The settlement named after "The Change of Face" and "The Good Faithful Voivode Stephen the Holy and the Great" was built on a plateau of the Ceahlău Massif, being surrounded by large rocks. The small monastery is located in the immediate vicinity of the Dochia Hut.  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION From the most remote times, around Mount Ceahlău there were numerous hermitages or caves with hermits, monks and nuns. Some were consumed by fire, snow avalanches, or rocks falling on top of them. Only Durău Monastery survived the times. The toponymy of the mountain and the places around it shows the presence of hermits and monks since ancient times and is recorded by documents since the 15th century. It is difficult to know when the first hermits came to these places and what was their origin. We can easily believe that they were native monks returned from Mount Athos or monks from the great monasteries of Moldavia. Some toponyms that remind us of them have been preserved, others have changed or disappeared. We remember: "The Foot of the Hermit", "The Pit of the Hermits", "Gideon's Cave", "At the cells", "Vucol's Cave", "Iosaf's Cell", "Mothers' Meadow", "Panaghia" (from the Greek, "The one in all Holy" - in honor of the Virgin Mary), "Monk Stream", "Ghenadie's Meadow", "Seraphim's Foot, "Gherman's Cave", "Altar Stone", "Gideon's Wide Stone", " Martin's Creek",  etc. There is also another kind of toponymy: "Shepherd's Stone", "The soldier’s hat", "Budu's Tower", "Pharaoh", "The Great Enclosure" ‒ also called "Throne of the Gods".

During more than 150 years since the establishment of the monarchy in Romania, Neamţ county has been host to members of the royal family on numerous occasions, the first "royal" visit to Neamţ taking place only a few months after the arrival of Prince Carol I in the country, in August 1866. In a less pleasant context, Charles II arrived on the German throne. In 1918, while he was in Târgu Neamţ in command of the Mountain Hunter Regiment, Prince Carol II fled to Odessa to secretly marry Zizi Lambrino. Because he deserted, he was arrested for 75 days at the Horaița Monastery, an isolated and difficult place to access at that time. At the monastery, there are still some furniture items that were brought from Bucharest specifically to make the prince's stay more comfortable. It is about a sofa with two armchairs and a table with six chairs that can be found today in the guest room intended for important visitors of the monastery. The Horaița Monastery is located in the village of Poiana in the commune of Dobreni, in a particularly picturesque place, conducive to monastic life, but also to the meeting of pilgrims with God and nature alike. Today's church is a foundation of Archimandrite Ermoghen Buhuși from the 19th century (built between 1848-1867), in an old monastic hearth. A first wooden shelter would have existed here since the 15th century. In a document from July 1428, the ruler of Moldavia Alexandru cel Bun mentioned a church in Horaița in a row of 52 places, given to the care of the Bistrița Monastery. The name of the monastery comes from the name of the family that owned many properties in the area, Goraeti. The only one in Moldova that is dedicated to the Baptism of the Lord, the church is also unique in its architecture that combines Romano-Byzantine elements with Russian influences, but also in its neo-Byzantine style painting, on a brick background made only in the period 1988-1993 by the painter Mihai Chiuariu. Of particular beauty is the tapestry, carved in baroque style, from linden wood, hair and thuja, decorated with gold and rich embroidery. The pulpit is 4 m above the royal doors, a fact that is no longer found in any Orthodox church in the country or in the world. The church of the monastery houses the icon of the miracle-working Mother of God "the deliverer from drought", considered the most precious smell of the place. The people of the monastery say that the icon has saved the surrounding villages many times in times of drought by bringing, following processions organized by priests and believers, the long-awaited rains. It seems that this comes from the old wooden church, being made in the first half of the 18th century. The monastic complex also includes the "Saint Hierarch Nicholas" Chapel, the "Descent of the Holy Spirit" Chapel from the Bell Tower, but also other more recent constructions, some intended for the monastery community, others for pilgrims or guests from among the high hierarchs of the Romanian Orthodox Church.

Neamţ Monastery is a monk orthodox monastery, located in village Vânători Neamţ. The monastery is certified in year 1407 but the roots are from 12th century. The monastery was built by Petru I Muşat(1375-1391), that built the first stone church, today vanished but on the same location existed a small wooden church, called White Church, built by monks a century before. The present church from monastery's precinct was founded by ruler Ştefan the Great at the end of 15th century.

What is known today as the Nechit Monastery was, at the beginning, a place of retreat for monks who wanted to perfect their union with Christ. As the name suggests, the first inhabitant of these lands was Nichita the Hermit. He was followed by a host of other hermits whose names inspired the entire toponymy of the place: Samson's stream, Jacob's river, the springs of Saint Chiriac. Almost 800 years later, God's providence fulfills with the old Zenovie Ghidescu the prophecy of his great-grandmother: "If something happens to you, go to the foundation of our nation, to Nechit." And so we get a little closer to the way the monastery looks today...

