Travel Guide Horezu

Throughout the country, the name Horezu is synonymous with pottery. The village is home to some of the world's finest potters, who produce remarkable ceramics. They are the fruit of a unique know-how, which has been passed down for generations, and which has been included on Unesco's list of Intangible Heritage of Humanity since 2012. Production is entirely manual, and is generally divided between men and women. The former extract the clay, then clean it, transform it into paste and shape it. The women take care of the decoration, using a hollowed-out ox horn and a stick extended by a wire to draw the traditional motifs: the peacock, the spiral, the apple tree, the snake and, above all, the rooster. The dominant colors are dark brown, red, green, blue and ivory. The object is then fired in a kiln. To visit ceramists' workshops, go to the aptly named Via dei Pottori (Strada Olari), which climbs from the center to the north. It's dotted with craftsmen's houses, which you'll recognize by the pottery adorning their walls. You can also see some fine examples at the House of Culture (Casa de cultură, strada 1 Decembrie 9, Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm). On the first Sunday in June, don't miss the lively Potters' Festival, known as Cocoşul de Horezu (the Rooster of Horezu), so named because this proud gallinaceous appears on many local plates. For the rest, the village itself is of little interest: a small pedestrian street, a few stores. But the Târgului church is sure to catch your eye, thanks to its pretty murals.Horezu cheese, though less well known than its ceramics, is also the village's trademark. Made from sheep's milk (mainly from the Sibiu region) and matured for several months, this slightly tangy, golden cheese is exported throughout Europe and has even won a few medals in foreign competitions.