Discover Băneşti: Churches, Festivals and History

Culture and History

In Bănești stands the Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God, with a bell tower made of hewn stone. This place of worship was completed in 1865. In Urleta stands the old wooden church of the Holy Voivodes, which is a historic monument. Thus, the municipality brings together a 19th-century stone bell tower and a protected historic wooden church in Urleta. Both of these places of worship are specific historical points of reference for Bănești and its municipality.

In 2004, the municipality of Bănești founded the “Floare de Cireș” ensemble. The foundation was intended to preserve and cultivate the local folklore heritage. A monument commemorates the aviator Aurel Vlaicu and his fatal attempt to fly over the Carpathians on 13 September 1913. The place’s culture of remembrance thus extends from ecclesiastical buildings through the cultivation of local folklore to an event from the early history of Romanian aviation. Aurel Vlaicu’s name is just as firmly associated with the monument as the “Floare de Cireș” ensemble is with local folklore activities.

Geographical Setting

Geographically, Bănești lies on the northern edge of the Romanian Plain. The municipality is situated at an elevation of 395 m in a hilly landscape at the foot of the Southern Carpathians. The Prahova River and its left tributary, the Doftana, flow through Bănești. The location therefore combines several clearly defined geographical points of reference: the edge of the plain, the hilly landscape at the foot of the mountains, and the two waterways, the Prahova and the Doftana. The elevation of 395 m is just as much part of this geographical setting as the location at the foot of the Southern Carpathians.

In the Valea Prahovei, the town lies approximately 30 km northwest of Ploiești and 3 km southeast of Câmpina. From 1431 to 1433, the historic trade route of the Valea Prahovei connected Brașov and Wallachia. Bănești benefited from this road over time. The town’s history is therefore also linked to a transport route that connected Brașov and Wallachia. The stated distances also place Bănești in the Valea Prahovei between Ploiești and Câmpina.

National Road DN1 runs through Bănești and connects Bucharest with the northwestern part of Romania. Bucharest lies approximately 88 km to the south. A stone bridge over the Doftana connects Bănești and Câmpina. In addition to the historic trade route, the modern national road is therefore also one of the town’s transport links. The stone bridge adds a specific connection across the Doftana between Bănești and Câmpina to this geographical context.

Festivals and Folklore

The traditional Festivalul Cireșelor takes place in Urleta, in the municipality of Bănești. Its programme includes a traditional costume parade and a folklore programme by the “Floare de Cireș” ensemble from Bănești. The venue in Urleta and the ensemble from Bănești thus bring the municipality and local culture together in a shared festival programme. The traditional costume parade complements the musical and folkloric performances with a visible element of traditional festival culture.

During the Festivalul Cireșelor, local and traditional producers offer the participants specific products. The Festivalul Toamnei takes place in Bănești in October and brings together well-known names from Romanian folk and popular music with the local “Floare de Cireș” ensemble. Over the course of the year, two differently named festivals are therefore central: the Festivalul Cireșelor in Urleta, with a parade, folklore programme and products from local and traditional producers, and the Festivalul Toamnei in Bănești in October, featuring Romanian folk and popular music.

More destinations

More places to discover: Boldești-Scăeni, Măneciu-Ungureni, Ceraşu, Surani, Valea Doftanei, Sinaia, Poiana Câmpina, Chițorani.

For the higher-level travel overview: Prahova.