The purpose for which the monastery was founded in this wonderful but wild setting is, in addition to the need for peace and solitude, specific to monastic life, and its role as a place of rest and solace for the Romanians of Transylvania, persecuted under foreign rule. In small groups or individually, most of them crossed the mountain peaks, representing the border between the two historical provinces, through hidden places and paths. Once in this area, the Cheia meadow was the first stop they made at the foot of the fir and beech forests, which served as shelter. Among these bejeni, who arrived in Wallachia with the hope of finding a better life and relief from their pain, were perhaps the founders of the Cheia hermitage, as well as later founders. Moreover, the well-known Hungarian phenomenon is widely spread in the Teleajen Valley, Chiojdului and Buzău, an area where, until 1845, Saac or Săuceni county was located.

The bell tower, built at the same time as the main church, is decorated with a large representation of the Coronation of the Virgin. Burned down to the ground in September 1957, it was rebuilt in 1965. The large bell of the monastery weighs 443 kg and was made in the patriarchal workshops in Plumbuita. One of the two smaller bells, made in 1927 at the Spireanu foundry in Bucharest, was transferred from Cheia to the Vladimireşti monastery. The aghiasmatar, located on the altar of the hermitage since 1790, was painted in 1970 by Mihai Morosan and Petre Judeţ. In turn, the monastery library attests to the richness of the intellectual and spiritual life at Cheia. Mirroring the relations between the three Romanian provinces and especially the close cultural ties between Transylvania and Wallachia, the collection of old manuscripts and prints, Romanian and foreign, totals over 120 titles, covering a period of 150 years of scholarly activity (1750 – 1900). The Cheia Monastery Museum, organized in the 1980s, although small in size, contains a collection that is particularly significant for the older history and spiritual life of Cheia, even including some pieces of great artistic value. Among these, we should mention the paintings from the early 19th century, preserved today in the bishop's house, depicting three great personalities of Romanian monasticism: Paisie Velicicovschi, Abbot Gheorghe and Abbot Dorothea (the last two portraits date from 1802).

Along with these paintings, the collection includes imperial icons and other icons dating from the 18th – 19th centuries, as well as various other cult objects: 18th century bederniţe, pectoral crosses, two priestly girdles, several silver chalices and crosses, gospels encased in gilded silver, etc. The collection also includes a series of antimises, the oldest coming from the Metropolitan of Moldavia Gavriil Callimachi (1761), and the others from the bishops of Buzău Chesarie and Filotei. Of great importance are the icons painted by Tattărăscu and which still delight worshippers who come to the holy monastery today. In turn, the monastery library attests to the richness of the intellectual and spiritual life at Cheia. Mirroring the relations between the three Romanian provinces and especially the close cultural ties between Transylvania and Wallachia, the collection of old manuscripts and prints, Romanian and foreign, totals over 120 titles, covering a period of 150 years of scholarly activity (1750 – 1900). Being a relatively recent foundation, Cheia did not enjoy the privilege of having a school of copyists. However, the fact that there was a psaltery school here explains the presence in the library of two musical manuscripts, worked on at the Cernica monastery around 1840. Despite its location that isolated it from the world, the monastery received numerous book donations from all areas inhabited by Romanians (it should be noted that Transylvanians have a significant share among donors). The involvement of the monks from Cheia in the life of the locality was not only spiritual, but also educational - the hieromonk Ezechiil Preda, who had been a teacher in civilian life, held the same position at the village school. In addition to the spiritual guidance given to all those who entered the monastery, the monks from Cheia were actively involved in social life, both through charity works, but even as soldiers - it should be remembered that several monks fought for the liberation of Transylvania, especially since the Bratocea Pass was an important theater of operations in the First World War.

The second church was also dedicated to the Holy Trinity, as evidenced by the altarpiece that holds the only image of this church. The third church was built starting in 1835 and consecrated on July 20, 1839 by His Holiness the Bishop of Buzău, Chesarie, during the abbotship of Father Damaschin. The painting of the church was completed on August 26, 1839 by the painter Naum, a representative of the Buzău painting school, famous at that time. From all the documents about the foundation of the Cheia hermitage, a clear conclusion emerges, which also represents one of the features of its history: the three churches, the first two made of wood and the third made of stone, erected in Cheia Teleajenului, were the exclusive result of the initiative, efforts, work and own efforts of the monks of the hermitage. Usually, especially monasteries, but also some churches of myrrh were initiated and financed by their founders: voivodes, hierarchs, boyars, merchants, etc. In the case of the Cheia hermitage, not even the hearth was given to it, but it was paid for. Important help came from Transylvanians, who were passing through the hermitage. In the case of the Cheia hermitage, not even the hearth was given to it, but it was paid for. The one who managed to bring the community of Cheia back to life was Grigore Munteanu – Georgescu, elected abbot at the beginning of 1909, a position he held until 1934. His main achievement was the construction of the monastery chapel, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, between 1919-1927. The ensemble at Cheia comprises a quadrangular enclosure, occupied, on the south, east and north sides, by three cells built in 1844 (as attested by the inscription accompanying the icon of the Virgin Mary painted on the facade of the south body). To the west, to the left of the monumental bell tower, is the abbot's house, a construction built in 1902, in the style of the popular architecture of the area. The large church of the monastery, built of brick and stone, has a trefoil plan. The nave, above which rises, on four arches with different openings, but with the same height, the wooden spire, is separated from the narthex by two masonry pillars that form three arches. The porch is slightly detached from the narthex, with a semi-cylindrical transverse vault and crowned with two small spires. The row of arches supported by pillars gives the western facade a harmonious and monumental expression.

Transylvanian shepherds also passed through this area during their transhumance, especially those from Săcele and the surrounding area, passing through the Bratocea branch, where they also arranged their customs affairs. The flocks rested in the meadow, and at the hermitage they found help and guidance in matters of the soul and body. They were the bearers of the language and, more importantly, of the written word, contributing to the perpetuation and unification of the Romanian language. Also, convoys of wagons with goods, especially food, herds of large horns, pig hooves or horse herds, which passed through this commercial route between Vălenii de Munte and Braşov through the same Bratocea branch, in the first half of the 19th century, for which the Cheia hermitage was the spiritual guide and guardian. The caravans with “Braşov” also passed through this area. In addition to all these social and economic activities, there were numerous sawmills in the Teleajen and Telejenel Valleys that carried out extensive logging operations. This intense and diverse activity led to the development of the village of Cheia near the hermitage. The first church of the Cheia hermitage was built of wood in 1770, during the reign of Constantin Mavrocordat, at the foot of Mount Balaban. The first church, which lasted only seven years, was dedicated to St. Nicholas.

Daily schedule 07.00 -22.00 (Romanian time) Departure location - Brașov

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