# Kretzulescu Church

[Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Muntenia](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/muntenia) › [București](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/city/bucuresti)

> A Brâncoveanu-style church of exposed brick, built in 1720–1722 on Calea Victoriei near Revolution Square, with an open porch on stone columns, two towers and the original painting in the porch.

**At a glance:** Churches in București. Opening hours: daily 08:00 – 18:00. The visit takes 20 min. Information verified on 25 October 2026.

## Key facts

- **Opening hours:** daily 08:00 – 18:00 — Open daily, 8:00–18:00, subject to the services. On Saturdays matins begins at 8:00 and the Divine Liturgy at 9:00; on Sundays matins is at 8:00 and the Liturgy at 9:30. The schedule of services changes from week to week and is published on the parish website.
- **Visit duration:** 20 min — the porch and the interior
- **With kids:** Yes — quiet place, no play area
- **Parking:** Yes, paid — central area, paid zone
- **Best season:** All year round — lovely in afternoon light
- **Address:** 45 Calea Victoriei, București
- **Coordinates:** 44.43812, 26.09665
- **Phone:** +40 727 781 718
- **Website:** https://parohiakretzulescu.ro/
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kretzulescu_Church
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3394199
- **Categories:** [Churches](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/biserici), [Monuments and historic sites](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/monumente-si-situri-istorice)

## About Kretzulescu Church

Kretzulescu Church can be seen from Calea Victoriei, at the corner of Revolution Square, next to the former Royal Palace. It was built in 1720–1722 by the boyar Iordache Kretzulescu and his wife Safta, a daughter of the prince Constantin Brâncoveanu, and consecrated in 1722, with the dedication of the Dormition of the Mother of God and the Synaxis of the Archangels. It is one of the oldest surviving churches in Bucharest and an example of the Brâncoveanu style from the end of the period.

The plan is trefoil-shaped, with one tower above the nave and one above the pronaos, both slender, with narrow, tall windows. The façades are divided into two registers: rectangular panels below, tall double arcading above. The church was originally plastered; after the restoration of 1935–1936, led by the architect Ștefan Balș, it was left in exposed brick. In the communist period its demolition was proposed, but it was saved through the efforts of architects, among them Henriette Delavrancea-Gibory. The last major restoration lasted from 1996 to 2003.

### What you can see

The entrance is through an open porch on tall stone columns, with simple arches. The painting in the porch is the original, from 1722, with scenes from the Apocalypse. Inside, the gilded iconostasis and the chandelier are visible from the entrance, and the walls and vaults are painted with saints, biblical scenes and medallions of Christ. Beside the church stands a bust of Corneliu Coposu.

### Good to know

The church is in active use, with services every week; visits are made between services, in decent dress.

## Don't miss

- The original painting of 1722 in the porch, with scenes from the Apocalypse.
- The open porch on stone columns, with simple arches.
- The exposed-brick façades, with double arcading and carved belt courses.
- The gilded iconostasis and the chandelier inside.
- The two slender towers, one over the nave and one over the pronaos.

## Good to know before you go

### Getting there

**By car:** the church is on Calea Victoriei, at the corner of Revolution Square, in the central part of Bucharest, with heavy traffic; the simplest is to leave the car in a nearby car park and walk.

**Public transport:** the nearest metro station is Universitate (M2), ~600 m on foot; Piața Romană (M2) is ~900 m away. From Gara de Nord you can come by metro or by taxi/app.

### Where to park

The church has no car park of its own for visitors. Around Revolution Square and on the surrounding streets you park in the paid zones (parking meter or app), where spaces fill up quickly.

### Rules

This is a working Orthodox church: modest dress (shoulders and knees covered, men bareheaded in the church), quiet, no food or drink. Do not use a flash and do not take photos during services; ask if you are unsure.

