This charming little church is one of the oldest in Bucharest. It was built between the years 1724 to 1730 during the ruling of Nicolae Mavrocordat (Prince of Wallachia 1719-1730) by the Greek monk Ioanichie Stratonikeas. Although tiny, every little detail is worth looking at: the richly adorned columns of the porch, the exterior paintings and carvings, the frescoes of the interior and the golden altar. I think it’s impossible to visit churches like Stavropoleos and not be moved in some way – I’m actually not sure that my photo does it justice, because it truly is one of a kind. In the past, the church was the centerpiece of a complex which included an inn and a monastery which was sustained from the incomes of the inn. They were demolished at the end of 19th century after being severely damaged during a fire, the church being the only part that remains from the original complex. Today the church is part of the Stavropoleos Monastery, an Eastern Orthodox convent. Stavropoleos is representative for the Brâncovenesc style which blends Ottoman and Western elements together with traditional Romanian architectural forms.
Nov 262009
How very eastern and exotic.
That church is like a magnificent jewelry box! Such wonderful details and ornamentations! I wonder what it looks like inside …
I begin to like the wonderful and creative blending of styles that seems typical of some of your churches.
Even the Greek Prince's name sounds familiar, because a Maurogordato family of Greek descent was very important here, leaving some villas and a beautiful palace still bearing their name.
I'm glad there's a car parked out front to indicate how small this building really is. There's so much artistry in this architecture.