Biserica Kretzulescu

Kretzulescu Church, raised in the heart of Bucharest between 1720 and 1722 by the great logothete Iordache Crețulescu and his wife Safta, daughter of Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu, is one of the finest examples of Brâncovenesc architecture in the capital. Set right beside the Royal Palace and Revolution Square, the church impresses with its open porch of elegant arcades, the median band girding the walls and the carved stone frames of its doorways. The exposed-brick facade and slender towers give it a recognisable silhouette, while inside it preserves valuable murals, some restored in the 20th century by the artist Gheorghe Tattarescu.

Though it survived earthquakes, demolition plans under communism and the events of December 1989, when the area was the theatre of the revolution, the church remains a spiritual and artistic landmark. Practical note: combine the visit with a tour of Revolution Square and the nearby National Museum of Art.