The most beautiful religious buildings Romania

The center is dotted with numerous churches for the various religious communities. These include the Reformed Church (1781), which stands between the two central squares. To the west of piața Primăriei stands a Franciscan church, Baroque in style, with a façade flanked by two towers. Dating from the 18th^century , it is the oldest religious building on the square. It is adjoined by a Franciscan monastery. The Catholic church of Sfântul Nicolae (1793) stands on the hill of the same name, just south of the town, at the entrance to an attractive wooded cemetery.

Fifteen kilometers south-west of Odorheiu Secuiesc, the small village of Dârjiu(Székelyderzs in Hungarian) is home to a beautiful fortified church, listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1999. It's one of the few examples of a Saxon-style fortified church in Sicily. The complex has benefited from an extensive renovation program. Once you've collected your keys from the reverend, you'll be taken on a tour of the surrounding walls and storage areas... The bastions were long used as a larder by the villagers, who came here to stock up on meat, sausages and smoked bacon. Hence its nickname "the fortress of bacon". Every Wednesday, the enclosure was opened to allow villagers to come and stock up. Inside the Gothic church, built in the early ^15th century and remodeled in late Gothic style at the end of the ^16th century, you'll admire beautiful ^15th-century frescoes and attractive wooden furniture painted with traditional motifs on a light blue background. You'll also see a brick bearing the Sicilian runic script, dated between 1274 and 1431. Today, the church is dedicated to Unitarian (Protestant) worship.

Guided tours are offered in July and August. Every Wednesday, it's also possible to take part in the "bacon ceremony", followed by a traditional meal held inside a bastion. Call a few days in advance to make your reservation.

It was erected in 1921-1922 to celebrate the coronation of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie, sovereigns of a united Greater Romania, on October 15, 1922. Nicknamed the "Coronation Cathedral", it stands at the western entrance to the citadel. In traditional Romanian style, it follows the Greek cross plan, with an open porch supported by strong columns. The interior murals, in neo-Byzantine style, are by Costin Petrescu. You'll also see portraits of Michael the Brave (Mihai Viteazul) and his wife, Princess Stanca.

It is in this 16th century monastery that the craze for icons on glass was born. Practiced here since the 12th century, the activity developed strongly from 1699: that year, according to legend, tears flowed from the icon of the Virgin Mary for twenty-six days. It can be seen inside the Sfântul Ioan church Botezătorul (1879). The monastery also includes a wooden church dating from 1701 and a museum exhibiting many icons from different periods. On August 15, a crowd of pilgrims converges on this monastery and its famous icon.

This place of worship has had an eventful history over the centuries. Originally, it was the first Catholic church in Cluj. It was destroyed during the first Tatar invasion in 1241, replaced by a Romanesque church and rebuilt in Gothic style in the ^15th century. The monastery was then built by the Dominicans. The site was no longer used for religious purposes from 1556 to 1609, when it fell into the hands of the Calvinists. In 1728, the Franciscans recovered the building and launched a campaign to restore the bell tower, in a Baroque architectural style. The church then suffered the consequences of Romania's political climate: it was confiscated in 1949, when the Communist authorities decided to dissolve the Franciscan order in Romania. For many years, the building housed a music school, until 1990, the year that marked the end of the church's special history. It then became the property of the Roman Catholic Church and the Franciscan order, along with part of the monastery.

The building was restored in the 1970s and 1980s, during two periods of renovation. An attractive inner courtyard separates the church from the monastery. The monastery also houses an important Franciscan library, with a collection of over a thousand volumes. Finally, in the square in front of the building stands an obelisk, said to have been erected after the visit of Austrian Emperor Francis ^I and his wife, Caroline.

Along the narrow rue Mihail Kogălniceanu you will notice the beautiful stones of the central reformed church, nicknamed the reformed church of the rue des Loups. Built in 1486 by order of Mathias Corvin, then King of Hungary, it houses organs reputed to be among the best in Europe. Its portal is guarded by a replica of one of the oldest Renaissance statues (14th century), Saint George Slaying the Dragon, the work of two local sculptors. The original is now in Prague, opposite the palace Hradčany.

