Snagov Monastery

The monastery occupies a small island in Lake Snagov, reached by a narrow footbridge or by boat from the shore, and the setting of water, willows and a single church is the main reason to come. The present church dates from the early sixteenth century, built during the reign of Neagoe Basarab on a site used by monks long before, with wall paintings inside and a bell tower added later. Its fame rests on a stone slab in front of the altar, traditionally identified as the grave of Vlad III of Wallachia, who endowed the monastery. Excavations in the 1930s under that slab found no princely remains, and the identification is now generally treated as tradition rather than fact, but the story keeps the visitors coming. The island also served for a time as a prison, and a cemetery on it holds graves from that period.

History

The monastery is first documented in 1408, probably a late foundation of Mircea the Elder, and research in 1933 showed that a wooden monastic settlement had stood here in the 11th century. Neagoe Basarab built the present church in 1521, its walls were painted in 1563 by Dobromir the Young, and Matei Basarab set up a printing press here in 1643; from 1694 to 1705 the abbot Anthim the Iberian printed church books in Romanian, Greek, Arabic, Old Church Slavonic and Georgian (Wikipedia, Snagov Monastery).

What to look for

• The island church - a sixteenth-century foundation with painted interior.
• The traditional tomb slab - the stone by the altar linked to Vlad III.
• The lake setting - willows, water and the approach across the bridge.
• The old cemetery - graves from the island's period as a prison.

When to go

April to October, when the boats run and the lakeside is pleasant; Snagov is a summer weekend destination for Bucharest and gets busy. Winter access is possible over the footbridge but the monastery keeps short hours. Mornings are quiet.

Before you go

The tomb claim does not survive scrutiny, and visitors who come only for the Dracula connection tend to leave flat; the church itself is modest and the interior small and dark. Access arrangements change, with the footbridge sometimes closed and boatmen charging what they like. The lake shore is heavily developed with private clubs and villas.

Nearby

Mogoșoaia Palace lies between here and Bucharest; the capital is under an hour south.

Key facts