Buhalnita (Hangu) Monastery Hangu

Buhalniţa monastery is in Hangu, about 50 km from Piatra Neamt on DN 15, after passing Bicaz city, to Wah. Place of worship, Buhalniţa monastery has two patrons: At the Entrance of the Theotokos and the Saint John the New in Suceava and is founded by Prince Miron Barnovschi (1626 -1629 and 1633). Another habitation that existed before is attested from 1458, built by Stephen the Great, gave the Neamt Monastery. Perhaps it was in bad condition when Miron Barnovschi a sign of reverence for the monks of the Hermitage Buhalniţei, a new church built in the wall in 1627.

After 1640, Prince Vasile Lupu (1634 -1653) endowed the monastery with large estates, mills and ponds, making it one of the most prosperous settlements in Moldova.

Since 1715, the monastic community faces a difficult period of its existence, for the ruler of Moldova, Nicolae Mavrocorat (1709-1710 and 1711-1716) monastery worship with all her income, Patriarchate of Alexandria (Egypt). The situation changed in 1863, when the reign of Alexandru Ioan Cuza takes place secularization, the monastery into a parish church.

Also by the secularization of 1865, here it operates a primary school for local children. In 1958, due to construction of hydropower, dam and reservoir in Bicaz church is demolished and moved where we find today the side of a mountain in current village Buhalniţa Neamt County.

Because its founder has not had time to deal with embellishment to the monastery remained white (both exterior and interior). While she was brought from Egypt an altar screen with icons very beautiful and expressive icons are preserved today, along with pews (dating from 1600), carved with zoomorphic by priest Gregory, considered true works of art unique value.

From the original furnishings have been preserved some pieces of wood that can be admired, such as hierarchical pew encrusted with zoomorphic motifs inspired by folk theater masks used in specific Bistrita Valley.

Church in Moldova is unique in that tower is located exactly half the roof and architectural form is a goose egg. The front door, which preserves the original stone frame decorated with moldings, intersecting corners, sole representative in the Romanian church architecture.

Considered targeted support Christian tried to Islamic conquest, the monastery was one of the few foundations dedicated to not only sent gifts to the Orient, he also received, as in Egypt, abbots Greeks brought the iconostasis of the church, which, for the reasons zoomorphic and specific plants Nile delta, makes it unique in the country.