“Sfanta Cruce” Monastery from Brusturi village, Neamt County it’s also known as The Monastery of Heroes because it’s been built in the memory of thousands of soldiers that died in the nearby forests. To reach the monastery you’ll have to go by car towards Neamt Monastery and after Vanatori village you’ll make a right towards Nemtisor village. The monastery is located at about 10 km inside the forest, in a place where in one night 14,000 Romanian, Russian and German soldiers died in a terrible ambush. In the court of the monastery there is a monument in memory of those that died in this place.

The construction of the monastery started in 1992 at the initiative of the priest Ilarion Argatu and his son, the priest Alexandru. Ilarion Argatu graduated the Theological University from Cernauti and the Military School from Bacau. Building a monastery in this place transformed in only one night from the Second World War in an immense cemetery was one of his great wishes.

Photos of “Sfanta Cruce” Monastery, Neamt County

The religious settlement from Brusturi forest was initially a hermitage under the administrative guidance of Bistrita Monastery. Until the church and first cellars were built, here existed only a tomb with a stone cross where they buried the remains of an unknown soldier. Afterwards they built a wooden crucifix in the memory of the soldiers that died here.

The church resembles the religious buildings from Maramures (a region from the north of Romania) and it’s made of oak wood. The white bell-towers from the roof attract the eye. The painting from the inside of the church is made in fresco style and it’s extremely beautiful. Right near the church there are some cellars, a bell-tower and a big wooden gate.

In 2007 the hermitage that at that time had only 12 monks was transformed in a monastery. Even though the monastery it’s located in a remote place pilgrims are coming here to pray and light a candle for the souls of those that died in this forest. If you want to visit “Sfanta Cruce” Monastery you can follow the dirt road marked with crosses or go straight through the forest.