In Pângăraţi village is located an old orthodox monastery from Moldova, built by Ştefan the Great and Saint and Alexandru Lăpuşneanu. The name of the holy monastery is from Eremitul Pangrate, come from Athos Mountain, then local from this area. In Carol I times, monastery cellars was transformed in prisons and in 1914 here was installed a military hospital.

The monastery of Războieni was built in 1496, to honor the Moldavian soldiers who fell in the battle of Valea Albă in 1476. Then, Stephen the Great lost a lot of Moldavian soldiers and 13 of the great governors of the country. The uniqueness of the place among the foundations of the Stephen the Great lies in the fact that it is actually a mausoleum that shelters the bones of those who fell in battle under the altar and pronaos. The monastery is dedicated to the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel.

The Secu Monastery is a hearth of spiritual life whose age is almost 500 years. On the feudal domain of the Neamț Citadel, on the valley of the Secu river, around the year 1500, a group of hermits settled who, in time, founded in 1530 under the leadership of Hieroschimonach Zosima, a monk from the Neamț Monastery, the hermitage with the same name: Zosima's Hermitage . Ruler Petru Rareș built the church of the Zosima Hermitage on the site of the current church of the monastery cemetery. The hermitage was fenced with a stone wall in 1550 by Elena, the voivode's wife, and her sons, a small part of which is still preserved at the entrance to the monastery, next to the current church of the cemetery, where the entrance gate to the hermitage was and its bell tower. The same ruler Petru Rares, in his first reign, strengthened his control over the lands that belonged to the estate of the Neamț Fortress, donating these lands for the use of the monks from the valley of the Secu river. Bishop Melchisedec Ștefănescu, speaking about the beginnings of the Secu Monastery, recalls that until 1910 there was on the wall of the monastery bell tower, in the niche where there is now a fresco of St. John the Baptist, the original painting from the church built by Voivode Petru Rares, painting which was damaged by grinding due to the harshness of the times. During the time of voivodes Alexandru Lăpușneanul (1552-1561 and 1564-1568), Petru Șchiopu (1574-1579) and Aron Tiranul (1591-1595), the Zosima Hermitage received some donations for the use and maintenance of the hermit monks from these places. Towards the end of the 16th century, the Hermitage of Zosima experienced a special development, especially from an economic point of view: private grants are now supplemented with royal grants and confirmations, and the name of Abbot Dosoftei, one of Zosima's disciples, is often mentioned in the reasons for being close to the oldest and most powerful monks from the Neamț Monastery.

Sihăstria Monastery is located in the northern part of Neamț county, approximately 22 km from Târgu-Neamț.  The first foundation took place in 1655 by Metropolitan Varlaam Motoc, being carried out by the hermit Atanasie together with seven of his disciples. The church was destroyed over time and rebuilt in 1734, when Bishop Ghedeon of Roman rebuilt it in stone, on the site of the old one. In 1821 it was burned by the Turks and was rebuilt in 1824, with the support of Metropolitan Veniamin Costachi. The monastery attracted visitors from all over Romania who came to Father Archimandrite Cleopa, who was and is one of the most appreciated Romanian priests of all time. He died in 1998 leaving 16 volumes of teachings in a collection entitled "Father Cleopa is speaking to us". His tomb is in the premises of the Sihăstria Monastery and can be visited, next to the hermitage of Saint Cleopa.

The history of the Sihla Hermitage, the holy fathers and the founders has remained unresearched and very poor in data. A history of hesychasm from the forests of Sihla and even from the Sihla Hermitage, due to the secret life that the old hermits and monks led, has proven to be difficult to achieve until today. In the past, the centuries-old forests of Sihla were very wild, full of thickets, very difficult to access and devoided of any human presence. Only some hermits who loved peace and the wildness of the forest dared to live in complete wilderness, in a cold and inhospitable climate. Over time, the countless hermits scattered through the vast forests between the Neamt, Secu, Sihastria and Agapia Monasteries, leading towards Hangu, Durău, Ceahlau, a territory recognized as the "Romanian Athos", considered the forests of Sihla to be "the greatest wilderness". Here, only hermits who had reached the highest levels of hesychastic training dared to sacrifice themselves, some of them remaining in complete secrecy for decades.   The presence of hermits in Sihla dates back to the beginning of the 13th century, a tradition handed down by word of mouth from the old monks. The first written mention appears in a Serbian record from 1326, as in Sihla there is a hermitage belonging to the "White Church" from the Neamț Monastery.

