Luana Country, Buzăului Mountains

1. The Aluniș cave ensemble

We enter the courtyard The Alunis cave ensemble where we first admire the blue church, carved into the Martyr's Rock. This church is dedicated to the Cutting of the Head of St. John the Baptist. It has nave and altar and inside we notice some icons. It seems that there is an attestation from 1274. Next to the church there are also a couple of cellars, one of which is more "generous" with 2 rooms, in which there are some inscriptions, including the symbol of the Maltese cross. The Maltese Cross testifies to the existence of Christian life in the 4th-6th centuries in this territory. The first room was used as a kitchen with a hearth, which sends heat through a hole in a second stove whose hearth is in the second room, which also had a resting place. And that's how we started our visit to the first rock remains, which we will continue to see throughout the day. There are still services in the church, and on the very day of our visit we were able to attend one.

Legend has it that two shepherds were grazing sheep in the area. In his sleep, one of them heard a voice urging him to dig in the cliff, because he would find the icon of the Virgin Mary. Following their belief, he and his confraternity and other villagers dug in the place indicated in the dream and the dream came true. Thus was built in this place the church dug in the rock according to a legend similar to that of Namaesti. The names of the two shepherds, Vlad and Simion, are carved in the altar. The church shows similarities with the hermitage of Agaton and the Church of Joseph, which we will meet later.

2. Aluniș cave complex (670 m) - Poiana Cozanei (670 m)

unmarked / 75 minutes / 3 km / medium

And now, on the road! We go down a few meters through the village, then we follow the dirt road to the left, until a place, where we leave this road, we enter a courtyard with orchard, which we cross in Indian string. Everything is nice, beautiful, easy, pleasant. For now! Because after a little while, the first climb through the forest greets us. It's still nice and pretty, but we're starting to blunder a bit. Deh! Markings, oha! In fact, I'd like to say that orientation isn't exactly easy in the area. After the climb, what do you think next? Bingo, a descent!

We arrive in a fairytale place called Poiana Cozanei. We are on Mount Ivăneț, actually there are more hills. Here we also find large signs and a presentation of the different trails in the area. At this point you can also reach by car the DC85, which is formed in Bozioru from the DJ203L. The quality of the road is very bad. Anyway the training per pedes up to here was good for what was waiting for us. We are in the center of the area with cave settlements. The nearest villages are Nucu, Bozioru, Alunis, Colti. The meadow is stretched out and hosts "around every corner" of rock that rises from it, something for curious tourists. The place is also an energy center, which gave ideas to the communist authorities in the last century.

3. Poiana Cozanei (670 m) - The Chapel of Dionysius the Torch (690 m)

signposts / 10 min / 0.3 km / 0.3 km / medium

Next to us is a rock on which we notice a well-defined figure. They call it Nefertiti from Buzo. We turn left around the cliff in front to admire a natural semi-circular portal. You wonder how nature was able to grind and carve into the rock this shape out of rock? We continue up gently and surround the rock formation.

We are at The Chapel of Dionysius the Torcator. It is said that the hermit earns his living by pulling wool, hence the nickname. Why are we lingering here any longer? Because the rock excavation is situated 4-5 meters above the ground. Because the access to the cellar is a succession of two steep stairs and only a few people can fit in the cellar. It was also a good observation point. We find here the Maltese cross carved in the rock. The shelter seems to date back to the 3rd-4th centuries, and Dionysius is said to have spent 30 years here in the 14th century. The monastery is documented in 1639.

4. Chapel of Dionysius the Torch (690 m) - Fundu Peșterii Hermitage (680 m)

unmarked / 10 min / medium

We circle around the same perimeter a little more and go back a little the way we came up, but continue on downhill along the forest path that leads to the upper part of the Cozanei Meadow. We identify a faint path to the left, which then meets a clearer one. We reach Cave or Cave Bottom or Cave Bottom Hermitage. The cave was used as a dwelling and a place with a magical-religious role, it says at the entrance. The walls are rich in very valuable incised and scratched inscriptions, which is why access is blocked by an iron grille. There are weapons specific to the prehistoric period, anthropomorphic figures, geometric figures, a ladder, strange letters/signs. In addition there are many other evidences from the Bronze and Iron Ages, but also from the feudal age. They attest to the fact that this church has been inhabited since those times. It is considered a fertility temple. The cave has a vulvar shape.

5. Fundu Peșterii Hermitage (680 m) - Poiana Cozanei (670 m)

unmarked / 10 min / easy

We go back downhill a bit on the same path, then we continue our descent towards the crossroads in Poiana Cozanei, which we passed some time ago.