This beautiful Reformed church, with its bell tower emblematic of the region, was built in the ^13th century. Destroyed by fire in the ^19th century, it was partially rebuilt, retaining its tower, built in 1762. One of its bells, on display in the surrounding garden, dates back to 1481. The interiors are quite sober, but very harmonious, adorned with beautiful white and red Hungarian embroidery. Note also the superb coffered vaults, painted with traditional local motifs and magnificently restored in 1994.

In the ^19th century, Romanian Orthodox were not allowed to build overly visible religious edifices within the city walls. That's why the Church of the Assumption, built in 1896, is located in a courtyard behind the parish house: to reach it, you have to cross a long porch, which passes under the house. A faithful copy of the Greek church in Vienna, its frescoes and decorations are impressive. Major renovation work was carried out in 1972.

Before 1781, the Orthodox were not allowed to build places of worship within the city walls. At the end of the ^18th century, however, they were allowed to erect a discreet church without a steeple. Occupying two former Saxon houses, the Church of the Holy Trinity(Sfânta Treime), invisible from the street, is characterized by its rich ornamentation, beautiful icons and precious collection of religious objects. It was used by the Greek community.

This baroque church was built between 1776 and 1782 with the support of Empress Maria Theresa. It was built on the site of a 14th century church erected by the Dominicans, which was abandoned after the Lutheran Reformation. Inside, the walls are richly decorated with stucco. The stained-glass windows were made at the end of the 19th century in the workshop of the master József Palka in Budapest. It is the only building in the city that is entirely Baroque in style.

20 km east of Avrig, not far from the banks of the Olt river, the monastery of Cârța was built in the early ^13th century by Cistercian monks. Ravaged in 1241 by the Tatars, it was rebuilt, then abandoned in the ^15th century on the orders of King Mathias Corvin, in the face of the Ottoman threat. Only the choir of the abbey church (transformed in the ^18th century), the entrance tower and the ruins of the monastery itself remain of the complex, which is Gothic in style with Romanesque remains. Today, the abbey church is used by the Saxon Lutheran community.

Near Snagov, on the shores of Lake Căldărușani, this monastery was built by Prince Matei Basarab in the ^17th century. It notably housed music and painting schools, where Nicolae Grigorescu, the famous Romanian painter, studied between 1854 and 1855. Inside, the collection of religious objects includes icons from the ^18th century and others painted by Grigorescu. Access is difficult without a car. From Bucharest, take the Ploiești road, turn right at Balotești and then left towards Lipia; from Snagov, follow road 101C past Lipia.

It escaped destruction under Communism, but like the Antim monastery on the other side of Unirii boulevard, it's been squeezed between blocks of flats. Built by Matei Basarab in 1636, it was embellished by Cantacuzino in 1775. The door is protected by a porch, whose six columns are beautifully decorated with plant motifs. Inside, you'll see numerous portraits: Matei Basarab, Ștefan and Constantin Cantacuzino, Princess Păuna..

The church is named after and houses the tomb of Constantin Brâncoveanu's daughter, who died in 1751. Built in 1885, it is the fourth version, the previous three having suffered fire, flood and earthquake. Its brick and orange colors stand out beautifully against the gray buildings that surround it. The stained-glass windows from Vienna and the chandelier made in Munich are remarkable. In the courtyard is a statue dedicated to the princess, made in 1881.

It is a beautiful church, the remains of a 16th century monastery founded by the Wallachian prince Alexandru II. It is flowery, colourful and well maintained. It is a quiet and restful place, a stone's throw from the wide and noisy boulevards. The chapel is superb, with its interior walls, domes and ceilings entirely covered with polychrome paintings, highlighted by beautiful green columns. This can be reached by driving along the Dâmbovița, from Piața Unirii, and turning right at Bucur Church.

This tiny church perched above the Dâmbovița is wedged between a concrete block and a glass building. It was erected in the ^17th century by monks from the nearby Radu Vodă monastery, on the site of an older church whose construction is attributed to Bucur the Shepherd(Bucur Ciobanul), the legendary founder of Bucharest. Anecdotally, bucur means "joy", making Bucharest the "city of joy". The small hill has been beautifully landscaped, with arbors, flowers and benches making for a very pleasant setting.