Stephen the Great was the most important ruler of Moldavia, but also a prominent personality in the history of Romania. He ruled his country for 47 years, from 1457 to 1504, during which time he distinguished himself as a statesman, diplomat and military leader. He won the throne when he was not even 20 years old, out of a desire to avenge his father's death. Due to the large number of places of worship founded, but also to the battles against the pagans, he was called Athlete of Christ and defender of Christianity since his lifetime. He was sanctified in 1992, being marked in the Orthodox Christian calendar on July 2, with the name Righteous Voivode Stephen the Great and Holy. In Neamț there are 7 objects whose existence is linked to the name of the voivode: the large church from the Neamț Monastery, the Neamț Citadel, the Războieni Monastery, the Tower and the chapel of St. John the New from the Bistrita Monastery, the Royal Court Ensemble with the Nativity of St. John church The Baptist from Piatra Neamț, the New Roman Citadel and the Tazlău Monastery. ABOUT THE TAZLAU MONASTERY Located at the foot of Măguria Tazlău, in the center of Tazlău commune, the monastery is considered the most imposing in the entire Neamț county. Apart from the monastery church, here are still preserved the ruins of the princely house and the defensive wall built of river stone, which in some places still has the height of Stephen's time. Until recently, an extensive restoration project was carried out at the monastery, which involved both the rehabilitation of the buildings and the archaeological research. It is good to know that in the basement of the monastery there are several retreat tunnels that have never been studied.

It is the biggest nuns monastery from Romania, founded by nun Olimpiada in year 1785.

The Ceahlău massif is the highest of the Bistriţa Mountains, part of the Moldavian-Transylvanian Carpathian group. This is one of the mountains with the greatest tourist importance in the Eastern Carpathians.   Located on the territory of Neamţ county, a short distance from the town of Bicaz, from the Izvorul Muntelui lake, but also from the municipality of Piatra-Neamţ (in a straight line it is only 30km). Its highest peak is Ocolaşul Mare, with an altitude of 1907 m, the Toaca peak measuring 1904 m.   There are 8 marked tourist routes on Ceahlău, with varying degrees of difficulty, with two main starting points: Izvorul Muntelui (near Bicaz) and Durău. Two of them depart from the commune of Bicazul Ardelean.   Those who do not climb to the top, to Dochia or Toaca, but only to Fântânele or to the Duruitoarea Fall, will enjoy unforgettable landscapes on these routes as well. From wherever you look, Mount Ceahlău offers a dreamy view, impressing with its massiveness.   For more info on the trails check this link: https://www.ceahlaupark.ro/en/trails/ 

Founded in year 2005, works in the building built by Carol Zane in years 1928-1930 and decorated by carver Vicenzo Puschiasis. The remains discovered in the field, in over 150 archaeological sites, over six decades form the exceptional heritage of this museum. Cucuteni culture represents the most important civilisation of "Old Europe" and is the last culture with painted ceramics from Europe. The museum exhibition contain almost 300 pieces arranged on two levels and three rooms. Here it can be admired objects of ceramics painted in three colors, figurative-plastic art objects anthropomorph and zoomorph, decorative art objects applied on vase, all representative for all the fases of development of this culture. Visiting hours: Everyday from 09 to 17 (October to March); from 10 to 18 (April to September) Monday: Closed

