Cernica Monastery lies 13 km. off Bucharest. It is located on a small peninsula on a lake along Colentina River and was founded in 1608, on the site of an older convent. Its grounds nowadays stretch over three former islands on a lake that were connected with narrow stripes of land as time passed. Coming from the road, passing by a water source, one gets to the parking lot and then goes up to the actual monastery grounds, with the fortress-like enclosure to the left. The church in the middle of the enclosure, dedicated to St. George, was built in 1831-1832 and it was initially meant for the monks alone, outsiders were banned from entering (they could only attend the services at the church behind the graveyard, that of St. Nicholas). The church is very airy and it has some interesting frescoes depicting the Genesis in the closed porch. Going on, one reaches the former second island, hosting the graveyard. In the graveyard to the right, there is a small church (dedicated to St. Lazar and completed in 1804) and some interesting tomb stones, on one of which the following epitaph is inlaid:

Farther on, past a huge, old oak (to the right), one reaches what used to be the third island, where the third church lies, dedicated to St. Nicholas, completed in 1815. Restored a few times, it is still not completely finished on the outside, yet services are occasionally being held inside. Past the church one can reach the lake shore. The whole area around the three churches is fairly interesting and relaxing, with picturesque dwellings meant for pilgrims, as well as for the large library and the Theological Monachal Seminary hosted there; the monastery also used to have an important religious painting school.