Hâncu Monastery

Hâncu was founded in 1678 by a boyar whose daughter, according to the tradition attached to it, wished to enter religious life after the family fled a Tatar raid, and it has been a convent for most of its history. Two churches stand in the enclosure, both of the nineteenth century, in a wooded valley with a spring the water from which is bottled and sold. It was closed under Soviet rule and reopened in 1992. The monastery was closed twice, once in the nineteenth century and again under Soviet rule, which is unusual even by the standards of Moldovan foundations.

Background

The monastery stands in Bursuc and was built by Mihail Hancu, a Great High Steward, after his daughter said she wished to become a nun. It began as a community of women, which had died out by the middle of the eighteenth century, and monks later restored it. Two stone churches replaced an earlier wooden one: St Paraskeva's in 1835 and the church of the Dormition in 1845. In 1978 the buildings became a sanatorium, with the oldest church used as a club, and since 1992 the site has again been a convent, now home to a large community of nuns, a retreat house and the residence of the local bishop.

Source: Wikipedia, "Hâncu Monastery"

What you'll find

• The two churches - stone churches built in 1835 and 1845.
• The valley setting - the wooded fold the convent sits in.
• The spring - the water source in the grounds.
• The foundation story - the boyar's daughter the tradition attaches the founding to.

When to go

April to October is the pleasant season. Services restrict access at times. Feast days are busy.

Practical notes

Restoration has replaced much of the historic fabric. Dress rules apply and are enforced. The road in is narrow.

Nearby

Chișinău is east, and Plaiul Fagului reserve is northwest.

Key facts