Biserica Sfinții Apostoli Petru și Pavel Târgu Jiu

4.6(407 reviews)Calea Eroilor, Târgu Jiu, România

Biserica Sfinții Apostoli Petru și Pavel Târgu Jiu 2

The Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Targu Jiu is an important Orthodox place of worship in the city, of particular spiritual and historical value, tied to the past of the seat of Gorj County. The building reflects the tradition of Romanian church architecture, with a cross plan, domes and an interior decorated with mural painting and a carefully crafted iconostasis. The church is among the religious landmarks of Targu Jiu, a city known above all for the monumental ensemble created by the sculptor Constantin Brancusi, one of the most important artists of the modern world.

Set in the central area, the church can easily be included in a tour of the city, alongside the Endless Column, the Table of Silence and the Gate of the Kiss, the Brancusi works that made Targu Jiu famous. The solemn atmosphere of the interior and its link with local history recommend it as a spiritual and cultural destination. Appropriate dress and the quiet befitting a place of worship are expected, especially during services.

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Biserica Sfinții Apostoli Petru și Pavel Târgu Jiu?+

Biserica Sfinții Apostoli Petru și Pavel Târgu Jiu is located at Calea Eroilor, Târgu Jiu, România, in Târgu Jiu.

Is Biserica Sfinții Apostoli Petru și Pavel Târgu Jiu worth visiting?+

Yes — it holds a 4.6/5 rating from 407 visitor reviews.

Do I need to book tickets for Biserica Sfinții Apostoli Petru și Pavel Târgu Jiu?+

Popular sights can sell out — booking ahead online saves queuing.

What else is near Biserica Sfinții Apostoli Petru și Pavel Târgu Jiu?+

Nearby you'll find Coloana Infinitului, Poarta Sărutului, Mănăstirea Tismana.

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Landmark

Coloana Infinitului

The Endless Column is Constantin Brâncuși's masterpiece and the centrepiece of the monumental ensemble at Târgu Jiu, raised in 1938 in memory of the heroes of the First World War. Nearly 30 metres tall, the column is made of stacked cast-iron rhomboidal modules that seem to repeat endlessly towards the sky, evoking the idea of infinity and boundless sacrifice. Together with the Gate of the Kiss and the Table of Silence, on the same axis crossing the city, the column forms one of the world's most important ensembles of modern art, proposed for UNESCO listing. The simplicity of its form and the rigour of its execution made it a symbol of Romanian art and a landmark of 20th-century sculpture. It is a place of pilgrimage for art lovers from around the world. The visit is free, in the open air, and possible any time; it looks best in the warm light of morning or evening.

4.7(12,407 reviews)

Landmark

Poarta Sărutului

The Gate of the Kiss is one of the three pieces of the Brâncuși ensemble at Târgu Jiu and perhaps the most charged with symbolism. Carved from Banpotoc stone, the massive gate marks the entrance to the Public Garden and is covered with the repeated motif of two joined half-circles, an extreme stylisation of the embrace and the kiss, a recurring theme in Constantin Brâncuși's work. Through it runs the monumental axis linking the Table of Silence to the Endless Column, conceived by the artist as a path of sacrifice and communion, in memory of the heroes of the First World War. Its geometric simplicity and power of suggestion make the gate a lesson in modern art, admired by visitors from around the world. It stands right in the centre, in a pleasant park for strolling, and can be visited freely at any time. Take time to walk the whole axis on foot, to grasp the idea of the ensemble as Brâncuși conceived it.

4.7(11,757 reviews)

Monastery

Mănăstirea Tismana

Tismana Monastery is the oldest monastery in Wallachia, set in Gorj county, near Targu Jiu, in a spectacular natural setting in the Valcan Mountains. Founded in the fourteenth century by Saint Nicodim of Tismana, the founder of organised monasticism in Oltenia, the monastery rises on a high rock, at the foot of which a mountain stream and a waterfall flow. The picturesque position, between forest and cliffs, gives it a special atmosphere of contemplation and beauty. The church preserves old paintings and precious liturgical objects, and over the centuries the monastery was an important cultural and defensive centre. In times of hardship, valuables and treasures of the country were sheltered here. Today, the community of nuns keeps the living tradition of the place alive. Tismana is a destination of pilgrimage and a wonderful natural corner of sub-Carpathian Oltenia, worth the journey for its history and scenery.

4.7(3,425 reviews)