IMPORTANT: The museum building, particularly spectacular from an architectural point of view, is currently in a rehabilitation process. However, you can contact the museum hosts by phone to check the status of the museum in advance.     Iulia Hălăucescu was born on March 31, 1924, in Tarcău commune in Neamț county, in the family of the priest Gheorghe Verșescu. She only stayed here for 2 years, until her father moved with the parish to Piatra-Neamț, in the Valea Viei slum. Even though she stayed so little in her native village, the artist wanted to give the locality a part of her creation. Thus, in 2003, the Tarcău Museum was born, organized in a building of the village school that today bears the artist's name.   "Where mountain twines with mountain, fir tree with fir tree, where the stream cuts a path in the rock in waterfalls over sandstone steps, where the sky is visible like a ribbon and whose color and light are reflected in the bubbles where the trout of Tarcău play, I saw the light of day for the first time. In the memory of my parents and for the legacy and beauty of the inhabitants of Tarcău, I give to my hometown, part of the goods that have enriched my soul and creation, cultural and folk art values, representative Romanian ceramics from different areas of the country, old Romanian icons, furniture and even my own creative workshop," said the artist at the opening of the museum.   The Tarcău Museum is structured in 4 exhibition halls, which house over 100 works by the artist. Most of the works are watercolors, with the exception of a self-portrait and some paintings of family members. The main themes of the paintings in the museum are flowers, images of the old Tarcău, but also images captured by the artist during her travels abroad. Among the works dedicated to the native village are the Old Mill from Tarcău, Field Flowers from the Glades of Tarcău and Old Farm from Tarcău. In the paintings painted during trips outside the country, the artist immortalized images from Hungary, Bulgaria, Germany and France.   Nicknamed "Lady of Romanian Watercolors", the artist was a member of the Union of Plastic Artists from Romania, an honorary member of the Romanian Academy of Scientists, a Knight of the National Order "For Merit" and an honorary citizen of the cities of Piatra-Neamț and Bicaz. Throughout her life, she opened more than 60 personal exhibitions at home and abroad and participated in more than 30 exhibitions organized by the Ministry of Culture in 25 countries in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Africa, the artist's works reaching as far as Japan and the Philippines. In Neamț, with the exception of this dedicated museum, the artist's works can also be found in the Museum of History in Bicaz and the Art Museum in Piatra-Neamț.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The museum is currently closed for renovations. Founded in 1958, the Museum of History in Bicaz has been operating since 1966 in the building of the former village theater "Ion Calinderu". Built at the beginning of the 20th century, the museum building is registered as a historical monument. The permanent exhibition of the museum of history and ethnography is structured on three distinct spaces that illustrate the monographic history of the Bistriței Valley, but also the 102 paintings donated to the city by the painter Iulia Hălăucesu. Source of information and photos: www.monumenteneamt.ro

The Museum of Natural Sciences in Roman was established in 1962, under the care of the late museographer Constantin Tărăbuţă. The space intended for the museum, composed of 8 rooms, was located in Alexandru cel Bun street, no. 5. In the same complex there were 3 more buildings, as well as the portion of land - approx. 5 hectares - intended for the zoological and botanical garden. The museum building was built in the 19th century by the first director of the Roman Hospital, Dr. Alexandru Theodori, but it was taken over by Bishop Melchisedec Stefănescu to be transformed into a parish house, then, with nationalization, it was passed into the administration's heritage local.

Nicolae Popa (1919-2010) was a folk craftsman and poet, recognized for his efforts to build a small folk museum in the yard of his house in Târpești (Neamț), recognized today throughout the world for his unique creations. His collections, open to the public since 1977 include: archaeological objects, numismatics, ethnography, religious objects, icons, naïve painting, but also creations of Neculai and Elena Popa: masks, costumes for winter performances, wood and stone carvings.  "Since my youth, I have liked the traditions and customs of my ancestors. That's why I made the museum. I realized that only by preserving tradition can we prove that we existed as a people. I regret that young people are ashamed of our traditional costume. A more beautiful folk costume than in Romania does not exist anywhere in the world. Young people have begun to embrace what comes from abroad. Instead, foreigners appreciate what we have here more than we do", said the craftsman Neculai Popa. The unique exhibits can be viewed in the 12 rooms allocated the museum and in the beautiful courtyard with sculptures of the Popa family. The first museum - it functioned from 1964 to 1977 in the old service building of the village teacher, which N. Popa repaired it and remodeled it to be able to house his collection of objects The House of Masks - This building was built by Vasile and Elena Popa in the second part of the 19th century and is composed of four rooms: entrance hall, centrally located, two rooms located on one side and the other of the hallway and a fourth room (which served as a warehouse, later enlarged), located in the back of the building. Currently, the building houses most of Neculai and Elena Popa's creations (masks and costumes for Christmas and New Year performances, naive wood and stone sculptures, made over the years) and a collection of vests embroidered with traditional decorative motifs, from the Neamț area .   House of collections - With the entry of the Târpeşti museum into the tourist circuit, at the beginning of the seventies, Neculai Popa realized that there was a need for the construction of a building dedicated to the collections of this museum, especially since the number of collected objects had greatly increased . And because it was a new construction, he thought that it should be placed in the courtyard of his home, the place where he carried out his creative activity and where he had already begun to think about the creation of a complex of sculptures for the exterior (the gate and the courtyard with sculptures). The collection house was started in 1974, and three years later, in 1977, it will be opened to the public. The building houses most of the collections of the Popa Museum: > archaeology, > numismatics, > ethnography, > religious objects, > naive painting. Sculpture courtyard - The museum courtyard has been decorated since the beginning of the 70s with the wood and stone creations of Neculai Popa, works whose dimensions vary between 1 and 2.5 m. Access to this ensemble of sculptures is through a monumental gate, carved in oak wood, a kind of "family tree", which includes about 23 human figures. Foto Video & Info Credit: www.muzeulpopa.ro

