Valea Neagră: Monastery, Peaks and Hiking Trails

Valea Neagră: Mănăstirea Valea Neagră was founded in 1755 by the priest Maftei from Spinești. Nine years later, five monks from Schitul Poiana Mărului settled there. Abbot Vasile donated to the monastery complex an icon of the Virgin Mary described as miraculous, which is still located in the monastery and is referred to as a pilgrimage destination or pilgrimage object.

Culture

The Mănăstirea Valea Neagră complex includes a chapel dedicated to „Pogorârea Sfântului Duh“, a refectory, and monks’ cells. It also includes a bell tower listed as an architectural monument. Schitul Valea Neagră is recorded in the official list of monuments under the identification code VN-II-a-A-06562, dated 1755–1757. The Schitul is also home to the wooden church „Adormirea Maicii Domnului“, which is recorded in the same list of monuments with the dating 1755–1757. The patronal feast of Mănăstirea Valea Neagră takes place on 15 August.

The named components thus range from the chapel and communal rooms to the bell tower and wooden church. In the monastery’s history, alongside its founder Maftei, the five monks from Schitul Poiana Mărului and Abbot Vasile also have a role. The icon of the Virgin Mary remains a named object associated with the complex; its designation as miraculous and its classification as a pilgrimage destination or pilgrimage object are part of the traditional description.

Landscape

Vârful Zimnicea is a mountain in the vicinity of Valea Neagră. Colocani is a peak in the vicinity of the village. Piscul Boului is a peak in the vicinity of Valea Neagră, as is Piscul Păsării. Also in the vicinity is Biserica Ortodoxă Ploştina, which is classified as a church. Biserica Ortodoxă Coza is a church in the vicinity of Valea Neagră. In the wider regional area is Mânăstirea Lepşa, a monastery. Biserica Ortodoxă Greşu, a church, is also located in this wider regional area.

Vârful Zimnicea is a mountain in the immediate surroundings of Valea Neagră, while Colocani is a peak in this area. Piscul Boului and Piscul Păsării are peaks in the vicinity. The churches in Ploştina and Coza, together with the monasteries and churches in the wider regional area, complement this classification with named religious buildings.

Further places to explore: Soveja, Vidra, Nănești, Adjud, Tulnici, Golești, Focşani and Odobești.

Routes

Access to Cascada Mișina follows county road DJ205M through Năruja, Nistorești, Vetrești, and Valea Neagră; the forest road then runs along the Mișina stream. Hiking trail no. 8 reaches the hamlet of Pârâul Valea Neagră after 8.5 kilometers from a trail junction. The same hiking trail leads to Valea Neagră (Satu Nou) after approximately two kilometers along a forest road. Access to Lacul Negru leads from Nistorești and Herăstrău over approximately 16 kilometers of forest road, followed by a 40–50-minute walk.

For Cascada Mișina, Năruja, Nistorești, Vetrești, and Valea Neagră are named as the sequence of places along county road DJ205M before the forest road begins along the Mișina stream. On hiking trail no. 8, the trail junction, the hamlet of Pârâul Valea Neagră, and Valea Neagră (Satu Nou) mark the points described. The route to Lacul Negru, by contrast, names Nistorești and Herăstrău as the starting points, approximately 16 kilometers of forest road, and then a walk of approximately 40 to 50 minutes.

To the overarching travel overview: Vrancea.