44 Springs Hermitage – Pietreni village
Also known as The Hermitage under the Stone, it was built by the abbot Steven from the Bistriţa Monastery, in 1701, being the small predecessor of this monastery.
Only the church and one wall of the old surroundings are still preserved.
It is a simple church, shaped as a nave, with a closed porch, a pronave and an altary, decorated on the outside by a few brick belts and a gable with St Steven’s icon. It is covered with clapboard, the roof on four plans having a very lithe and elegant aspect.
The painting was done by the painter Efrem from Bistriţa, unfortunately deteriorated because of the cracks in the walls, caused by the groundshakes generated by the explosions from the nearby limestone mine.
