Mănăstirea Sinaia

Current status (checked 12 October 2026)

Sinaia Monastery is an active Orthodox monastery and can be visited every day, during the hours shown on its official website. As it is a place of worship, dress modestly and be mindful of services in progress. The sources consulted do not state wheelchair or pushchair access, nor the usual length of a visit.

The monastery that gave the town its name

The monastery was founded by the high steward Mihail Cantacuzino after a pilgrimage to Mount Sinai, and it bears the name of Saint Catherine's Monastery there. The first buildings went up between 1690 and 1695, and it was consecrated on 15 August 1695. The town that grew up around it took its name.

What you see

There are two churches within the walls. The Old Church dates from 1695, from the founding. The Great Church was built between 1842 and 1846 and rebuilt between 1897 and 1903, when it took on its present appearance; the interior painting is by the Danish painter Aage Exner. The statesman Take Ionescu is also buried here. The churches are visited indoors, so part of the visit works on a rainy day too; the courtyard is open-air.

Opening hours and prices (checked 12 October 2026)

Hours: daily, 08:00–20:00, according to the monastery's official website and a summary of opening hours in the Prahova Valley checked on 2 August 2026. Days when the monastery is closed are not published. No admission fee is published — check the official source or call +40 244 314 917. Address: Strada Mănăstirii no. 2, Sinaia.

Getting there

From MAX International, drive towards Predeal, on the DN73A through Pârâul Rece or via Brașov, then along the DN1 into the Prahova Valley; Sinaia comes after Bușteni. By train, Sinaia has a station on the Brașov–Bucharest line. The monastery lies between the town centre and Peleș Castle, so you can see both on the same day. You can see the exact distance and time with the navigation buttons on this page.