Vulcăneasa: Museum, Mera Monastery and Milcov Valley

The “Vulcăneasa Village Museum Collection” includes ethnographic objects, traditional costumes, and artifacts illustrating local crafts and customs. Its holdings also include natural history collections. The collection therefore combines objects from rural everyday life with depictions of local work, traditional customs, and natural history holdings. It was restored with the support of the Mera Local Council and the Vrancea Cultural Authority.

Pensiunea Tara is located in the village of Vulcăneasa, in the valley of the Milcov River and surrounded by meadows and hills. The location thus combines the village, the river valley, and the open landscape of meadows and hilly terrain. Hiking and cycling are possible activities at Pensiunea Tara and in its surroundings.

Culture and History

The Focşani–Andreiaşu county road is designated as the access route to the “Vulcăneasa Village Museum Collection.” Mera Monastery is an Orthodox monastery on the left bank of the Milcov Valley. Its location is also described in terms of the village of Podul Mănăstirii, the commune of Mera, and the Odobești–Andreiașu county-road section in Vrancea County.

Mera Monastery is classified as a historic monument and has historical and architectural value. The architectural complex dates from the 17th century and initially belonged to the boyar family Moțoc. In 1706–1707, Antioh, the eldest son of Constantin Cantemir, founded a new monastery on the site of the earlier building. The historical heritage therefore includes both the early connection with the boyar family Moțoc and the later foundation by Antioh of the Cantemir family. Byzantine tempera wall paintings have been preserved at Mera Monastery. The surviving holdings also include a valuable votive painting of the Cantemir family.

Golești, Valea Neagră, Tulnici, Focşani, Soveja, Adjud, Nănești and Vidra.

Routes and Nature

The commune of Mera is crossed by the DN2M national road. To the west, the DN2M connects the commune with Andreiașu de Jos and Nereju. To the east, the national road connects Broșteni, Odobești, and Focșani with the commune's territory. The road connections therefore extend westward to Andreiașu de Jos and Nereju and eastward to Broșteni, Odobești, and Focșani.

The ROSCI0216 Reghiu Scruntar protected area, also known as the Pădurea Reghiu Scruntaru nature reserve, overlaps 65.92 hectares with the U.P. II Vulcăneasa forest management unit. This forest management unit covers a total of 2,849.13 hectares of forest land. Of this area, 2,731.05 hectares are covered by forest. The stated area figures distinguish between the total forest land and the portion covered by forest.

Local Cuisine

The local gastronomy venue “Casa Bunicilor” opened with a farmer’s platter and a soup made from smoked bones. The opening menu also included kettle-cooked chicken with polenta and garlic sauce. Cheese plăcinte and fluffy doughnuts rounded out the listed dishes. The menu therefore included both savory dishes and the baked goods mentioned above. For the announced opening of the local gastronomy venue “Casa Bunicilor,” guests were to be received by reservation only.

For the overarching travel overview: Vrancea.