This elegant brick church was built in 1915, when the capital's Italian community, then numbering some 7,000 people, decided to build their own place of worship. Architects Mario Stoppa and Giuseppe Tiraboschi drew up the plans. Inspired by the Lombard style, the building blends Romanesque, Gothic and Art Deco elements. Outside, on the balcony of the adjoining parish house, you'll notice the beautiful floral frescoes. Today, the church is not really showcased, enclosed between concrete blocks.

It lies at the heart of the quiet and pleasant Amzei district, which links calea Victoriei to boulevard Magheru. Not far away are the French Embassy and one of the city's prettiest markets. The Amzei church dates from 1901 and is characterized by its eclectic style, a blend of French academicism and neo-Byzantine style, with its exterior walls alternating ochre brick and rendered stone. The façade is richly decorated, adorned with beautiful carved stone friezes. Inside, you can admire a beautiful carved oak iconostasis.

The Church of the Icon(biserica Icoanei) is located near the park of the same name. It dates from the ^19th century and owes its name to one of its icons: a ^17th-century representation of the Virgin Mary, donated by the Wallachian prince Constantin Brâncoveanu. The white exterior is finely sculpted in places. The interiors are dazzling: the walls are covered with frescoes and gilding is omnipresent. Set back from the main boulevards, the district, characterized by a pleasant lack of architectural harmony, is full of charm.

At the junction of two boulevards, this church, which looks like an Ionic temple, does not go unnoticed. It's right next to the Greek Embassy. The two buildings were built at the end of the 19th century, as a result of the efforts of the Greek community and its diplomats. The church was recently renovated, hence its very bright façade. In the front garden there is a bust of Rigas Velestinlis, an 18th century Greek writer, who lived in Bucharest for a time. A national hero, he defended the independence of the Balkan peoples under the Ottomans.

The Armenian Church of the Holy Trinity (biserica armeano-gregoriană Sfânta Treime) was built in 1795, rebuilt in 1832. It was built on the site of a former 16th century Armenian monastery. Its belfry dates from 1816. Reputed to be the most beautiful church in Botoșani, it has lost some of its splendour, fallen into disrepair after the departure of the Armenians. It is surrounded by old marble tombstones, engraved with inscriptions in Armenian.

Located in the former Princely Court(Curtea veche), the Church of St. Anthony the Great, also known as the Church of Good News(Buna Vestire), was built in 1545-1554 by Prince Mircea the Shepherd, who is depicted in the frescoes. It has been fairly well restored over the centuries, despite the many damages it has suffered: fires, invasions and earthquakes. You'll notice the elegance and originality of its exterior facade, an alternation of exposed brick and roughcast.

The Church of the Princess(Biserica Doamnei) was built in 1683 by Princess Maria, the wife of the Wallachian prince Șerban Cantacuzino. With its entrance adorned with rich floral decoration, this rectangular edifice heralds the Brâncovenesc style, while retaining the characteristics of the more austere style that prevailed during the reign of Matei Basarab. It is one of those churches that communism hid, literally hemmed in by buildings. Invisible from Calea Victoriei, you have to pass under a porch next to the Pizza Hut restaurant to reach it.

The St. Nicholas Student Church(biserica studenților Sfântul Nicolae) was built between 1905 and 1909, on the initiative of the Russian ambassador of the time. With its golden bulbs, it has the look of a Russian Orthodox church. Seen from Piaţa Universităţii, it is very photogenic. Its iconostasis, the work of Moscow artists, was modelled on that of the Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul in the Kremlin. Today, it serves as a chapel for students.

The monastery was built in 1645 by the wealthy boyar Danciu Pârâianu. Access is through a large carved wooden portal. A tree-lined driveway leads to the buildings. In the center of the courtyard, surrounded by beautiful white buildings with flowers, is the small monastery church. The interior is particularly rich, with touches of Brâncovenesc architecture, icons and ^18th-century murals. The monastery boasts a rich collection of 600 icons on wood and glass from the ^18th and ^19th centuries.

Here's an edifice that's crystallizing passions and creating controversy. And with good reason: the cathedral, which began construction in 2011, has cost over 200 million euros to date, most of which comes from public funds. In addition to the debate over the aesthetics of this gigantic building, which stands next to the Palace of Parliament, with which it rivals, a large part of the population feels that this money should have been used for more useful purposes (schools, hospitals, etc.).

