Horezu Monastery (also known as Hurezi Monastery) is a Romanian Orthodox nunnery located in the historical region of Small Wallachia (also known as Oltenia) in Vâlcea County in Romania.
Situated on a hill, the monastery complex is surrounded by two fortifications. The outer, smaller wall surrounds the entire monastery estate with its hermitages. The second is formed on three sides by buildings of different heights and a wall to the east. The entrance to the monastery is on the south side through a bell tower, which is equipped with a massive wooden gate armored with steel. The monastery church Sfinții Împarați Constantin și Elena, built in the middle of the complex in the shape of a cross, is 32 meters long, 14 meters high and was built between 1693 and 1697. In the vestibule of the church are several tombs, the most beautifully decorated with marble and with a carved cover intended for Prince Brâncoveanu, but does not fulfill its purpose. The large iconostasis is carved in lime wood and covered in gold.
The square chapel with an octagonal tower, whose windows are the light source of the chapel, is located on the west side opposite the entrance to the church and was built in 1697. The frescoes in the chapel were created between 1705 and 1706 and are still in good condition today.
Iconostasis of the monastery church © Țetcu Mircea Rareș
