Horezu: Wallachian Bliss and Brancoveanu Style

The thinning snow cover on the surrounding hills melts away as the dawn’s first rays seem to kiss it away. The only sound you hear is the gentle murmur of ice water running down your lodging’s roof. Your gaze meanders between the green hills. It’s time to go. As you leave the family-run hotel, you throw a last gander at the beautiful local ceramics on display. Your heart and your mind are full of impressions.

If your soul seeks solace, there are few places in Romania which will indulge it better than Horezu. The village is small and welcoming and you are spoilt for choice of pretty handmade ceramics at every corner. The real highlight, however, is the local monastery.

Painting from Hurezi Monastery

Built in the late 17th century by Prince Constantin Brancoveanu, Hurezi Monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a prime example of the “Brancoveanu style” in art and architecture. The purity of form, the elegant ornaments, and the numerous tasteful murals in lifelike colors are guaranteed to impress.

If you are lucky, you will come to Hurezi at a quiet time when few other visitors are shuffling about and talking. Try to aim for the morning hours. This way you will truly immerse yourself in the place’s special energy and feel the spirit of the centuries. Whether you are there as the snow melts away slowly or the rose and chrysanthemum blossoms sway in the gentle breeze, Hurezi Monastery is bound to pluck a gentle yet powerful chord on your heartstrings.

If your eyes can take even more beauty, you should head towards the nearby village of Olari, another UNESCO World Heritage Site in Wallachia’s heartland. The village’s name is the Romanian word for “potters”, and you won’t need a translator to figure that out: as you walk down its charming old streets, you will see beautiful ceramic pottery hanging on many of the gates on either side.

According to an age-old tradition, local master potters decorate their houses’ doorways with their best pieces. This way every passerby can admire their talent and skill. If the door is open, it’s an invitation for you to come in, explore the master’s full collection, and buy as much of it as your heart desires.

Typical design from Horezu

As you leave Olari and drive by Horezu once more, you will find your mind’s eye full of beautiful impressions from Romania’s nature and culture. Brancoveanu style, rolling hills, blissful calm, and authentic pottery all add up to a mix which makes for a unique Romanian experience waiting to be had.