Things to see and do Agapia

5 km south of Agapia, in the village of Văratec, this monastery, all white in the middle of a pretty landscape, was built in 1795 and its church in 1808. The latter is striking, with its two slender, round towers. The charming complex is occupied by nuns, who keep the site beautifully in bloom. You'll see many magnificent icons. The village of Văratec itself is very pleasant, with its traditional houses. It is home to the tomb of poet Veronica Micle, Mihai Eminescu's great love.

The monastery is named after the hermit Agapie, who retired to the area in the ^14th century. Built between 1642 and 1647 on the initiative of Gavril, brother of the Prince of Moldavia Vasile Lupu, the monastery has undergone numerous alterations that have modified its original structure. The church has often been damaged, most recently by the earthquake of 1977. Its interior frescoes, dating from 1861, are the work of the famous Romanian painter Nicolae Grigorescu. He also signed some superb icons, presented in the museum, among other remarkable works.