Afumați can be explored through several distinct themes: the former Cantacuzino court complex, archaeological sites, and woodland and waterside landscapes. For your trip planning, it helps to distinguish between architectural history, traces of settlement and nature, as each theme offers a different perspective on the area.

The Cantacuzino Court and Its History

The former court complex of Stolnic Constantin Cantacuzino, later Baron Dumba, was built at 57–59 Strada Ștefănești in the late 17th century and remodelled in the 19th century. The complex comprises the manor house, the Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God (“Adormirea Maicii Domnului”) and the surrounding walls. The court stands on the site of the older princely court of Radu de la Afumați, so the history of this site predates the Cantacuzino Court.

The church at 59 Strada Ștefănești was built in 1691 and remodelled in the 19th century. It therefore has its own specifically dated building history within the broader history of the court complex. Those interested in architectural history can also distinguish between the older princely court and the later Cantacuzino complex.

Archaeological Traces from Different Periods

The Afumați–La Moară archaeological site includes a Geto-Dacian settlement from the La Tène period and a Dacian-Roman settlement dating from the 3rd to 4th centuries AD. Two settlement phases of different historical character are therefore associated with this site; the later one is assigned to a specific period.

Another archaeological site at Pârâul Pasărea in Afumați includes a necropolis dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. It is dated much later than the settlement phases at La Moară. Together, these sites offer different chronological points of reference for the area’s history, rather than limiting it to a single era.

Forest and Waters

The Pădurea peisagistică de la Afumați scenic forest covers about 300 hectares and is part of Codrii Vlăsiei. The Pădurea Afumați forest is described as having mixed stands of oak, beech, maple, black locust and lime trees. Thus, both the approximate size of a scenic forest and a specific variety of tree species are among Afumați’s natural attractions.

Recreational ponds along the Pasărea River are spread across the northwestern, central and southeastern parts of the Afumați commune. The waterside landscape is therefore found across several areas of the commune. The forest and waters offer a different way to experience the area than the court complex and archaeological sites: the focus here is on landscape features and their distribution.

Olelia and Planning Your Visit

Olelia, also called “Focurile de la Afumați,” is a tradition passed down from generation to generation. It takes place on Lăsata Secului, the last day before the start of the Easter fast. If you would like to plan your trip around it, confirm the event date and current arrangements locally in advance.

Tours of the Cantacuzino manor house were offered from 2011 onwards. If you would like to plan a tour, check locally in advance whether it is currently offered and what the access arrangements are. This lets you include a tour in your plans without assuming that an offering available historically is still available today.

Discover more destinations: Dimieni, Mogoşoaia, Dascălu, Buftea, Chitila, Otopeni, Corbeanca, Domnești

For the broader travel overview: Ilfov.