Celebrating the Dedication Day of Horaița Monastery
 
 
 
Located in the Village of Crăcăoani, 6 km away from the road between Piatra Neamţ and Tîrgu Neamţ, Horaiţa Monastery is higly frequented by believers, who come here for recovering and forming a sacred communion with God. The Monastery celebrates its Dedication Day on the 25th of March, the day of the Announciation (Romanian “Buna Vestire”).
The church is built exclusively of stone and has eight towers, a unique element of the Moldavian ecclesiastical architecture, which stands as a symbol of eternity. The number and …

Bârnadu village is situated in a very beautiful area in Neamţ county. The village is placed at the foothill of Ciurgău Mountain, on the ridge between the basins of Sugău and Bardosul rivers, consisting of scattered households, with large courtyards and narrow lanes. Bârnadu is situated just above the high and steep Bicaz Gorges, making a picturesque destination of it, an oasis of peace and beauty, where landscapes of Șugău Gorges, Criminiș Peak and Hășmașu Mare Peak are available to the viewers. The most frequented way of access to the …

The Christian Celebration of The 40 Holy Martyrs is the first of a series of religious spring holidays, marked by many customs. According to popular belief, it is said that this day is a line of demarcation between winter and summer, between the capricious days of Dochia and the warm ones of the Old Men.
Tradition also says that Baba Dochia dies and turns into a cliff on the Martyrs’ day. On this day, the Old Men were believed to have been sacrificed and later transformed into ashes on the funeral …

Isolated in the heart of the mountains, far away from the noisy world, The Horăicioara Convent (also known as “The Old Horaița”) is situated all around Cracaoani Village. The Horăicioara Convent „is a eagle’s nest hanging in the crack of an air cliff” as the famous Romanian writer Calistrat Hogaș recalled.
Not only is the place wonderful -a real oasis of peace and quiet- but is also believed to be a place where miracles happen. The monks and villagers say that nearby the convent there is a spring with healing water. …

The tourists who come in Neamt at the end of March or even at the beginning of April will be surprised to see gardens decorated with trinkets (Romanian “mărţişoare”), in some places.
Mărţişor celebration (on March the 1st) is a rooted tradition in Neamț. The custom is more than 2000 years old.
The trinkets, which are considered a herlad of spring, usually consist of a tiny adornment tied with a red and white entwined string. The Moldavian ethnographers tell that the trinkets used to be offerd to young fellows by young unmarried …

The 1st of March is approaching and beside the customs and traditions related to the trinket (mărțișor) the herald of spring, popular belief reminds of The Old Ladies’ legend, associated with Baba Dochia, the one who brings winter. Once the weather gets warmer, from the 1st to the 9th of March, Baba Dochia starts throwing away her heavy coats.
The beginning of spring is a good occasion for the tourists who like trekking to climb Ceahlău Mountain. Up there, Dochia Cliff reminds of a beautiful legend. According to it, Dochia was …