Built between 1752 and 1780, this cathedral is the largest Baroque religious building in Romania (78 by 40 meters). The facades are covered in Carrara marble, the influence of the Italian architect who carried out the construction project. Some of the interior paintings date back to the time of its construction, such as those on the superb dome; others were added in the ^19th and ^20th centuries. Also noteworthy are the great organs. A simple cathedral until 1991, Pope John Paul II promoted it to basilica status that year.

Situated on the banks of the river, this imposing cubic synagogue in an eclectic style, topped by a large silver dome, was erected from 1877 onwards by reformist Jews. It's the biggest in the city. Its interior walls are covered with coloured geometric patterns of Moorish inspiration. The synagogue, recently restored, has become a space dedicated to culture.

The Orthodox synagogue (strada Mihai Viteazul 4), built in 1890 in an eclectic style with many Moorish elements, reopened in 2018 after renovation.

This beautiful neoclassical church, with its domed roof and Corinthian column façade, was built between 1830 and 1837. Its two tall towers make it recognizable throughout the city. Inside, you'll notice the organ with over 4,000 pipes and the Carrara marble high altar. A Catholic cathedral, the place is mainly frequented by the Hungarian community of the city and region. Nearby, in strada 1 Decembrie 1918, you can see the bishop's palace (1851), also in neoclassical style.

Built between 1862 and 1865, to plans by Viennese architect Ignaz Schumann, it features an eclectic style, using elements of Moorish architecture, in vogue at the time. Its facade, framed by two massive towers, is covered in exposed brick and ceramic tiles. The grandeur of the building is a reminder that, at the turn of the century, Timișoara had a very large Jewish population: it numbered over 12,000, compared with a few hundred today. Most emigrated to Israel under Ceaușescu.

Built at the same time as the Catholic Cathedral, it rises on the other side of piața Unirii, to which it has its back. Its facade faces Ungurianu street. The building, which blends Baroque and classical styles, returned to the Serbian community after its separation from the Romanian Orthodox Church in 1865. The adjoining Episcopal Palace, the seat of the Serbian Orthodox bishopric, also dates from the 18th century, but its façade was rebuilt in 1905 in a neo-Serbian style.

Located near Piaţa Amzei, this synagogue is the oldest in the city still in use. Built in 1840, it is renowned for its architectural style, with neo-Moorish influences, and for the beauty of its interior hall (carved wooden balconies...). Outside, bas-reliefs adorn the tympanums above the doors. The higher one on the façade depicts the Ten Commandments. After a long period of closure, the synagogue was restored in 2007 and is now used by the Lubavitch community.

Set back from the street, this brick neo-Moorish synagogue was built in 1866. Gradually enlarged, organs and superb stained-glass windows were added. A monument to the victims of the Holocaust has stood in the courtyard on the street side since 1992. The synagogue is still in use. Those interested in the history of the city's Jewish community can also visit two large cemeteries: Cimitirul Evreiesc (Sephardic), Şoseaua Giurgiului, and Cimitirul Israelit Filantropia (Ashkenazi), boulevard Mihalache.

Considered one of the finest examples of Orthodox architecture in Bucharest, it was built by Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu. Seven years after its inauguration in 1707, the voivode was captured by the Turks, who took him and his sons to Istanbul, where they were all beheaded. His wife brought his remains back to Bucharest and buried them in this church. His tomb can be seen here. Destroyed by fire in 1847, the beautifully frescoed building was rebuilt in 1853.

It was built in 1500, when the city became an episcopal residence. In the first courtyard there is a theological seminary, built in 1838 in neoclassical style, and a small museum of cult objects and ancient icons. Through a large painted porch, you reach the inner courtyard, where the Episcopal cathedral of the Assumption, built in 1504 and rebuilt in 1649, stands. The Episcopal Palace, built in 1844, faces it. At the entrance to the complex, a vast church was built, destined to become the centre of local religious life.

It is especially for this magnificent building that one comes to Horezu. It is located 5 km north-east of the village, in Romanii de Jos, in the middle of a beautiful landscape of medium mountains covered with forests. It can be reached by climbing a beautiful tree-lined driveway. Built by the Wallachian voivode Constantine Brâncoveanu between 1690 and 1697, this monastery, the largest religious complex he built, sums up very well the architecture and style desired by the prince, both sober and sumptuous. The exterior galleries with sculpted pillars and white monastic cells surround two courtyards.