6. Poiana Cozanei (670 m) - Joseph's Church (820 m)

unmarked / 30 minutes / 0.7 km / 0.7 km / medium

From Poiana Cozanei we follow the signposts to take the right direction to our next objective. We again pass in front of the carved semicircular wall and continue straight ahead. An agonizing climb at the end leads us to a breathtaking construction: Church of Joseph. We are in front of a vertical, high, sanded rock, rising from nowhere in the middle of the forest. In this is carved at the base the entrance to the church which also has a window carved in the rock. Above the entrance you can see very clear traces left in the rock from probably some beams imbined in the rock that would have sheltered a roof so that in this place sought by locals to be able to hold services at important holidays and not only, there is a belief that this is a beneficial place for the fulfillment of the prayers of the faithful. The interior of the church is quite large for a cave dug in the rock. Inside there are several icons. As a construction, this is the most imposing stone church in the area. It is unaltered. Above the entrance is inlaid the sign of the fish, an early Christian insignia. Its orientation is N-S (like others in the area), in contradiction with what we know about the place of prayer being to the East. Although there appears to be only one room, it seems to have resulted from the union of two. The walls are clay. Small ditches have been cut above the window and entrance recesses so that water can drain through them and not flood the room. It was also used as a shelter. There is also a variant of the Russian name of the church, namely John Bogoslov. To the right of the entrance there is a secular fir tree, but also singular in the beech forest, felled by storm and old age. In the middle of its broken stem, a baby burdock has been planted. The objective is documented in 1587. The Church of Joseph is the best preserved rock settlement in the visited territory, except for Alunisul.

7. Joseph's Church (820 m) - Old Agathon (980 m)

unmarked / 40 minutes / 0.9 km / 0.9 km / medium

From here we continue climbing. The path becomes unclear. We're getting our bearings, we're getting by. Our next objective is called Agatonul Old Hermitage or The rubble. It is an old stone church that was demolished when the earth moved and the walls moved apart, resulting in the collapse of the ceiling. You can climb on the rocks, admire the large stone shrines, then wonder where you can go back down the path, admire the beautiful scenery and... off you go!

8. Agatonul Old (Dărâmătura) (980 m) - Agatonul New Hermitage (Bisericuța) (990 m)

unmarked / 10 minutes / 0.1 km / 0.1 km / easy

Soon we will stop at Agatonul Nou Hermitage or The little church. Here there is a natural stone building with 4 rooms and a cellar, of which the roof, the floor, the altar and a cellar have been preserved. There are also some inscriptions in Slavonic language which mention among others the name of Neagoe Basarab and of the archbishop of Buzau and of the monk Agaton, after whom it took its name and who lived here in the 16th century. Under the church there is a cellar with the role of hiding place resembling hidden treasures, and on the side there is a stone slide. We read Aricescu's account:

9. Hermitage of Agatonul Nou (Bisericuța) (990 m) - Spătarului Cross (Agaton's Cross) (1.050 m)

unmarked / 15 minutes / 0.3 km / 0.3 km / medium

Because we haven't climbed enough, we continue on the forest trail to a peak. Again we wade, but we find our way. We're at an altitude of only 1,050 meters, in a place called Agathon Cross or Spătarului Cross, documented in 1524. The cross is massive, made of fossiliferous Ciuta stone. Its original size reached 2 meters high. It is damaged at the top and a little on the arms. The motif is a circle or sun and an illegible inscription apparently in Slavonic.

Legend has it that the shoemaker Cristea escaped from the Turks by taking refuge here with his family and wealth, saving them from the enemy. In gratitude he brought the cross with 12 buffaloes. Of course, the treasure hasn't been found to this day, so amateurs beware! Or professionals! From here you can continue downhill for a few minutes to a lookout point, Țurțudui summit (1,030 m), from where you can see the summit of Penteleu (1,772 m).

10. Spătarului Cross (Agaton's Cross) (1.050 m) - Tâlharilor Lake (Hânsaru) - Aluniș Cave (670 m)

unmarked / 2 hours / 6 km / medium

From the cross, we turn slightly and turn slightly right through a very dense forest, a tangle of branches through which you can easily get lost on the path. Zero markings, like most of the day. We encounter wild mint. The beech forest turns to birch. We walk more out of inertia with great care however where we step because a thick carpet of leaves hides the path and other surprises. We've passed that critical point. Here the map must be followed carefully. We have reached Lake of the Thieves or Lake Hansarub. Here we come to a yellow stripe, which was even more confusing because we missed it The Stone which is a hollowed out settlement in the cliff whose age seems to be precisely in the III-IV centuries. It was a dwelling, a shelter from invaders. Its religious function can be recognized by the altar. Again facing north. Legends mention underground tunnels leading to Targoviste (!) and underground shelters. Once again, the large opening and the vaulted walls carved and carved into the rock are fascinating. Inside there are some icons. The Maltese Cross also bears witness here.

After paddling well and unsuccessfully this time after Piatra Îngăurită, we returned to the main road and started the descent, following the map, to Aluniș. We closed the hike in a loop on the same narrow path as the one we had started on.