Biserica Stavropoleos

Stavropoleos Church is one of the most beautiful architectural jewels in the old centre of Bucharest, a small Orthodox place of worship raised at the beginning of the eighteenth century, during the Phanariot rule. Built in the Brâncovenesc style, a Romanian synthesis of Byzantine tradition and baroque influences, the church impresses with its richly carved facades, elegant columns and porch with fine arcades decorated with delicate floral motifs. The interior preserves valuable murals and a remarkable iconostasis, and the quiet inner courtyard, with a lapidarium sheltering fragments of old stone, offers an unexpected corner of peace amid the urban bustle.

The monastery is also known for its choir of Byzantine music and for an important library of old books. Set near Manuc's Inn and the Old Princely Court, Stavropoleos is an essential landmark of walks through the historic centre. Visitors are asked to respect the quiet and dress appropriate to an active place of worship and to admire the carved details discreetly.