In the centre of the second courtyard is the large church (1694), the outer walls of which are decorated with sculptures. The interior is decorated with beautiful, brightly coloured paintings, including religious scenes. In the pronaos there is a portrait gallery, where Brâncoveanu, surrounded by his relatives and ancestors, can be recognised. The prince had planned to turn this church into the family necropolis, as evidenced by his carved marble tomb, also located in the pronaos. Beheaded by the Ottomans, the voivode was finally buried in the new Church of St. George in Bucharest. The monastery also housed a cultural centre in the 17th and 18th centuries, where people came to learn painting and sculpture. It was restored between 1960 and 1975 and more recently after its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995.

The monastery museum exhibits works painted on wood and old books.

Its date of birth is unknown, but probably before 1500. In any case, it's the city's oldest church. It was the church of the great boyar families, and also served as the city's defense tower. After damage caused by the January 1838 earthquake, it was completely rebuilt in 1889 by French architect Lecomte du Nouÿ, who has other church reconstructions to his credit in the country, such as Curtea de Argeș. Byzantine in style, its brick "stripes" make it very elegant.

3 km north of Frâncești, in the hamlet of Dezrobiți, the Dintr-un Lemn monastery is located on the banks of a small river, at the end of an alley lined with weeping willows. More friendly and welcoming than any of its neighbors, it's sure to enchant you. After passing through a portal decorated with paintings depicting Saint Peter and marine motifs, you enter a first courtyard, full of flowers, with a well and beautiful white monastic buildings. Passing under another porch and next to an unexpected sea anchor (the monastery protects sailors and aviators, who come here to meditate), you enter the second, smaller courtyard, which houses the most recent church, with its beautifully decorated walls. A little further up, past the Pope's house, orchards and frolicking cats, you come to a small wooden chapel surrounded by tall, old oak trees. The chapel, founded in 1635, gave its name to the monastery. Indeed, Dintr-un Lemn means "of a single wood", and it is said that the trunk of a single oak was enough to build it! The paintings inside the church, a little darkened by candle smoke, date from the early ^18th century. Its iconostasis, carved from limewood in 1814, is a true work of art, as are many of the wooden icons that adorn the church.

The monastery is also associated with a love story. The writer Anton Pann is said to have fallen in love with a 16-year-old nun here, disguising her as a boy in order to kidnap her.

Only a few ruins remain of the princely court, built in the ^mid-13th century and rebuilt in the following century, when Curtea de Argeș became the capital of Wallachia. But the Byzantine church of St. Nicholas, founded in the ^14th century by Prince Basarab ^I (whose statue sits enthroned at the entrance), is perfectly preserved. Its white brick and pebble façade is particularly elegant. Inside, the recently restored murals are truly original! In particular, you'll see a rare depiction of a pregnant Mary.

Right on the banks of the river Olt, this monastery is one of the most remarkable monuments of Romanian medieval architecture. The church was built by Mircea the Elder (Mircea cel Bătrân) in 1388. Mircea can be seen in knightly garb on one of the original frescoes in the nave. His tomb is also located here. Various elements and two chapels were added later, notably during the reign of Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu. The monastery also includes a small museum displaying ^17th-century cult objects and manuscripts. The view of the complex from the banks of the river Olt is particularly impressive, with its white buildings resting on stone buttresses.

A little further north, on the other bank of the Olt, you'll see the ruins of a Roman fortress (castrum Arutela), built under Emperor Hadrian in 138.

Further north, on the same bank as the Roman fortress, the Turnu monastery was built in 1676 and rebuilt in 1933 after a fire. Nearby, monks' cells have been carved out of the rock.

Near the center of Călimănești, don't miss the Ostrov monastery, built in 1522 on an island in the middle of the Olt(ostrov means "river island"). A small bridge provides easy access. It features ^18th-century paintings. All around, the park, planted with trees and flowers, is very pretty. The location of the complex on the Olt river is truly privileged and well worth the detour.

