Discover Băicoi: Churches, Lakes and Oil History

Băicoi lies at the transition from the Carpathian foothills of the Prahova Bend to the Ploiești Plain. Băicoi is located on Romania’s national road DN 1.

You can find more places in Prahova County here: Ploieşti, Ceraşu, Negrasu, Bărcănești, Strejnicu, Homorâciu, Pisculeşti and Slănic.

Nature and Landscape

The salt lake Seninu is located near Valea Stelii. Its surface area is 1,515 m². Its depth ranges from 1.20 to 1.50 m. The salt lake also has a high content of chlorine, iodine and bromine.

The nearby sapropelic mud lake near Valea Stelii has a surface area of 228 m². It is 0.8 m deep. Because of their mineral content and the organisms living in the mud, the two lakes were prepared for treatments. An area for spa tourism was established there.

This means that two bodies of water with different characteristics lie side by side near Valea Stelii: one lake is defined by its salt components, while the other is defined by sapropelic mud and the organisms living in it. Both features are part of the development of the spa tourism area.

Culture

The “Sf. Anton și Sf. Împărați” Church in Băicoi was built by Cleopatra Trubetzkoi. It is listed under number 2371 in the register of historic monuments.

The “Sfinţii Împăraţi” Church was endowed by Cleopatra Trubeţkoi between 1848 and 1853. Imperial icons are preserved inside it. The church also preserves twelve Prăznicare painted by Nicolae Grigorescu. After the painting was completed, it was consecrated in the same year, 1853, and opened for worship by the faithful.

The present-day “Sf. Împărați” Church – Hagica din Băcioi was built in 1872. In the Dâmbu district stands Biserica Cioara, a plastered wooden building. It was built around 1790 as a place of prayer.

The churches therefore represent different construction periods and building forms: the place of prayer made of plastered wood, built around 1790, is followed by the churches from the 19th century, including the building from 1872. In addition to the imperial icons, the furnishings of the “Sfinţii Împăraţi” include the twelve Prăznicare.

History

The boyar manor house is associated with Cleopatra Trubețkoi. It was built between 1838 and 1845. Its style is Neoclassical.

The manor chapel was built in the Neo-Gothic style. The years 1787 and 1828 are associated with it. Today, it is a ruin.

The former chapel of Princess Cleopatra Trubeţkoi’s manor house became a parish church. Its dedications are Adormirea Maicii Domnului and Sfântul Serafim de Sarov.

Several historical periods therefore converge at the manor house: the Neoclassical building from 1838 to 1845, the dates 1787 and 1828 associated with the Neo-Gothic chapel, and its later use as a parish church. The chapel itself is now a ruin.

Oil History

Oil extraction by drilling began in Țintea in 1864.

Cycling

A cycling tour leads from Florești to the churches of Băicoi. It passes through Păulești and other places in Prahova County.

The documented route connects Florești, Păulești and other places in Prahova County with the churches of Băicoi. Its destination is therefore the city’s historic buildings.

For the higher-level travel overview: Prahova.