Kretzulescu Church: a Brâncovenesc church in central Bucharest
Kretzulescu Church (Biserica Kretzulescu or Crețulescu) is an Eastern Orthodox church on Calea Victoriei in central Bucharest, at a corner of Revolution Square. Built in 1720–1722 in the Brâncovenesc style, it is one of the city’s most valued monuments from the end of that period and a calm detour among the grand buildings around it.
This quiet red-brick church was commissioned by a man who had seen his father-in-law, a prince, beheaded in Istanbul in 1714, and it is dedicated to the Assumption, the feast on which that execution took place.
The history of Kretzulescu Church
In the early 18th century the street now called Calea Victoriei was the Podul Mogoșoaiei, the great road leading north out of Bucharest. Here, at a spot then known as Puțul cu zale, stood the northern barrier of the town. Between 1720 and 1722 the great logofăt Iordache Crețulescu and his wife Safta, a daughter of Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu, raised a church on this site. Beside it Crețulescu also built an inn, as was customary at the time and because the place marked the edge of the city.
The church carries a heavy family story. Crețulescu had come back from exile in Istanbul, where in 1714 he had witnessed the beheading of his father-in-law and the prince’s sons on 15 August, the feast of the Assumption. The church was dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin and to the archangels Michael and Gabriel. Its form is typical of the Brâncovenesc style: a trefoil plan, a slender tower over the nave, a bell tower over the narthex, narrow tall windows, and façades divided into two registers, with rectangular panels below and long double arches above. The entrance is through an open porch carried by tall stone columns. At first the exterior was painted.
In the 19th century the church was reworked in neoclassical taste so that it would sit comfortably among the buildings of the square. In 1815 and again in 1859–1860 the outside was plastered, the arches of the porch were closed, the windows were enlarged, some interior columns were removed and the iconostasis was replaced. The frescoes of the porch, with scenes from the Apocalypse, belong to the original building, while the painter Gheorghe Tattarescu replaced the interior decoration with oil paintings in 1859–1860.
In the 1930s a restoration led by the architect Ștefan Balș tried to return the church to its early form: the plaster was removed, the façade was left in bare brick and the towers were rebuilt on the model of churches of the period. The building was damaged by the earthquake of November 1940 and repaired in 1942–1943. In the early communist years it was slated for demolition, but architects, among them Henriette Delavrancea-Gibory, helped save it. Further work followed after the earthquake of 1977 and the Revolution of 1989, including a restoration between 1996 and 2003, during which the old painting was partly cleaned. A memorial bust of Corneliu Coposu now stands beside the church.
Curiosities about Kretzulescu Church
- The church was founded by Iordache Crețulescu and Safta, daughter of Constantin Brâncoveanu; he had been in Istanbul when his father-in-law and the prince’s sons were beheaded in 1714.
- The execution took place on 15 August, the feast of the Assumption, and the church is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin.
- The brick façade you see today is not the original: the outside was first painted, later plastered, and returned to bare brick in the 1930s.
- The porch frescoes with scenes from the Apocalypse are part of the original building, while the interior paintings are the work of Gheorghe Tattarescu, from 1859–1860.
- In the early communist period the church was slated for demolition and was saved thanks to efforts by architects such as Henriette Delavrancea-Gibory.
- Inside are an enamelled bronze candelabrum made in Paris in 1873 by Barbedienne, and icons from the collection of Emil C. Crețulescu.
Tours near Kretzulescu Church
Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:
Visiting Kretzulescu Church: what to see
- Look first at the open porch with its tall stone columns and the original frescoes with scenes from the Apocalypse.
- Notice the two-register brick façade and the slender tower and bell tower, the hallmarks of the Brâncovenesc style.
- Inside, the 19th-century paintings by Gheorghe Tattarescu and the Paris-made bronze candelabrum are worth a look.
- The church stands at a corner of Revolution Square, next to the former Royal Palace, so it fits easily into a walk along Calea Victoriei. A memorial bust of Corneliu Coposu stands beside it.
- Antim Monastery, Stavropoleos Monastery and Cantacuzino Palace are each about 1 km away. It is an active church, so check the current opening hours before you go.
Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.
Map: where Kretzulescu Church is
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors
Photos of Kretzulescu Church
Questions
Where is Kretzulescu Church?
It stands at Calea Victoriei 45A in central Bucharest, at a corner of Revolution Square and next to the former Royal Palace.
When was Kretzulescu Church built?
It was commissioned in 1720–1722 by the boyar Iordache Crețulescu and his wife Safta, a daughter of Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu.
What style is Kretzulescu Church?
It is built in the Brâncovenesc style, with a trefoil plan, a slender tower over the nave, a bell tower and an open porch on tall stone columns.
Are the paintings in Kretzulescu Church original?
Only partly. The porch frescoes date from the original building, while the interior paintings were made by Gheorghe Tattarescu in 1859–1860.
Was Kretzulescu Church ever threatened with demolition?
Yes. In the early days of the communist regime it was slated for demolition, but it was saved thanks to architects such as Henriette Delavrancea-Gibory.
What can you see near Kretzulescu Church?
Antim Monastery, Stavropoleos Monastery and Cantacuzino Palace are about 1 km away, and the Foișorul de Foc about 2 km.
Also nearby
Stavropoleos Monastery
Bucharest · 1724 Brâncovenesc church and nuns’ monastery
750 m away
Antim Monastery
Bucharest · 1715 monastery with carved stone and a snail emblem
1.5 km away
Cantacuzino Palace
Bucharest · Beaux Arts palace and George Enescu museum
1.5 km away
Radu Vodă Monastery
Bucharest · monastery on a hill settled since prehistory
2 km away