Situated 4 km north of the city center, on the voivode hill, the monastery is known as a princely necropolis, where the remains of a major figure in Romanian history are laid to rest: Mihai Viteazul (Michael the Brave), the first sole ruler of the three Romanian principalities, for a few months in 1600. A large marble sarcophagus, sculpted by Frédéric Storck in 1913, houses his tomb. Built between 1431 and 1501, the monastery is a landmark of local medieval architecture. Its carved stone church is remarkable.

Founded in the 14th century, this monastery is considered to be one of the oldest in Wallachia. It was built by Radu I, prince from 1377 to 1383. It was then rebuilt by his son Mircea the Elder and renovated by Constantin Brâncoveanu in 1711. The site is quiet and pleasant. The old church is in the centre of the flowery courtyard. Its facade, partly made of brick, is beautifully decorated with small coloured ceramic discs. Wood is omnipresent, especially on the roofs. The monastery is also home to the oldest bell in Wallachia, cast in 1385.

Located in the center, at kilometer zero, the princely church(biserica domnească), also known as St. George's Church(Sfântul Gheorghe), was founded in 1656 by Constantine Șerban, Prince of Wallachia, and his wife. Remodeled in the ^mid-19th century after a fire, this handsome brick edifice was slated for demolition in the 1960s, but was finally restored in 1968. Its porch, unusual in Romania, makes it an interesting exception.

Built in 1573, it is one of the country's oldest mosques. It bears the name of its founder, Princess Esmahan, daughter of Sultan Selim II and wife of a vizier, who took refuge in Mangalia at the time. This handsome, thick-walled, carved-stone edifice is surrounded by a small cemetery where prominent figures of the time are buried. Some of the stelae are over three centuries old. Also note the ablutions fountain in the courtyard. The mosque still serves as a place of worship for the town's Turkish-Tatari community, which numbers some 3,000 worshippers.

It is the largest mosque in Romania, with an imposing minaret. It was built in 1865 by the Muslim community of Tulcea, with the approval of the Sultan of the time, Abdülaziz (hence its name). At the time, Dobrogea was part of the Ottoman Empire. The interior is sober, with a light green wooden ceiling and carpeted floor. The mosque is now used by the small Muslim community of Tulcea, consisting of the historic Turkish and Tatar minorities, plus a large number of Roma.

It is one of the oldest monuments of Muslim architecture in Romania. This beautiful mosque was built at the very beginning of the 17th century by General Ali Gazi, when Dobrogea was under Ottoman administration. Moreover, the mausoleum that stands in the courtyard houses the bones of the general. The building was beautifully renovated at the end of the 1990s. Its minaret is more than 20 m high. Inside, you can admire beautiful wooden ornaments and old Persian carpets.

Located southeast of Fălticeni, this fortified monastery was built in 1530 by Petru Rareș, who is buried here. The church's interior and exterior paintings date from this period. The state of preservation of the exterior frescoes is precarious, particularly on the west and north facades. Scenes from the life of St. Nicholas, the church's patron saint, can still be seen. The Apocalypse of John is depicted in its entirety, with the theme of the Last Judgment omnipresent. The vaults are decorated in a Baroque style.

At the very end of the long Rue Lungă (hence the name!), heading towards Bran and Râșnov, you'll see the evangelical church of St. Bartholomew(biserica evanghelică Sfântul Bartolomeu). Built in 1223 by Saxon settlers, this Romanesque church is the town's oldest. Its Gothic elements are later additions. Today, it is used by a small community of Saxon parishioners. In July, organ concerts are held here.

This place is well worth a visit. One of the churches of this Franciscan monastery was built by the famous voivode János Hunyadi in 1448. Demolished in 1802, it was rebuilt in neoclassical style with a Baroque influence. The church is famous for its statue of the Virgin Mary, carved from limewood to a height of 2.30 meters and reputed to perform miracles. On Whitsun Sunday, Mount Somlyó (1,035 meters) hosts the Pilgrimage of the Siculi, which attracts huge crowds.

Built in several stages on the site of a Romanesque church destroyed by the Tatars in 1241, this cathedral is representative of the major artistic trends of the Middle Ages: Romanesque (basilica, transept), Gothic (choir), Renaissance and Baroque. The funerary monuments house the remains of the city's great bishops and the sarcophagi of great princely families, including that of János Hunyadi (Iancu de Hunedoara), famous prince of Transylvania.