The Sinaia Monastery stands on a forested terrace above the main road, a steep but short walk from the resort centre. Founded in 1695, it was the first significant building in what would become a fashionable mountain resort, and it remains the spiritual heart of the place. The compound holds two churches side by side: the small original 17th-century church and the larger 19th-century church built when royal patronage brought money and ambition to the valley.
The old church is the more rewarding of the two. Its interior frescoes, darkened and repainted over the centuries, cover every inch of wall and ceiling. The iconostasis is carved wood and gilded. The atmosphere is genuinely contemplative even when visitors are present. Outside, the stone courtyard is shaded by old trees and ringed by low monks' cells.
The larger church, built in the 1840s under the Bibescu princes, is brighter but lacks intimacy. The monastery museum holds manuscripts, old icons, and ecclesiastical objects from the foundation's history. Modest dress is expected at both churches; scarves are available to borrow at the gate.