Agapia Monastery

The monastery Agapia (Romanian Mănăstirea Agapia ) is a Romanian Orthodox nunnery in the village Agapia, in Neamţ county, Bucovina, Romania. The Monastery is a listed building and is located about ten kilometers south-west of Târgu Neamţ.

History

Church of the Holy Voivode

The Way to Calvary - painting by Nicolae Grigorescu

Holy Eustaţiu - painting by Nicolae Grigorescu

Teodor Tiron saint - painting by Nicolae Grigorescu

The Holy Trinity - painting by Nicolae Grigorescu

The Monastery of Agapia was built in the years 1642 to 1644 on behalf of Gavril, the brother of Prince Vasile Lupu. After the church was completed in 1644, took the time being a monk. At the dedication of the church Varlaam, the then Metropolitan of Moldavia and Prince Vasile Lupu participated. The church was consecrated in 1647 the Archangels Michael and Gabriel. Until 1803 it was run as a monastery.

On the occasion of the conversion of the monastery in a nunnery mid-19th century, the first complete restoration of the church was carried out. Between 1858 and 1861 produced Nicolae Grigorescu to the interior painting and the iconostasis. The plant has thick defensive walls and a powerful bell tower. The houses of nuns around the church were designed by the court architect Enache Ctisi. Around the monastery there are more than 320 houses belonging to the monastery village. Some of these are between 150 and 200 years old. Between 1995 and 2009 a total renovation of the monastery was carried out.

Within the walls of the monastery to live over 500 nuns who work the fields, order vegetable gardens, weave carpets and make embroidery. The monastery is known for its carpets and embroideries. The carpets the Palace of Parliament in Bucharest were made in Agapia monastery. In the 18th century, the monastery was a true copy school for Romanian liturgical manuscripts.

Museum

The monastery has a museum with a collection of historical and artistic value objects. Among these icons from the 16th and 17th centuries, some fragments of the iconostasis of Nicolae Grigorescu from the 17th century, fabrics and embroideries, crosses and other religious objects, as well as old manuscripts and carpets are by Moldovan kind, from the studios of the monastery come.

In Agapia monastery many important personalities of Romanian literature written great masterpieces. Among them were: Mihai Eminescu, Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu and his daughter Iulia, Ion Luca Caragiale, Alexandru Vlahuţă, George Coşbuc, Calis Trat Hogaş, Duiliu Zamfirescu and others. Behind the monastery is the former home of Alexandru Vlahuţă, which is now a museum.