This rupestral monastery bears the same name as the nearby village. "Namaesti" comes from the Latin words "nemo-est," which means "nobody is" and it indicates the fact that the shepherds found no one living in that cave.

According to the local oral tradition, some shepherds who were pastoring their flock in the area fell asleep above that rock. In their dream they heard bells tolling and saw an angel saying to them: "An icon of the Mother of God which was painted after her real face has lain right here, in the center of this rock, for many centuries. Arise and start walking on the path all the way to her; dig deeply in the rock and build a place of worship here." The shepherds found the path carved into the rock which led them to the icon. Then they dug in that place, made an entrance wall, and erected a dome above. That is how the church was built.

The oldest written document related to the existence of this monastery is from 1386, during the reign of Mircea the Elder. According to this document, the valley in which the village lies now was given as a gift to the monastery, in recognition of the authoritative leadership, the good organization and the ancient establishment that the monastery had at that time.

Another impressive element is the wonderworking icon of the Mother of God which is linked to the foundation of this monastery. It is made of wood and covered in silver.

Namaesti Monastery is a monastery of nuns.

Namaesti Monastery, Romania