood Monastery
The miracle-working icon of the Mother of God in The One Wood Monastery is a symbol of the place of worship. There is no data on dating or provenance. Andrei Gabor of the University of Strasbourg has a controversial view of this icon. The teacher states about the face of the Mother of God that it is painted according to the model left by the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, the one who painted the Virgin Mary for the first time. Andrei Gabor also says that this icon was painted in the 4th century at Theotokos Monastery in Greece. Specialists in iconography believe that this icon of the Mother of God dates from the beginning of the 15th century.
Theothokos Monastery in Greece. Specialists in iconography believe that this icon of the Mother of God dates from the beginning of the 15th century.
The icon is made of a single wooden panel and is painted on both sides, on the back being painted the scene of the Last Judgment. The icon is secured in a transparent box, valuable work for the world. There are only three copies of the icon from The One Wood Monastery in the world. They are found in Moscow, Istanbul, and Jerusalem.
The One Wood Monastery – a place of worship to visit
The One Wood Monastery is a place of worship that must be seen by all those who have the opportunity to reach those places. Also, the spectacular natural setting that surrounds this church will give you a state of peace and tranquillity.
Hotel Simfonia, located in Râmnicu-Vâlcea, is ideal for traveling in the Vâlcea area. It is a pleasant, welcoming place where the harmonious combination of luxury, comfort, and elegance will delight the hearts of those it hosts. If you want to visit The One Wood Monastery or Ocnele Mari Salt Mine, Hotel Simfonia offers you the ideal accommodation, where you will have a dream stay.
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