Provița de Sus: Church, History and Landscape

Provița de Sus can be explored through several specific topics: the Adormirea Maicii Domnului Church, the biography of the future Metropolitan Pimen Georgescu, local history, and the landscape and cycling routes. These highlights appeal to different interests. The church’s architectural style and setting are central; Pimen Georgescu’s story connects his birthplace with his later ecclesiastical career. Two routes with different local points of interest are relevant to cyclists.

Church and Heroes’ Monument

The present-day Adormirea Maicii Domnului Church has a trefoil-shaped floor plan. Its one-meter-thick walls were built of thin bricks. This identifies both the shape of the floor plan and the masonry: the plan describes the building’s shape, while the wall details describe its construction. Those interested in church architecture can use both features to understand the building beyond its name.

The Heroes’ Monument stands opposite the church across the street, on a small square lined with fir trees. Its facade faces the church. The church thus serves as a reference point for understanding the monument’s location and orientation.

Pimen Georgescu and Local History

Pimen Georgescu was born on October 22, 1853, in Provița de Sus, in Prahova County. He was Metropolitan of Moldavia from 1909 to 1934. His birthplace and term of office mark two different stages: Provița de Sus is linked to his origins, while the later dates place his ecclesiastical career in context.

His grave is in the churchyard of the Adormirea Maicii Domnului Church, level with the pronaos, or vestibule. In Provița de Sus, his birthplace, ecclesiastical career and grave thus come together in one biography.

Another historical reference concerns 600 Romanian soldiers from Provița de Sus. They fought in the war for Romania’s national unification between 1916 and 1918. While the information about Pimen Georgescu recounts an individual biography, this figure points to people from the village taking part in a historical event.

Landscape and Cycling Routes

Provița de Sus stretches from the floodplain of the Provița stream to wooded hills. Alongside the church and local history, the area from the stream to the wooded hills is part of the village’s landscape.

A cycling tour described in 2020 passes by the church in Provița de Sus. Another cycling loop, also described in 2020, goes via Sultanu to Provița de Sus. The routes have different points of interest: the first focuses on the church along the route, while the second connects Sultanu and Provița de Sus. Check current route and surface conditions before setting out on a bike tour.

Getting There

A route into Provița de Sus from the direction of Dâmbovița passes through Moreni, Valea Lunga and Vișinești. In winter, the road between Provița de Sus and Valea Lunga in Dâmbovița County is closed. Take this seasonal closure into account when planning, and check current road conditions before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Surani, Ceraşu, Băneşti, Aluniş, Homorâciu, Blejoi, Valenii De Munte, Bucov.

For the regional travel overview: Prahova.