Băile Govora is a Romania

Romania

Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...

n spa town

Spa town

A spa town is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...

 in Vâlcea County

Vâlcea County

Vâlcea is a county of Romania, in the historical regions of Oltenia and Muntenia...

, about 20 km (12.43 mi) south-west of Râmnicu Vâlcea

Râmnicu Vâlcea

Râmnicu Vâlcea is the capital city of Vâlcea County, Romania .-Geography and climate:Râmnicu Vâlcea is situated in the central-south area of Romania...

 and west of the Olt river

Olt River

The Olt River is a river in Romania. It is the longest river flowing exclusively through Romania. Its source is in the Hăşmaş Mountains of the eastern Carpathian Mountains, near the village Bălan. It flows through the Romanian counties Harghita, Covasna, Braşov, Sibiu, Vâlcea and Olt...

. Notable features of the town (beside its mineral springs

Mineral Springs

Mineral Springs is the name of several locations in the United States:* Mineral Springs, Arkansas* Mineral Springs, North Carolina* Mineral Springs Township, North Dakota* Mineral Springs at Green Springs, Ohio...

, recommended for a variety of ailments) include the Govora abbey (built in the 15th century and consolidated by Matei Basarab

Matei Basarab

Matei Basarab was a Wallachian Voivode between 1632 and 1654.-Reign:Much of Matei's reign was spent fighting off incursions from Moldavia, which he successfully accomplished in 1637, 1639, and 1653 - see Battle of Finta...

 and later by Constantin Brâncoveanu

Constantin Brâncoveanu

Constantin Brâncoveanu was Prince of Wallachia between 1688 and 1714.-Ascension:A descendant of the Craioveşti boyar family and related to Matei Basarab, Brâncoveanu was born at the estate of Brâncoveni and raised in the house of his uncle, stolnic Constantin Cantacuzino...

) and the nearby "Dintr-un lemn" Monastery (16th or 17th century; the legend of its origin was recorded by Paul of Aleppo

Paul of Aleppo

Paul Zaim, known sometime also as Paul of Aleppo was a Syrian Melkite clergyman and chronicler...

).

Govora Abbey was the site where Matei Basarab introduced the first printing press

Printing press

A printing press is a device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium , thereby transferring the ink...

 in Wallachia

Wallachia

Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...

 - where the first written code of laws in Romanian

Romanian language

Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...

 was published, Pravila de la Govora, in 1640).

The town administers three villages: Curăturile, Gătejeşti and Prajila.

External links

• Baile Govora spa direct link: Băile Govora spa site
• Romanian tourism site: Băile Govora and Dintr-un lemn Monastery Vâlcea County tourist spots: Băile Govora