The Cπldπru║ani Monastery lies 35 kilometres north of Bucharest, close to the commune of Gruiu. It was erected in 1638 on the shore of a lake covering 224 hectares and on the edge of a many-century-old forest. With its triconch plane, the monastery is reminiscent of the Monastery of Curtea de Arge║ and the Dealu Monastery near TΓrgovi║te. In spite of successive restoration work, the votive paintings showing the Wallachian Prince Matei Basarab, the founder of the church, and his wife, Lady Elena, are still extant.
The museum of the monastery houses a rich collection of old books and worship objects, including six icons painted by Nicolae Grigorescu (1838-1907), who attended, between 1854 and 1856, the school of religious painting founded here in 1778.
