KRETZULESCU CHURCH

A BEAUTIFUL WORSHIP PLACE TO SEE IN

BUCHAREST

Kretzulescu Church in Bucharest is an architectural masterpiece from the late 18th century, Brancoveanu building style. During the communist epoch, Kretzulescu church was proposed for being demolished. Only a few architects tried and succeeded in stopping this, so that we can still visit it today.

KRETZULESCU CHURCH HISTORY

Kretzulescu Church is part of the Bucharest history. It was built between 1720 and 1722 by the boyar Iordache Kretulescu and his wife, Safta Brancoveanu, Lord Constantin Brancoveanu’s daughter. It is the time when ANTIM MONASTERY was built too. A hundred years before, on its place rose a small, wodden church, brought from Dambovita. Around the new church, appeared on The Great Street as it was called nowadays Victory Avenue, markets and shops, all of them being part of Kretzulescu Inn, one of the 10th inns Bucharest had in the mid-19th century.

They will all be demolished in 1939 to make place for the new Royal Palace, now the NATIONAL ART MUSEUM. An earthquake almost destroyed the church in 1838 and between 1859 and 1860 it will be rebuilt, the paintings being also restored by Gheorghe Tatarescu.

FAMOUS RELIGIOUS PAINTINGS ON KRETZULESCU CHURCH BUCHAREST

At the entrance of Kretzulescu Church in Bucharest, you will see the original paintings, including “The young ladies dance” painting, The Lord Constantin Brancoveanu’s daughters. The original shape of Kretzulescu Church was brought back for the visitors, through great restoring works in 1935, being also discovered a Byzantine fresco from 1722.

The Romanian Revolution in 1989 will damage the building, for there were people dead under firing guns in the Revolution Square and it be renovate in 2000. If you want to learn more about the buildings on Victoria Avenue Bucharest, you can read our article dedicated to them. It was a funny experience in February 2019. See it HERE!

KRETZULESCU CHURCH AND REVOLUTION SQUARE

Kretzulescu Church in Bucharest is, indeed, the witness of the end of communism in Romania but also witness to more than 300 years of history, just like its sister church, STAVROPOLEOS CHURCH in the Old City. It can be part of your journey in Revolution Square, THE ROYAL PALACE and the ROMANIAN ATHENAEUM near it or Cismigiu Garden.
SEE MAP…