Rau de Mori: Biserica COLT (Built #1350)
Church of Cândea princes:
Colt church is situated in Suseni village, Rau de Mori commune.
The church is functioning as a hermitage hosting a community of monks and its patron is “Duminica Tuturor Sfin ilor“ (All Saints Sunday”). It is a unique Romanian architecture monument and this orthodox monastery used to play also the role of a defense unit because of its tower provided with two abutments and being raised above the altar to the East, where the hill slope provides easy access. It was built based on the characteristic elements of the churches of Hateg County: pyramidal stone tower, countertops, arches with stone-lined material.
Built from rough stone, and being provided with walls of 1.20m thick, the church is divided in two rectangular rooms — one is bigger representing the nave and the smaller one forms the altar. Initially being an improvisation, the iconostasis is made of fir tree wood. Above the altar there is the squared pyramid shaped stone roof. The tower was used for defense purposes and inside it there were three rooms, of which two were the monastery monk cells. The entrance was placed on the Northern side as the access on the other sides was difficult. On the inner walls there still are fresco paintings belonging to the valuable mural ensemble carried out around the year 1350 by the painter Tefan, who painted also the churches from Ostrov and Densu.
Although it is situated close to the main road, Colt Monastery is surrounded by the calm which is dominating the area and its external and internal aspect with the rebuilt walls and its almost destroyed paintings seem to tell an impetuous history.
Rau de Mori: Biserica COLT (Built #1350)
Church of Cândea princes:
Colt church is situated in Suseni village, Rau de Mori commune.
The church is functioning as a hermitage hosting a community of monks and its patron is “Duminica Tuturor Sfin ilor“ (All Saints Sunday”). It is a unique Romanian architecture monument and this orthodox monastery used to play also the role of a defense unit because of its tower provided with two abutments and being raised above the altar to the East, where the hill slope provides easy access. It was built based on the characteristic elements of the churches of Hateg County: pyramidal stone tower, countertops, arches with stone-lined material.
Built from rough stone, and being provided with walls of 1.20m thick, the church is divided in two rectangular rooms — one is bigger representing the nave and the smaller one forms the altar. Initially being an improvisation, the iconostasis is made of fir tree wood. Above the altar there is the squared pyramid shaped stone roof. The tower was used for defense purposes and inside it there were three rooms, of which two were the monastery monk cells. The entrance was placed on the Northern side as the access on the other sides was difficult. On the inner walls there still are fresco paintings belonging to the valuable mural ensemble carried out around the year 1350 by the painter Tefan, who painted also the churches from Ostrov and Densu.
Although it is situated close to the main road, Colt Monastery is surrounded by the calm which is dominating the area and its external and internal aspect with the rebuilt walls and its almost destroyed paintings seem to tell an impetuous history.