The church of Saint Paraschiva in the village of Gura Motrului was famous in the first half in the 19th century for the cultural activity organized there by Eufrosin Potecă, a monk whose crypt lies in the eastern part of the monastery

The Monastery lies in a highly picturesque area, near the forest of Arginești, situated at the confluence of the Jiu and the Motru rivers, and close to the city of Drobeta Turnu-Severin. The present-day Byzantine church has a triconch plane and was built in stone in the 16th century on the site of an old wooden hermitage. The tall belfry, of rectangular shaped, secured the defence of the monastery. The decoration of the outer walls, made by alternating brick and plaster, is typical of the Oltenia medieval churches.

The church was completely restored in 1653 under Matei Basarab, by order of Preda Brâncoveanu. The Brâncoveanu style elements, especially the porch, the gate, and the murals, were added between 1705 and 1712. The monastery houses some Brâncoveanu style objects, most noticeably a gold-bound Gospel manuscript.