- Why is the Mihai Vodă Monastery special?
- The legend of the foundation of the monastery by Michael the Brave (Mihai Viteazul)
- Legend of Secret Tunnels
- The miracle-working icon of the Mother of God
- Saving the monastery from demolition
Why is the Mihai Vodă Monastery special?
The monastery was an important religious and cultural center in Bucharest. It also housed royal residences, a military hospital, a medical school, and State Archives.
The monastery is a typical example of Brâncovenesc art, which combines elements of the Italian Renaissance with local traditions.
The legend of the foundation of the monastery by Michael the Brave (Mihai Viteazul)
It is said that Michael the Brave, before becoming ruler of Wallachia, had a dream in which the Mother of God appeared to him asking him to build a monastery on a hill in Bucharest. Considering the dream a divine sign, Mihai decided to build the monastery there, starting the construction in 1591.
According to another legend, Mihai the Brave (Mihai Viteazul), the illegitimate son of the former Wallachia Lord, Pătrașcu “the Good”, was captured on the orders of Alexandru-Vodă “the Evil” (lord of Wallachia from 1592-1593) because he was believed to be manipulated to ascend to the throne. Scheduled for execution by beheading, he was taken to St. Anton Square. On the way to the square, they passed by the Postăvari White Church, at the foot of Spire Hill on the right bank of Dâmbovița. Michael asked the guards for permission to stop and pray at the icon of St. Nicholas. Beside the saint’s icon, he vowed to build a monastery on the nearby hill if he survived this difficult ordeal. And when they arrived at the execution site, it was said that the executioner, intimidated by the sight of Mihai, a towering and imposing man, dropped his axe and fled. In the face of this situation and the pressure from the onlookers, Mihai was released.

Legend of Secret Tunnels
According to a legend, a network of secret tunnels under the monastery connected the monastery to other strategic points in Bucharest, including the Royal Court and other monasteries. Rulers and boyars are said to have used these tunnels to hide or escape during Ottoman invasions and other conflicts.

The miracle-working icon of the Mother of God
In the monastery, there is an icon of the Mother of God which is believed to be a miracle worker. A legend says that people prayed to this icon during an epidemic, and many were healed. Since then, the icon has been considered the monastery’s protector and those who pray to it with faith.

Saving the monastery from demolition
This is not a legend but a real thing, but in the eyes of some, moving an entire building to a different place from that of the construction may seem like something fantastic. During communism, in Romania, the transmutation process of buildings was done to save them from demolition. During the communist period, many religious buildings were demolished to make way for new constructions. It is said that, in the case of Mihai Vodă Monastery, the prayers of the faithful and the intervention of influential people saved the church from demolition, and it was finally moved to its present place in 1985. This action was perceived by many as a miracle.
