Poiana Teiului: Reservoir, Viaduct and Wooden Churches

Poiana Teiului offers a range of themes to consider when planning your trip: the Lacul Izvorul Muntelui reservoir, the viaduct on the DN15, and the architectural and cultural history of villages in the commune. If you are looking for a hotel, deciding what you want to focus on during your trip may help: should the lakeside landscape, a striking structure or the history of the churches take centre stage?

Reservoir and limestone crag

At the end of Lacul Izvorul Muntelui and on the Râul Bistrița lies Piatra Teiului, a limestone crag. It has been designated a Category III IUCN natural monument since 1951 and is now a geological reserve. Lacul Izvorul Muntelui, also known as Lacul Bicaz, is a reservoir on the middle course of the Râul Bistrița in Romania's Eastern Carpathians. It is in Neamț County, 4 km upstream from Bicaz.

The names refer to different things: Lacul Izvorul Muntelui and Lacul Bicaz are two names for the same reservoir; Piatra Teiului is the separate rock formation at its end. Thus, the water landscape and geology are connected in a specific location along the river. Those interested in natural monuments will find not only the reservoir here, but also a protected limestone crag with designated reserve status.

The DN15 and the viaduct

The main road connection to Lacul Izvorul Muntelui is the DN15 on the Bicaz–Poiana Largului section. The Poiana Teiului Viaduct, also called the Poiana Largului Viaduct, is on this national road. It crosses the end of Lacul Bicaz by the village of Poiana Largului, which belongs to Poiana Teiului commune in Neamț County.

The lake and the viaduct are two distinct landmarks: the lake is a reservoir on the Râul Bistrița, while the viaduct is a road structure that crosses its end. When planning your trip, the viaduct's alternative name may also be helpful, as Poiana Largului appears both in its name and in the name of the village. The DN15 is the road connection to the lake mentioned here; road conditions and traffic can change.

Churches, museum and religious history

The “Constantin Romanescu” Zoological Museum is in the village of Dreptu in Poiana Teiului commune and was founded in 1927. Another cultural and historical highlight is the wooden church in Galu, built by local craftsmen in 1818. It is constructed entirely of wood and follows the Moldavian style, while also showing Transylvanian influences. Its construction date and design offer two different ways to understand the church: its period of origin and the combination of its architectural influences.

Mănăstirea Petru Vodă also connects religious history with a specific building. The wooden church there is dedicated to the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel and was completed in 1992. The grave of Father Iustin Pârvu in Petru Vodă has become a pilgrimage site. The site's history therefore encompasses both the development of a pilgrimage destination and a wooden church completed later.

Mănăstirea Petru Vodă is accessed via a forest road that branches off from the village of Petru Vodă. When travelling from Poiana Largului towards Târgu Neamț, the turn-off is on the left. This precise direction is useful when locating the site on a map or planning your route.

Activities on Lacul Izvorul Muntelui

In the wider area around Poiana Teiului, trips on Lacul Izvorul Muntelui are offered by boat, pedal boat, mini-yacht and on mini-cruises. They provide views of Poiana Largului and the Poiana Teiului Viaduct. These water activities add a lake-based perspective to the geological and architectural themes. As individual providers' availability may change, it is advisable to check before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Borca, Hangu, Săvinești, Dumbrava Roșie, Piatra Neamţ, Agapia, Durau, Roman.

For the broader travel overview: Neamt.