Out of the desire to show what a day is like in the life of a monk, especially the nuns from the Agapia Monastery, in 2013 one of the houses in the monastery village was opened for visitors. In the carefully furnished and arranged house you can find icons, church objects, embroideries, carpets made in the monastery. In the 3 workshops (weaving and embroidery, pottery and bakery) those interested can test their skills and creativity.     The Vivant Museum is housed in one of the oldest houses of the monastic village of Agapia, which was built with a stone ground floor and a wooden upper floor. The cottages and household rooms are furnished in a traditional and attractive style, presenting how a nun's day unfolds in the convent. Also, on the ground floor you can see how the monks lived in the past, before Agapia was a nunnery. Even though the museum has only been around for a few years, the exhibits, furniture, fabrics were created hundreds of years ago. More info here: https://www.tinutulzimbrului.ro/en/descopera/the-vivant-museum/ 

Bicaz este un mic oraș din județul Neamț, format din localitățile componente Bicaz (reședința), Capșa, Dodeni și Izvoru Muntelui, și din satele Izvoru Alb, Potoci și Secu. Acesta are o populație de circa 6000 locuitori. Acesta rămâne însă un oraș important de tranzit în plin sezon, fiind în drumul turiștilor atât spre Cheile Bicazului + Lacul Roșu, cât și spre Barajul Bicaz + Durău. Pentru o scurtă oprire, puteți admira aici Muzeul de Istorie (fostul teatru sătesc) și Palatul Primăriei Bicaz (fosta casa regală), ambele încadrate pe lista clădirilor istorice.

Roznov is a small town in Neamț, consisting of the component localities of Chintinici, Roznov (residence) and Slobozia. The city is located in the northern part of the Cracău-Bistrița depression, on the Bistrița river, 15 km southeast of the Piatra-Neamț municipality. It is crossed by National Road/DN15, which connects Bacău with Piatra-Neamț and further to Bicaz. At Roznov, this road intersects with the county road DJ156A, which connects it to the north with Girov (where it intersects with DN15D), Dobreni (where it intersects with DN15C), Negrești and Crăcăoani, and to the south with Borlești, Tazlău and beyond in the county of Bacău to Balcani, Pârjol and Ardeoani (where it ends in DN2G). The Bacău-Bicaz railway also passes through the city, which is served by the Roznov station. The main attractions in Roznov are: "Saint Hierarch Nicholas" Church, "Holy Apostles" Church, but also the Central Park and the Obelisk of the heroes of the Russo-Turkish War.

The Cnejilor Palace is a ruined palace located in the village of Ceahlău in the commune of the same name (Neamț county). It was built in the 17th - 18th centuries by the boyars from the Cantacuzino family who owned the surrounding estates within the former Hangu hermitage. Obtaining the property right in 1839, the Cantacuzins transformed the monastic settlement into a fortified manorial courtyard, modifying the cells, building annexes, strengthening the enclosure wall. This is how the Cnejilor Palace was born, in fact a noble residence on the border between the manor and the palace, built according to all the feudal rules. Even if the palace has not (yet) been restored, the location is worth a visit due to its rich and interesting past.

Born from the passion of an American and a Romanian, with a lot of work and effort, the trout farm Bistra Montana in Neamț wants to offer you moments of relaxation, far from the hustle and bustle of the city, being at the same time an oasis of peace and comfort. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION We are located in the locality of Telec in Neamț County, 12 km from the Bicaz road towards Chei and Lacul Roșu. We are at your disposal with 7 rooms with matrimonial beds, but also with a restaurant with 32 seats. It is good to know that we also sell trout fry on a firm contract basis. We also organize family reunions, sport fishing in our own trout ponds, hunting in the Ceahlău Massif forest, stays at monasteries in Neamț County, boat trips on Lake Bicaz.

The cave of Saint Pious Chiriac is located near the voivodeship church from Bisericani, located today in the premises of the sanatorium. Over the centuries, the place has been a place of prayer for many hermits, but it bears the name of Reverend Chiriac, a 17th-century resident, who lived in the cave for 60 years, in dire need. The Holy Hierarch of Dosofta himself, the Metropolitan of Moldova, worshiped at his head, as a sign of appreciation for his holiness. The first known hermit from the heights of Bisericani, however, is St. Joseph, considered the founder of the monastic hearth from Bisericani, in the 15th century. Born in a village in Neamț, Saint Joseph began his monastic life at the Bistrița Monastery, but from there he went to worship at the Holy Sepulcher and stayed for many years in the Jordan Valley where he founded the first Romanian spiritual community in the Holy Land. Because of the Arab invasion, he returned to Moldova together with his disciples, founding the first hermitage in Bisericani. Saints Chiriac and Joseph were canonized in 2008, and their relics are in the voivodeship church at Bisericani. They are commemorated on October 1, when the monastery's inhabitants and the faithful go in procession to the cave. Today's monks from the monastery say that there are several such caves in the area that have not yet been discovered, the very name of Bisericani being due to those who for centuries would have had to, sanctifying these places with their prayers and bodies .

