Old St George Church

The Old St. George Church (Biserica Sfântul Gheorghe Vechi) is a Romanian Orthodox church located at 36 Calea Moșilor in Bucharest, Romania, dedicated to Saint George. The site originally housed a monastery established in 1492, as noted in the 1848 pisanie. Excavations in 1954 revealed the foundation of a 16th-century church. Tradition suggests the monastery served as the seat of the Metropolis of Ungro-Wallachia from 1545 to 1575. The complex was destroyed by Ottoman forces in 1595 after the Battle of Călugăreni. A bell tower mentioned in a 1621 document likely survived until the Great Fire of 1847. The church, documented in the 1660s and ‘70s, burned in 1718 but was rebuilt in 1724. It suffered significant damage from earthquakes in 1802 and 1838 before being destroyed by the 1847 fire. Parishioners quickly rebuilt it, reopening in 1849, though the structure was demolished in 1875. Reconstruction under the parish council was completed in 1881, with consecration by Calinic Miclescu. Gheorghe Pompilian painted the church, inspired by Gheorghe Tattarescu. The iconostasis is carved from sycamore in Ukrainian Baroque style, matching the church’s architectural design. Interior elements include linden wood and an oak entrance door. Renovations followed the 1940 earthquake and occurred again in the 1960s, ‘80s, and ‘90s. The cross-shaped church measures 32 x 16.9 meters with a 24-meter-high Christ Pantocrator dome. The large narthex reflects 19th-century design, and an original crypt lies beneath the altar. Walls are 90-100 cm thick, built on a cement and brick foundation. Stained glass windows ...