Dealu Monastery - Targoviste, Muntenia

Dealu Monastery - Targoviste - details and images

Dealu Monastery is one of the most remarkable architectural buildings in our country. Raised in a period of great artistic (XVI century), the church reflects both the structurally and in terms plasticii decorative creative contribution to the promotion of local artisans brought Romanian architecture.

The monastery was built by Prince Radu cel Mare (1495-1508) and is located near Targoviste (the old capital of the Romanian Country) north-west of town, on the opposite bank of Ialomita valley, about 4 km. She is now a convent of nuns dedicated to St. Nicholas with the big church and the chapel Holy Virgin Protection.

The name under which the monastery is attested since the beginning of its existence until today, its location is due to its geographic, so it is frequently mentioned in the shrine of medieval sources in the form of "St. Nicholas Church on the Hill" or "Church of Dealu.

Dealu place of the first was from the beginning royal necropolis, probably due to its location near the town of Targoviste serving, also, in the eighteenth century and nineteenth century as a place of detention for persons punished by the Lord. After secularization of the monasteries in 1863, construction of Dealu were occupied by various state institutions. During the War of Independence in 1877, has worked at the monastery, a camp for a detachment of Turkish prisoners, and from 1879 to 1883 had its headquarters here divisional Officers School

The only ornament, inside the monastery, which has traveled over time is the church, whose appearance, stately and attractive, the visitors long remember. Church was designed after the traditional type of construction known in the Romanian Country, in the second half of the fourteenth century, the building of monasteries Vodita, tails, which local artisans, working through a skilled and innovative brought meaningful change.
The church is built of brick and mortar, with solid walls exceeding one meter thick and proportions are impressive dwelling.

The shrine, Heptagon outside and inside is vaulted semicircular shape with a swing semiacolata prolonged. The room is bordered by the nave through a carved wooden temple, made soon after the Episcopal Church to that model of Arges. In her right wall shows a retreat on both sides, ending at the margins of the two arcs ADOS north and south walls of the nave. On the east side of stone shaping a wide belt with a decorative motif, which serves as a bench or pedestal for objects.

The nave has on the south and north sides of two circular apses on the inside and outside the Pentagon in a semiacolata also vaulted. He is separated from the nave by a wall which is preserved in a frame decorated with marble, similar to the front door so the church.

Rectangular prism shaped narthex is divided by a double transverse arch in two unequal parts. The two towers are raised nave placed on both sides of the longitudinal axis of the church, a solution used for the first time in Wallachian architecture.
Outside, decorative plastic is new to the Romanian land buildings of that era.

An important step in bringing to life inside the monastery was the seat of the royal printer, then moved to Targoviste. In addition to manuscripts and printings, the monastery Dealu were kept very few of the items offered by the founders, in case times approach was repeated plundering of foreign troops. Today the church can see a large wooden cross carved price, covered with gilded silver, given to him by Matei Basarab in 1648-1649.

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