Saint Teodora was born in the village of Vânători in Neamţ county, around the year 1650. She was one of the two daughters of Ştefan Joldea, a soldier at the Neamţ Citadel. Teodora's youth is marked by a tragic event: the death of her sister at a young age. For this reason, Teodora wants to retire at the monastery. But in order not to grieve her parents who had already lost a daughter, she gets married. After their death, however, she and her husband decide to go separately to the monastery. At the age of 30, Teodora will enter the Vărzăreşti-Vrancea Hermitage, and her husband will become a monk at the Poiana Mărului Hermitage. Because of the Turkish raids, Teodora retreats to more hidden places, on the border between the Buzău and Vrancea mountains. After a few years, she returns to Neamţ and lives near the Sihăstria Hermitage, in the cell next to the wooden Church, which still exists today. There he spent his time in prayer and contemplation, in poor clothes, feeding only on what the forest offered him: fruits, sponges, nettles, roots. At a new attack by the Turks, Cuvioasa was seen by them and chased. Then one of the greatest miracles in Teodora's life takes place. At her prayer, a rock split and formed a cave that sheltered the Saint, the stone wall closing in front of the Turkish invaders. Teodora will live until the end of her life in this cave that can still be seen today, located only 50 meters from her cell. Here the Saint lived for 10 years, unknown to the world, only in the care of God, alongside the beasts of the forest. It is even said that she blessed these places so that those who will arrive here will be protected for life from wild beasts. The time spent in this cave brings the Pious to the highest degree of asceticism. She receives the gift of "before-sight", and ends up not feeling the cold, thirst, hunger or sleep anymore. She was not eating for weeks in a row, and her clothes were only rags. The Saint begins to desire more and more death, but before that she wanted impartation. And her prayer was answered. Several birds went to the Sihăstria Hermitage at mealtime, took bread in their beaks and flew with it to Sihla. Seeing them, the abbot sends two disciples to see where the birds are going. They find the Pious Theodora in prayer, raised from the earth, like the Pious Mary of Egypt. She told them about her life, about her near end, and asked them to go to the monastery to bring her a priest so that she could be imparted. The next morning the saint was imparted and immediately afterwards she died. Her relics were placed in the cave, where they stayed for almost 100 years. In 1830, her miracle-making body was taken by the Sturza family to the church in Miclăuşeni-Iași. From there, in 1856, the relics arrived at the Pecerska Lavra in Kiev, where they are still today.

Piatra Teiului from Neamț is a calcareous rock located at the tail of the current basin of the Izvorul Muntelui reservoir on the Bistrița River, declared a natural monument since 1951, currently with the status of a geological reserve. The 23 m height rock, is located on a terrace 5-7 meters higher than the level of Bistrița. The protected area has an area of only 0.2 ha and is found at an altitude of 508 meters. The mysterious formation is a witness to the erosion of a Cretaceous coral reef. The composition of the rock includes a rich Sarmatian fossil fauna. Initially called the Devil's Stone due to its singularity, something that could only be explained by legends, it later got its current name after a linden tree grew on its top. According to legends, the Devil would have broken a piece of rock from the top of Ceahlău one night to stop the waters of Bistrița and flood the area. As he flew with the rock in his arms, he would have been surprised by the appearance of dawn and, fearing the sunlight, would have let it fall and run for cover in the darkness.

From the trout farm Bistra Montana turn right, following the forest road from the Bistra Mică River valley. It is 7km long, it is quite well maintained and can be climbed with almost any type of car (except very low ones). An SUV or a jeep is even more suitable. Take your time, this road takes about an hour. In the Stănile Glade there is an absolutely wonderful view of the Ceahlău Massif and its peaks. The entire natural setting is worth being admired in peace. It is good to know that in this glade there is also the hermitage with the same name, if you want to make a short detour to visit it. Most of those who climb Ceahlău park their cars in this glade. However, if you have a car with a high guard, the forest road continues beyond the barrier, another 2-3 km, to the "hiding parking place" point (you can find it on Google Maps).   Photo via https://samsara11.wordpress.com/

One of the most loved attraction, especially for little ones, the Bison Reservation Dragoş Vodă, where you have the opportunity to see an animal disappeared from Romania but brought back: the bison.  Beside bison, there is also o small zoological garden where live a few Carpathian deer, paddle deer, deer, bears and different kind of birds. VISITING HOURS: Monday-Sunday 10 am - 6 pm ACCESS FEES: Adults 15 RON and children 7 RON.  There are discounts for groups over 10 persons (adults 12 RON, children 5 RON). 

