The romantic secrets of Varatec Monastery

The Romanian people have for sure a religious vocation, I think that the number of churches and monasteries is bigger than what you can find in other countries. Please correct me if I am wrong!

Making donations for a monastery, or much better, building a monastery, was for any wealthy Romanian the best way to gain social recognition, and most of them kept long time alive this tradition. Thus, many of the monasteries are rich, have lands, forests, art works etc. For a good cause, because the Orthodox church has a pregnant social mission, when not turning in a concern, due all its properties.

The Agapia monastery is a bigger, richer sister of Varatec

Only 40 km away from Piatra Meamt and 8 km from Targu Neamt, on the road leading between these towns, you can the wonderful monastery of Varatec, which is nice, sunny and only 200 years old. It was grounded by the daughter of a priest from Iasi. Entering the monastery you will be charmed by the richness of flowers and the tidiness. The nuns must be very aplicate, and they have also an efficient management.

Veronica Micle has been for years the inspiring lover of the Romanian national poet, Mihai Eminescu

The Church of the Monastery is a worship with two towers, whose roof is bell formed. From a strictly administrative point of vue, Varatec has the same management with the nearly Agapia, which is much bigger and better renowned due to the original painting made by Nicolae Grigorescu, the most important Romanian painter, whose masterpieces are very expansive nowadays (an excellent investment).

In Varatec the painting was made at 1840 and remade 40 years latter. The golden rood screen is simply breathtaking, beyond the religion matters. Simply a masterpiece, I hope you will agree! The Museum of the monastery mirrors the richness of the administration ( at 1850 the monastery possessed 4 churches, 17 bells, 700 nuns and an important yearly earning). Thus, the museum will proudly show you rare books and short editions, priceless icons, church suits etc ( only a part are donations, the monastery owned many workshops).

Spending vacations in isolation at Varatec was very frequent among the  local  aristocracy in the XIXth century

Discover further a smaller church, carrying the name of St John The Baptizer. Besides, a small white grave stone hides a very romantic tragedy, ending at 1889. Inside the grave rests Veronica Micle, the inspiring lover of Mihai Eminescu, the most important Romanian poet. After Eminescu died at 1889, Veronica Micle searched in Varatec shelter, silence, trying to forget all disappointments. He didn't succeed, and died in the same year, committing suicide with overdose of arsenic!

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