The Sinaia Monastery was founded by Prince Mihai Cantacuzino in 1695 (317 years ago) and named after the great Sinai Monastery on Mount Sinai. As of 2005 (7 years ago) it is inhabited by 13 Christian Orthodox monks led by hegumen Macarie Bogus. It belongs to the archdiocese of Bucharest. Overview Situated in the Prahova Valley, the Monastery has given its name to the dwellings nearby. Those few houses have turned into the town of Sinaia, in Prahova County, Romania. The monastery consists of two courtyards surrounded by low buildings. In the centre of each courtyard there is a small church built in the Byzantine style. One of them - "Biserica Veche" (The Old Church) - dates from 1695 (317 years ago), while the more recent "Biserica Mare" (The Great Church) was built in 1846 (166 years ago). The monks possess a library that constitutes a repository for valuable jewels belonging to the Cantacuzino family, as well as the earliest Romanian translation of the Bible, dated 1668 (344 years ago). Here is buried Take Ionescu, former Prime Minister of Romania. History Prince (Spătarul) Mihai Cantacuzino founded the monastery upon his return from a pilgrimage to Mount Sinai. It took five years to complete the first buildings from 1690 (322 years ago) to 1695 (317 years ago). It was supposed to serve as a Monastery as well as a fortified stronghold on the way from Brasov to Bucharest. In the first plan the Monastery will hold 12 monks just like the Twelve Apostles, but, in time, the number of monks grew. During the Russo–Turkish War, 1735–1739 the Monastery was deserted and the valuables hid inside a bell and buried. During that war the Turks have fought a battle with the troupes stationed within the walls of the Monastery and won. The ottomans had burned the area and broke the wall in two places. Until 1850 (162 years ago), Sinaia consisted of little more than the monastery and a group of huts. In 1864 (148 years ago), however, the monastic estate was assigned to the Board of Civil Hospitals (Eforia Spitalelor Civile), which opened a hospital and several baths, and helped develop mineral springs in Sinaia. In 1948 (64 years ago) the Monastery goes under the patronage of the Archdiocese of Bucharest from the Board of Civil Hospitals. The Romanian Patriach Justinian restores the buildings between the years 1951 (61 years ago) and 1957 (55 years ago) with the money from the Archdiocese of Bucharest. At this point they fit the whole Monastery with running water, electricity and natural gas.

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