The Catargi mansion in Tupilați was built in 1842, on the site of an older one. The area of ​​10,400 square meters of the manor, which included, in addition to the manor itself, a series of outbuildings (caretaker's quarters, stables, cellars and barns) was surrounded, following the model of the fortifications of the great feudal residences, by a rough stone wall with circular towers of defense at the corners, dating from the medieval era. Local tradition attributes both the towers at the corners of the enclosing stone wall and the secular oak next to the mansion to the reign of Stephen the Great (1457-1504). The mansion has one floor, its facade being divided by a vertical pavilion with a window into two unequal bodies. The mansion has an vault like shaped entrance with pillars and arched openings. The mansion and the outbuildings were part of a unitary architectural ensemble together with the "St. Voievozi" Church in the same village, which was founded in 1811 by the boyar Ștefan Catargiu (1789-1866), a high value member of the Principality of Moldavia.  Also, the church is a historical monument.  After the establishment of the communist regime in Romania in 1948, the mansion was expropriated by the state and transformed into the headquarters of an agricultural cooperative. It was used for many years in a row without any repairs or even maintenance. No longer cared for, it began to decay. In a 1978 report, the mansion is shown as dilapidated, with the beams and roof about to collapse. After the overthrow of the communist regime, the mansion passed into the administration of the Tupilați City Hall, which did not concern itself with its rehabilitation, its legal situation being uncertain. Over time, the degradation of the mansion increased. Unfortunately, part of the roof and east wall with the ceilings collapsed and warning plaques were installed on the building and walls. The resolution of the case dragged on and only in June 2008 did the Prefecture release the decision for the possession of the mansion with its dependencies and 35 hectares of land from the former estate to the heirs of the Strâmbeanu family.

Both villages are located at the foot of the Cernegura Hill and are part of Alexandru cel Bun commune. The two localities are usually transited by those who visited the Bâtca Doamnei Lake area, the Petrodava Citadel and who continue to Bicaz. Of course, the order can also be reversed. Here is also a beautiful recreation area called "La Iazuri", attractive for fishing enthusiasts, but also the famous photo spot "La Lebede" (The Swans).

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE LOCATION It seems that the name of the locality comes from a certain Savin and his descendants, a fact that is not documented. The first documentary attestation of the locality is that of January 6, 1411, in which the village appears with the name of Sobolești, and then that of July 11, 1428, in which it is called Sobolea and which belonged to the Bistrița Monastery. The first mention of the current name is from March 4, 1797, when ruler Alexandru Calimachi orders the administrators of Neamț to investigate the complaint of the abbot of the Bistrița Monastery against the inhabitants of Săvinești village. The villages that are part of the commune are Săvinești, Dumbrava Vale and Dumbrava Deal. To these can be added Colonia Săvinești , a small community (currently a neighborhood) that came into existence with the arrival of the workers and specialists who contributed to the construction of the chemical platform in the 60s. The village of Dumbrava Deal (which came into being after 1907 from the inhabitants who fled from the boyar estates in the villages of Crăcăoani, Bârgăuani and Rediu) was called Dumbrava Roșie (the Red Glade) from the hill ('deal") and was established on the site of an oak grove that was deforested giving lots of property to the inhabitants. The inhabitants of this village were called "those from the hill" and hence the name of the village Deleni. THE CHEMICAL PLANT OF SĂVINEȘTI Săvinești is associated with the name of the synthetic yarns and fibers complex, once the pride of the Romanian chemical industry. According to the data on Wikipedia, the Săvinești industrial platform was built in 1957. It started with a synthetic fiber production unit. In 1958, the Azochim Fertilizer Plant, currently SC Ga-Pro-Co Chemicals Săvinești, was put into operation. Almost 3000 Germans worked at Azochim at that time. The industrial platform also included Fibrex, Rifil, Melana and the Research Institute for Synthetic Yarns and Fibers (ICEFS) Săvinești (founded in 1991). At one time, approximately 18,000 people worked on the Săvinești chemical platform, including those on the construction sites, the vast majority of them commuters from Piatra-Neamț.

