“Saint John the Baptist” wooden church in Bărbălătești, Argeș

You feel that you have reached a corner of heaven when you first see it, after walking the path that climbs up the steps, in the shadow of old and towering fir trees. The “Saint John the Baptist” wooden church in Bărbălătești was built in 1800 and has passed the test of time. 

Today, it greets you with red geraniums in the porch, bringing joy and comfort to all who cross its threshold.

Placed on a foundation of river boulders, the church has the shape of a ship. According to the inscription, the pronaos and the porch were added at the end of the 19th century.

On the outside, the walls of the pronaos are painted. At the half of the walls of the nave and the altar, an excised wooden rope seems to hold tight the body of the little church. The walls are plastered and painted inside. 

The open porch, supported by oak wooden columns, with the belt made of fir planks and the gate, reminds you of the welcoming warmth of your grandma's house. 

The church still preserves the 1800 Icon of Saint John the Baptist, as well as the old bell dated 1888.

And while you're here, take a few steps through the Sihăstria Parish Park, that hosts a beautiful monument dedicated to the martyrs of the nation. 

In the south-western part of the church, there is the masonry bell tower, which houses the old bell dating from 1888. 

The Sihăstria Parish Park is located in the western part of the parish complex. It is designed to serve as a “Summer School”, with a rustic enclosure, made of acacia fencing posts and fir planks, with access gates to the south and to the west. Inside the park, there is a monument erected in honour of martyrs everywhere, who sacrificed themselves to defend the country, our ancestral faith and the unification of the nation. 

At a short distance from the wooden church in Bărbălătești, you will be able to visit Curtea de Argeș Monastery, a masterpiece of Romanian architecture, but also Sfântul Nicolae Domnesc Church, with its interesting Byzantine style construction. On a dominant position, guarding the Royal Court in Argeș, you will find the ruins of the Sân Nicoară church.

The Curtea de Argeș Municipal Museum will impress you with over 14,000 exhibits from historical and archaeological discoveries.

Do not forget to pass by the Fountain of Master Manole, built in 1800 across the street from the Argeș Monastery.