Patriarhia Română (Catedrala Patriarhală)

The Romanian Patriarchate, with its Patriarchal Cathedral, stands on Metropolitan Hill in the centre of Bucharest and represents the spiritual centre of the Romanian Orthodox Church. The cathedral was founded in the seventeenth century by the ruler Constantin Serban and was over time the metropolitan and then the patriarchal seat of Romanian Orthodoxy. The church preserves the traditional architecture of Wallachian places of worship, with paintings and liturgical objects of great value, as well as the relics of Saint Dimitrie the New, protector of Bucharest.

Around the cathedral stand the Patriarchal Palace, the bell tower and administrative buildings, forming an important historic complex. From the hill a view opens over the city, and every year, on the feast of Saint Dimitrie, impressive pilgrimages take place here. Set close to the historic centre, the Patriarchate is a significant stop for those interested in the history and spirituality of the capital.