The recorded tradition in some old manuscripts says that a certain hermit, Agapie, together with several disciples, withdrew from the Neamţ Monastery for a life of austerity and contemplation and built, in the second half of the 14th century, a modest hermitage, from wood. The Hermitage and the Agapia Monastery, the surrounding mountains, the stream, the village and the commune, which were properties of the monastery, took their names from this hermit.  The first documentary mention is made by Ilies Vodă, in 1437, by which the boundary between Agapiei Monastery and Neamţ Monastery, with which it adjoins, is established. A document from July 12, 1464, mentions Hieromonk Arsenie, the abbot of Agapia, in a dispute with the Neamț Citadel for a house with an orchard in Târgul Neamț. Another document, from 1498, mentions Isaia, the abbot of Agapia, who had a quarrel with the Neamţ Citadel over a border mountain. Agapia is on the list of monasteries during the reign of Stephen the Great, when it had 15-20 monks. These are proofs that Agapia existed throughout the 15th century. Photo credit: Oana Nechifor (via Doxologia.ro)

The Cuejdi Hermitage, dedicated to "St. Venerable Daniil the Hermit", is subordinate to the Bistrița Monastery in Neamț County. The founders of the place are the believers of the locality and the representatives of the mayor's office of Gârcina Municipality since 1998. It is worth making a short stop here on your way to Lake Cuejdel, another beautiful creation of nature in our land.

The Şerbești Rock is located 17 km from Piatra-Neamț, in the commune of Ștefan cel Mare, on the Măgura Șerbești hill (512 m). Access is by road, via National Road/DN15D Piatra Neamț - Roman. Towards the end of the village of Girov, turn left on the County Road/DJ208G towards Hanul Ancuței (the Ancuței Inn) until the village of Ștefan cel Mare, where there is a signpost to the reservation. ATTRACTION DETAILS The Şerbești Rock, known by the locals as the "Hill with a Human Face" or the "Hill of the Dead", is a natural monument with the status of a geological and landscape nature reserve of category III IUCN. The element of uniqueness of this strange formation is given by the hard sandstones, which rose in an unusual way, following the tectonic movements, marls and conglomerates of Sarmatian age formed about 10 million years ago. On closer inspection, the steep incline of these formations resembles a human profile looking up to the sky. In 1972, the Şerbești Rock was declared a protected area on a surface of 5 hectares following the important geological and paleontological discoveries made in the area: fossil shells, fossil marine snails, and two species of oak. MYTHS AND LEGENDS The locals of these places talk about a myth of a fight between the "giants" who lived millions of years ago on the Ceahlău mountain. One of the giants chose his eternal place in this area, where he hid under a piece of hill. With the passage of time, his face has surfaced and we can see him resting in complete peace, looking up at the sky. The legend from the time of Stephen the Great says that the Rock from Şerbești was a place where the Grand Voivode hung the heads of prisoners from the battles with the Turks. The locals still call the place "The hill with the heads". According to this myth, the heads of the fallen warriors represented a sign for all those who traveled in those times in the area of Moldavia.

Bălţăteşti resort is located in the N-E of Neamţ county, in the Neamţ Depression, right between the towns of Piatra Neamţ (34 km away) and Târgu Neamţ (11 km away). The resort is located in Valea Sărată, sheltered by the hills in the southwest of the Neamţ Depression. In the vicinity of the commune are located the villages of Netezi, Suseni, Ghindăoani, Crăcăoani, Văratec and Săcălușești. In the town of Bălţateşti, chlorosodic waters are successfully used for medical recovery. The Bălţăteşti region has a long history, having been inhabited since ancient times. Forest wood, thermal waters, mild climate and green fields that provided food for sheep and cattle were the key factors that led to the economic development of these places. After the formation of the feudal state, the migration of the population took place in the Neamţ Depression, which led to the increase in the number of settlements and their enlargement. Thus, several people settled in Bălţateşti, forming settlements such as: Ghindăoani, Ţuţuieni, Oșlobeni. In 1918, the commune of Bălţateşti consisted of the village of the same name, as well as the towns of Valea Arini, Valea Seacă, Mitocul-Bălan, with a total population of 3,000 inhabitants. The existence of mineral springs in Bălţăteşti was known from the beginning of the 19th century, being analyzed at first by the Cantacuzini principles. A few years later, the news spread throughout Moldova about the beneficial effects of Slatina from Bălţăteşti, becoming popular among women and children who came here and improved their mood considerably.

The Durău Resort is a mountain resort, located at the foot of the Ceahlău Massif, on the territory of Neamț County, at a distance of approximately 100 km from Piatra-Neamț and 9 km from the Izvorul Muntelui (Bicaz) reservoir.