According to the legend of this land, the name of the Nistoreşti commune, located near the natural protected areas, comes from one of the seven sons of old Vrîncioaia (Nistor), that she is said to have offered to Moldavian prince Stephen the Great to fight against the Turks.
In terms of cultural heritage, in the region one can visit several landmarks of historical value and find out many interesting information about the life and especially the celebrations of this community.
Valea Neagră Monastery in Nistoreşti is a nuns monastery, a national historic monument of architecture dating from 1755-1757 and including the wooden church “Adormirea Maicii Domnului” (the first place of worship in archaic Vrancea and the spiritual symbol of the villages in Vrancea mountains) and the bell tower. The structure is made of wooden beams, the walls ending and being tied together with several girders. The church has no decoration inside, precisely to emphasize the wood sculpted iconostasis (with monarchal doors and religious paintings with vivid colors, showing a good technique of portrait painting).
Also in Nistoreşti there is the wooden church “Sfinţii Voievozi” from Vetreşti-Herăstrău village, built in the 18th century, one of the places of worship specific to archaic Vrancea, through its architecture and size.
The locals have also kept alive with great care the ancient customs and traditions. The best preserved traditions are those related to winter holidays, handmade crafts (embroidery, weaving, mill machine for wool rugs, traditional leather coats) or traditional folklore. The people living in Nistoreşti are proud of the their bagpipers band, famous all around the country and abroad, after participating in numerous festivals. The folk ensemble of the commune also includes other artists, such as whistle blowers, singers and instrumentalists known throughout the country for their cultural merits, for preserving traditions, ancient customs and traditional clothing.
Local events include the celebration of the patron saint of Valea Neagră Monastery (August 15), the Winter Customs Festival (December 23-25) and the Anniversary of Nistoreşti commune (September 8).
