Aspecte din istoria bisericii fostei Mănăstiri Văleni (jud. Prahova)
Aspects of the History of the Church of the Former Văleni Monastery (Prahova County)

Summary/Abstract: In this study, we have attempted to bring back into attention the most important aspects of the history of the church of Văleni Monastery (1680), namely: the context of the construction of the establishment and of its dedication in the immediate subsequent period, including the presentation of important biographical milestones of the founding family, with their identity and motivation being relevant. At the same time, the significance and implications of the act of dedication were addressed, seeking the integration of aspects regarding the institutional relations between the Văleni metochion, Cotroceni Monastery, and the Mount Athos community, based at Protaton, in the context of the forms of administration of material and financial resources. Thus, details regarding the methods of constituting and valorizing the patrimony, its complexity and evolution, as well as the contributions of the rulers of Wallachia and other benefactors from the local community and from important families of the Teleajen Valley, were also highlighted. Moreover, it was possible to partially reconstruct the succession of abbots of Văleni, alongside whom one or two secular priests served constantly. Furthermore, the implications of the process of secularization of monastic estates were also explored, in the context of the legislative and administrative measures of the 19th century, reflected in the modification of the status and the reconfiguration of the patrimony of the place of worship. Since the history of the town of Vălenii de Munte is intertwined with that of the former monastery, we sought to establish the importance of the monastic establishment in the local and regional context, it having an essential role in shaping the historical, social, and economic identity of the Teleajen Valley community. Located in the proximity of the main access routes between Wallachia and Transylvania (the Teleajen Road, the Buzău Road, and the Bratocea Road), the monastery is situated in a setting favorable to the development of commercial activities, which justifies the inclusion of data regarding the customs point that operated, for a period, in the immediate vicinity of the monastery and even within its premises. Thus, the Cotroceni metochion established itself, in the 18th century, as the most important landowner in the area. The utilization of the consulted cartographic representations makes it possible to reconstruct the morphological structure of the town of Văleni, highlighting the central role of the ecclesiastical establishment in the organization and development of the settlement. Also, the beginnings and evolution of education in the town of Văleni are linked to the church of the former monastery, initially hosting a Greek school, followed, in the first half of the 19th century, by the organization of a national school, which first operated in the monastery’s cells and later in a separate building, built in the immediate vicinity, on land belonging to the monastic establishment. In addition to the aspects presented in this study, throughout the research the evolution of the church complex was also analyzed, in relation to the built heritage elements and the architectural transformations, in the context of multiple phases of (re)construction. It is important to underline the fact that the place of worship was partially or fully affected by the earthquakes of 1737, 1802, 1940, and 1977.

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