Plumbuita Monastery and Park. Its name comes from the fact that the church roof was once made of lead (Ro. plumb) plate. The monastery was founded back in 1560 and it soon turned into a major cultural landmark for the city nearby: the third printing press in Wallachia was established there in 1573 and the first printed books in Bucharest came out of Plumbuita. Later on, the monastery went through the typical scenario, as fights with the Ottomans and fires severely damaged it until it was rebuilt from scratch in 1647, following the pattern at Dealu Monastery off Târgoviște (the old capital of Wallachia before it moved to Bucharest). Strong defensive walls and princely quarters were added, and at the same time the monastery got the actual shape then. The 19th century saw the monastery decaying and even turned into a political prison during the 1848 uprising. It was nearly ruined afterwards, being restored only much later, in two stages, in 1933-1940 and 1955 when it was once again used as a monastery. Works were being carried on a fine wooden summer altar as of June 2015.
Coming from the outside, one passes under the brick bell tower and reaches the enclosure, with the princely quarters immediately to the right (the white building with a large loggia), as the only exception along the plaster-free, red brick walls that double as sleeping quarters for the monks. Long, simple and beautiful arcades ply the red brick walls which emphasize to a point the white church in the middle that is not parallel to the enclosing walls. The church is far more interesting inside than on the outside, with rich frescoes and a particularly appealing wave-shaped, carved wood altar piece.
While walking or driving from the busy Colentina Road by the rather poor houses down Plumbuita Street, it feels as if one has left the city way behind, with hardly a noise to be heard and the monastery itself settled in a quaint place above Colentina Lake, among orchards and parts of Plumbuita Park (also a monastery property until the 1863 nationalization of monastery property throughout the country). The monastery cattle feeding on the meadow off the monastery walls, the few, quiet monks and the odd passer-by are one's only company during the visit. The service schedule is listed here, but the monastery and the church are open for visitors and the faithful daily from dawn until sunset; should you find the church door locked, ask one of the monks around to be showed in. If you feel like fishing, you might try your luck together with the local amateurs in the lake down the hill from the monastery; just bring your rod (no charges apply, but, well, luck is not guaranteed either).
The access can be done by taxi; expect to pay around RON 10-12 from Obor subway station and for the return you would need to call or walk back to the main avenue, the Șoseaua Colentina to find a car. Otherwise, by public transport the best options include tramway #21 (taken from St. Gheorghe Nou Church close to Unirii or University squares or, maybe more conveniently, from Obor with its subway station) to Doamna Ghica stop or by trolleybus #66 (taken from University Square or Obor) to Cremenița stop; the trolleybus stops closer to the monastery. If coming by tramway, get off and cross the wide, tramway track-centered avenue to your left and walk on some 300 m. until you notice a street forking to the left and going across the park (the trolleybus stop lies right across the avenue from this fork). Follow that street (Strada Plumbuita) and, some 100 m. later, at a fork, turn to the right. Go on still, passing by some poor-looking houses until the street ends at the monastery gate some 800 m. farther. All in all, it is a 10-15 minute walk from the trolleybus stop.
Alternatively, if you had rather walk through the park, upon starting up the Strada Plumbuita, some 40 m. after leaving Colentina Road, take the alley to your right and go on along the lake shore until an alley forks to the left shortly before the lake shore alley turns from relatively new asphalt into old, crumbling concrete. Take the alley to the left, go slowly up the hill and you will soon be at the monastery gate; this is a pleasant 15 minute walk. There are no shops or snack / refreshment stands around, with the closest small shop lying 5 minutes walking back the Strada Plumbuita and the park being rather deserted in this part, so you might consider bringing supplies of snacks and water (there is a well close to the church though). Do not expect any tourists there, either local or foreign. Access to the monastery is free of charge but some might be tempted to give the monks a hand with planting and tending the many flowers around. Or milking the cows for that matter.
Address: 58 Strada Plumbuita, Sector 2, GPS - N44 28 18.76 E26 08 5.30 (the monastery entrance)