Hermitages, raised by monks – hermits, lovers of quiet, constrained to make cells or small chapels for prayer, often in isolated places and hard to break, sometimes through huge rocks, away from enemies and fire, represents an important part of the monastic establishments which have withstood the vicissitudes of time, becoming places around which grew the religious life of places where, hundreds of years ago, they were placed.
Such hermitages, arose first as cloisters, are around the massive Ceahlău, the Mount Athos of Romanians, some of them due to royal donations …

Over time many monks and nuns lived and prayed in the forests near monasteries like Neamt, Secu, Sihastria or Agapia and they always considered the forest from Sihla as the “strongest wilderness”. In these forests only the most pure monks and nuns lived, some of them in absolute loneliness for decades.
The first mention of a monk in these forests is found in a document from 1326 where it talks about a hermit in these forests. The ruler Stefan cel Mare, after the battle from Orbic in 1457 while crossing the …

Neamt County is an area where at the shelter of mountains and forests people from these parts built churches, hermitages and villages.
Among some of the most valuables and oldest creations of traditional architecture from this area are the wood hermitages built in the centuries XVI – XIX. Although the local architecture is similar to the architecture from the entire Moldova region there are some distinct features. The wood hermitages that still exist today are a legacy of the religious life that once was in Neamt County. Among these hermitages we …

Cerebuc Hermitage is administrated by the Monastery from Ceahlau Mountain. The patron of the monastery is St Ilie. The hermitage was built on the place of an old religious settlement that dates from 1614. The place is located at about 20 km from Bicaz, in Izvorul Alb village. Here there are 5 monks that administrate the hermitage.
This religious settlement was extremely important for the religious life in these parts especially between XVIII and XIX centuries. For a long time here existed the bell from Ceahlau Mountain and even though for …

Daniil Sihastrul Hermitage is located 2 km from Sihla Hermitage and it’s the place where people say the famous monk Daniil Sihastru stayed for a while. Also, in this place lived and prayed few nuns. The hermitage was built in their memory.
The patrons of the hermitage: “Sf Prooroc Ilie Tezviteanul” (July 20 – The Prophet Ilie Tezviteanul), “Acoperamantul Maicii Domnului” (October 1) and St Daniil Sihastrul (December 18)
Access ways:
Piatra Neamt – Agapia Monastery – Sihla Hermitage – Daniil Sihastul Hermitage (44 + 10 km)
Targu Neamt – Secu Monastery – Sihastria …

A trip to the beautiful monasteries of Neamt County is always a great experience, especially during winter, when everything seems to be a fairytale scene. This is the same winter that is described by poets in their lyrics only better because now you can see it for real.
The Orthodox monasteries from Neamt County are located in places of rare beauty and represent a legacy that transcends time. Monks and nuns that live here like in the old days will welcome you and teach you about spirit and the power of …