Founding and early years Cozia Monastery, located on the right bank of the
Olt River near
Călimănești in
Vâlcea County,
Romania, was founded by voivode
Mircea the Elder, who ruled
Wallachia from 1386 to 1418. Construction of the monastery began in 1387 and was completed in 1391, with its consecration taking place in 1388. The monastery was initially known as "Nucetul," meaning "
walnut grove" in
Romanian, a name reflecting the area's abundance of walnut trees. The current name, "Cozia," is derived from the nearby Cozia Mountain and has
Cuman origins, with "koz" meaning "walnut" in
Turkic languages.
Mircea the Elder established Cozia Monastery as a significant religious and cultural center, as well as a strategic fortification. During his reign,
Wallachia reached its greatest territorial extent, and the monastery's location along the
Olt River served both spiritual and defensive purposes. Historical records indicate that the monastery owned a significant number of
Gypsy slaves, including many identified as
Rudari, a relationship that began in the 14th century and continued as long as
slavery was legal in Wallachia.
Subsequent modifications In 1543, during the reign of voivode
Radu Paisie, the "bolnița" or infirmary church was constructed within the monastery complex. This smaller church is notable for its well-preserved interior frescoes, including a votive portrait of
Mircea the Elder and his sons. The frescoes, attributed to masters David and Radoslav, are considered among the last
Wallachian monuments attributable to high
Byzantine art, featuring highlights of great preciousness. The stonemasonry, credited to a master named Maxim, likely has origins in Serbian art, reflecting
Radu Paisie's family connections with the
Branković dynasty. The murals also depict the voivode and his son Marcu, alongside Cozia's administrator, Stroe, whose portrait is regarded as one of the first realistic works in Romanian art. Between 1850 and 1856, extensive repairs and restorations were carried out under princes
Gheorghe Bibescu and
Barbu Știrbei, princes who sought to preserve and modernize the country's historic religious sites. Beginning in 1958, a multi-decade government restoration program was launched, lasting until 1980. This work involved consolidating the monastic cells, reinforcing the towers, and replacing the aging roof with a copper covering. In 1966,
Nicolae Ceaușescu, then General Secretary of the
Romanian Communist Party, visited Cozia Monastery. He documented his impressions in the monastery's Golden Book, emphasizing its importance as a symbol of national heritage and the resting place of
Mircea the Elder. During the
January 1999 Mineriad, Prime Minister
Radu Vasile negotiated an agreement with
Miron Cozma at Cozia Monastery, resulting in the "Peace of Cozia". == Architecture ==