### Facilities

open porch · steps at the entrance · cafés, restaurants and toilets on Calea Victoriei, nearby · good mobile signal

## Details

- **Construction period:** 1720–1722
- **Founder:** Iordache and Safta Kretzulescu
- **Dedication:** the Dormition of the Mother of God
- **Denomination:** Orthodox
- **Architectural style:** Brâncoveanu
- **Historical period:** Phanariote

## Frequently asked questions about Kretzulescu Church

**What are the opening hours of Kretzulescu Church?**

Opening hours at Kretzulescu Church: daily 08:00 – 18:00. Open daily, 8:00–18:00, subject to the services. On Saturdays matins begins at 8:00 and the Divine Liturgy at 9:00; on Sundays matins is at 8:00 and the Liturgy at 9:30. The schedule of services changes from week to week and is published on the parish website.

**How long does a visit to Kretzulescu Church take?**

A visit to Kretzulescu Church takes about 20 min (the porch and the interior).

**Can you visit Kretzulescu Church with kids?**

Yes, Kretzulescu Church is suitable for children (quiet place, no play area).

**Where can I park at Kretzulescu Church?**

There is paid parking at Kretzulescu Church (central area, paid zone). The church has no car park of its own for visitors. Around Revolution Square and on the surrounding streets you park in the paid zones (parking meter or app), where spaces fill up quickly.

**How do I get to Kretzulescu Church?**

Kretzulescu Church is located at 45 Calea Victoriei, București. By car: the church is on Calea Victoriei, at the corner of Revolution Square, in the central part of Bucharest, with heavy traffic; the simplest is to leave the car in a nearby car park and walk. Public transport: the nearest metro station is Universitate (M2), ~600 m on foot; Piața Romană (M2) is ~900 m away. From Gara de Nord you can come by metro or by taxi/app.

**When is the best time to visit Kretzulescu Church?**

The best season for Kretzulescu Church: All year round (lovely in afternoon light).

## Nearby attractions

- [Royal Palace](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/palatul-regal) — Castles and palaces · București · 32 lei · 2½ – 3 hours · Top 100 · 0 km
  The former residence of Romania's kings on Revolution Square, now the National Museum of Art of Romania: the Throne Hall, the Voivodes' Staircase and the country's largest collection of Romanian and European art.
- [Carol I Central University Library](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/biblioteca-centrala-universitara-bucuresti) — Monuments and historic sites · București · 50 lei · ½ – 1 hours · 0 km
  The former Carol I University Foundation, built in 1891–1895 to plans by Paul Gottereau on Revolution Square: a Beaux-Arts façade with a pediment and domes, an Aula that survived the 1989 fire, and visits by guided tour only.
- [Romanian Athenaeum](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/ateneul-roman) — Monuments and historic sites · București · 15 lei · 45 min · 0 km
  The concert hall in the heart of Bucharest, built in 1886–1888 and paid for largely by public subscription: Ionic columns outside, a fresco over 70 m long telling the story of the Romanians inside.
- [Cișmigiu Gardens](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/parcul-cismigiu) — Parks and gardens · București · Free · 1 – 1½ hours · 1 km
  Bucharest's oldest public park, laid out from 1847 in the landscape style around a lake, with shady avenues, the Writers' Rotunda and romantic stone corners, right in the city centre.
- [I. L. Caragiale National Theatre, Bucharest](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/teatrul-national-bucuresti) — Monuments and historic sites · București · 25 lei · 2 – 2½ hours · 1 km
  The building on Piața Universității, opened in 1973 and rehabilitated in 2014, with a foyer with a spiral staircase and a main hall of 940 seats; seen at performances and on the guided tours backstage.
- [Bucharest Municipality Museum – Suțu Palace](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/muzeul-municipiului-bucuresti) — Museums and memorial houses · București · 20 lei · 1 – 1½ hours · 1 km
  The 1833–1835 palace near University Square, one of Bucharest's oldest aristocratic residences, houses the permanent exhibition “Time of the City”, on the history of the capital.

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Last updated: 25 October 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania