The Stone Ravens Monastery (Corbii de Piatra)
I visited the impressive Stone Ravens Monastery on 21 September 2008, in a one day trip that also included the Poenari Fortress. Located in the Corbi village, between Curtea de Arges and Campulung this is one of three rupestrian Churches in Arges, together with “Cetatuia” and “Namaesti“.
This 500+ year old church serves currently as yet another proof of the hard times Romanians had to endure during their permanently besieged history. All over Romania you can see regular people’s livelihood was very modest and poor, remote, secluded – easily to abandon when confronted with yet another invasion.Only the most important historical monuments are in military defensible places.
This Monastery was carved in the stone wall sometime before 1512 A.D. and it is said that it’s painting was never restored. With no further ado, here are the photos:
Stone Ravens Monastery - First Impression
Going up the stairs one reaches the stone wall’s feet:
Stone Ravens Monastery - Closer View
The interior: very quiet and modest, enchanting nonetheless:
Inside the Stone Ravens Monastery
You can see that this is actually a cave in the next shot:
Stone Ravens Monastery - Inside the Altar
If I’ve got your interest, here’s how to get to it (you should not regret it): take DN 73C from Curtea de Arges to Campulung, and in Domnesti, take a left to reach Corbi village. If you are in Corbi and you can not find the Monastery, you should give up traveling just ask any local. The road is good, cand be made with any car. Maybe Lamborghinis would have a hard time with the last 500 meters, but I am sure no reader of mine would take his Lambo to visit a mountain Monastery 
.
If you want to see the ‘official’ site, in which they describe what the monastery is not !?!, or to see a very ugly map or some ugly photos here it is.
UPDATE: It has been very kind of Michele to point out to me that an archaic word in Scottish for Raven is Corbie , which I found very interestingly close to the Romanian Corb (Corbi)! Thank you Michele!
I just have to come back to the first thing we saw entering the compound:
"It is forbidden to enter the Monastery with pets: dogs, cats, martens, etc." !?!
We could understand the request of not bringing you pet to a holy place, and until the cats we had no beef with the sign, but the martens part really made us wonder about the habits of locals in the area.
If someone does not know what a marten is, IT’S A FREAKING WILD ANIMAL THAT PREYS ON SQUIRRELS, MICE, RABBITS etc. Here are the Romanian definition and taxonomy, and a Google Images Search to show you this lovely pet.
If you liked this post, be sure to SUBSCRIBE to the blog (either by EMAIL or by RSS) because there are more pictures from this trip coming soon!
30 September 2008 at 11:25
you bandit, I see I must write in English, to keep up with the trend. About the message written at the entrance oh the compound, I think it is an Ecological one meaning u should not wear dogs, cats and weasels! The orthodox church is modern and trendy. Amin
Very hard fotos (bad English translation of Romanian “foarte tari pozele”)
30 September 2008 at 11:28
“Beautifu’ sto’y Adam and Eve” – Franky For Fingers – Snatch -
30 September 2008 at 12:22
Thank you for the comments!
I also like to say ‘Very Hard My Brother’, in RomGlish
30 September 2008 at 19:16
The interior shots rule… those made outside are missing something… I don’t know exactly what since every detail of the pics looks good but the overall effect is more like “nice” instead of “wow”…t
1 October 2008 at 9:10
Thank You
I have the same feeling, and I also have an idea of what might be missing: the essential ingredient of [i]photo[i]graphy – THE LIGHT.
It was a very ugly afternoon, with a dense drizzle and grim atmosphere.
However, I was there and really thought the place deserved being known.
This does seem to conflict a bit with the ‘only show your best work’ rule BUUT this is the best [i]I could do[/i] under the circumstances
I was thinking of trying some B&W, but these shots are not necessary good candidates because they are not rich with patterns…
20 October 2008 at 17:47
[...] my @$$ Arges county is home to three uniquely (sic!) beautiful rupestrian monasteries: Corbii de Piatra (Stone Ravens), Namaesti and Cetatuia Negru Voda (Dark Lord Fortress [...]
24 October 2008 at 17:33
[...] you liked this post, be sure to visit the Stone Ravens Monastery too and to check back for pictures from Cetatuia, the last corner of the triangle. If you do not [...]
31 October 2008 at 4:27
Weasels and martens? I never take my weasels and martens into monasteries.
31 October 2008 at 16:16
It makes perfect sense, but on the other hand, don’t you think they should have provided us with an organized space where to leave the dogs and martens to wait for us?
21 May 2009 at 16:48
e pizdos si frumos – pacat ca nam fost
22 May 2009 at 17:32
Don’t worry, the road up to there is easy, there are no problems, you can go anytime…
Or have you left the country?
20 July 2009 at 17:57
http://suntemingeri.blogspot.com/2008/10/cu-jderul-la-plimbare.html
20 July 2009 at 18:41
“Very hard my brother”
28 May 2010 at 14:19
If only more people could read this.
1 June 2010 at 21:45
Heh I am really the first reply to this awesome post?!?