Provița de Sus: Church, History and Cycling Routes

Culture and Church

The present-day church in Provița de Sus stands out for its trefoil-shaped floor plan. Its walls are made of thin bricks and are 1 m thick. Pimen Georgescu is buried in the churchyard of the Adormirea Maicii Domnului Church at the level of the pronaos. The later metropolitan was born on 22 October 1853 in Provița de Sus, in Prahova County, and was Metropolitan of Moldavia from 1909 to 1934. The church and the Heroes’ Monument stand opposite each other as two cultural sites facing one another. For church visits, it is advisable to check current opening hours before travelling.

The ecclesiastical surroundings include three other places of worship: Biserica Ortodoxă Cocorăştii Caplii, Biserica Sfânta Treime and Biserica Sfinţii Voievozi are located in the vicinity of Provița de Sus. The Heroes’ Monument of Provița de Sus stands opposite the church on the other side of the road. It is located on a small square lined with fir trees, and its façade faces the church.

History

In addition to the biography of Pimen Georgescu, the local history also includes collective remembrance of the war. 600 Romanian soldiers from Provița de Sus fought in the war for the national unification of Romania, namely from 1916 to 1918. At historic memorial sites, current opening hours and special commemorative dates can be checked before travelling.

Landscape

Provița de Sus stretches from the floodplain of the Provița stream to wooded hills. Several named peaks are located in the surrounding area: Gâlma cu Corni, Satul Banului, La Copacul Ocolit and Radacinii. The four peak names complement the change in landscape from the stream floodplain to the wooded hills with specific points of orientation. For excursions in hilly landscapes, current weather and trail conditions can be checked in advance.

Cycling

For cyclists, two routes are associated with different points of reference. One cycling tour passes by the church in Provița de Sus. A circular cycling route runs via Sultanu to Provița de Sus. The two routes differ in their route references: one passes the church, while the other runs via Sultanu. When preparing for cycling tours, current route conditions and possible changes to the route should be checked before departure.

Access and Regional Surroundings

An access route to Provița de Sus from the direction of Dâmbovița runs via Moreni, Valea Lunga and Vișinești. In winter, the road between Provița de Sus and Valea Lunga in Dâmbovița County is closed. The seasonal road status is therefore an important part of planning this journey; current conditions should be checked before travelling. The winter closure thus affects a clearly defined section of this access route.

In the wider regional surroundings of Provița de Sus lies Peles Castle, a castle. Before visiting the castle, current opening hours and event dates should be checked.

Other destinations in the same destination area are: Azuga, Câmpina, Blejoi, Strejnicu, Poiana Câmpina, Slănic, Măgurele and Surani.

For the higher-level travel overview: Prahova.