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Monday, August 9, 2010

Olt River Valley: Cozia Monastery and Arutela Roman Castra - tourist destination in Romania

Olt River Valley / Valea Oltului Romania
Olt River is the longest river flowing exclusively through Romania. The river rises in the Hasmasu Mare Mountains, which is a part of the eastern Carpathian Mountains, runs for 615 km along many Romanian provinces, and flows into Danube River.








Olt River Defile in winter/ Defileul Oltului iarna - RomaniaThe Olt Defile has been cut through the southern Carpatian Mountains, allowing access from Wallachia Region to Transilvania Region and was very important when Rome occupied the Dacian kingdom during the 1st century BC to 2nd century AD.



The Romans have built  "Limes Alutanus"  fortifications line along the Olt to north of the Danube, which once marked the eastern frontier of Roman Dacia. Remains of the Roman castra have been found in seven villages, including Călimăneşti. It is also said that the Kogaionon, the Dacian sacred mountain, was located nearby. On the  same route Vlad’s The Impaler (Vlad Tepes) armies from Dracula Legend were taking when attacking the Transylvanian cities.

Nowadays along the Olt Valley is running European route E81, hidden on the left bank of Olt River scenery,  and in the Spa-Town of Calimanesti,  the travelers can visit
Roman Castra Arutela/ Castrul Roman Arutela 
"Arutela" Roman Castra ("Poiana Bivolari")Cozia Monastery / Manastirea Cozia - Romania

and


  Cozia Monastery (1386-1388), named also "Nucet" or the Nut Grove, a great example of Wallachian arhitecture with  Byzantine Medieval influences, the resting place of Mircea the Old (Mircea cel Batran), The great Ruller of Wallachia, Vlad the Impaler’s grandfather.


In the next 3D model you can rotate, zoom plans through  Cozia Monastery architecture using mouse/keyboard functions:



Cozia Monastery / Manastirea Cozia - Romania

"The Holy Trinity" Church of the Cozia Monastery was built by Mircea the  Old in 1388 and attracts the attention through the elegance and harmony of its shape, as well as through the richness of its decorations and the valuable painting, beeing painted between 1390 and 1391.




Church entrance picture at Cozia Monastery/ Fresca de la intrarea in biserica Manastirii Cozia - Romania
Stained glass at Cozia Monastery/ Vitraliu la Manastirea Cozia - RomaniaStained glass at Cozia Monastery/ Vitraliu la Manastirea Cozia - Romania
Some of the original frescoes are still well preserved. With a great valued are the stained glass windows of the Cozia Church  with the Monastery founder Mircea The Old  (Mircea cel Batran) and his son Michael The Brave (Mihai Viteazul Voievod) and with the  co-founders Petru (Petru Voievod de la Arges) and his family.

Wallachian flag symbol and stained glass at Cozia Monastery / Vitralii si stema Valahiei de la Manastirea Cozia - Romania
The Wallachian flag emblem


Olt River, view from Cozia Monastery building/ Raul Olt vazut din cladirea Manastirii Cozia - RomaniaThe Olt  River Valley is one beautiful tourist destination in Romania where the traveler has a good view of the amazing greenery and clear water.

Olt River/ Riul Olt - Romania Below Cozia mountain, the rushing torents from Olt River Gorge allow to all enthusiastic rafters to surf along the waters. In Spa-Towns Calimanesti and Caciulata travelers can enjoy several thermal springs with very hight mineral content.



And most important add to any trip along Olt River Valley  is that the traveler explores the romanian history from stunning mountain ranges and admires the natural scenic beauty of National Park Cozia on any sides of Olt River.


View Olt River Valley and Cozia Monastery in a larger map

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