# St Nicholas Church in Făgăraș (Brâncoveanu Church)

[Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Transylvania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/transilvania) › [Brașov County](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/county/brasov) › [Făgăraș](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/city/fagaras)

> The oldest church in Făgăraș, built in 1697–1698 on the orders of Constantin Brâncoveanu, with an open porch, carved stone window frames, 18th-century frescoes and an original iconostasis.

**At a glance:** Churches in Făgăraș, Brașov County. Ticket: Free. The visit takes 30 min. Information verified on 24 October 2026.

## Key facts

- **Opening hours:** The church is open daily during its liturgical hours. Monday–Saturday: morning ~7:30–9:00, evening ~16:30–18:00 (winter time) or ~17:30–19:00 (summer time). Sundays and holidays: morning ~8:00–12:00, evening as on other days. Organised groups can also visit outside these hours by arranging it by phone.
- **Ticket:** Free
- **Visit duration:** 30 min — church and churchyard
- **With kids:** Yes — modest dress and quiet
- **Best season:** All year round — all year
- **Address:** Strada Sfântul Constantin Brâncoveanu (fosta Tudor Vladimirescu) nr. 16, Făgăraș, Brașov County
- **Coordinates:** 45.83996, 24.97812
- **Phone:** +40 761 784 244
- **Website:** https://bisericabrancoveanu.wordpress.com/
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Nicholas_Church,_F%C4%83g%C4%83ra%C8%99
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q52430684
- **Categories:** [Churches](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/biserici), [Monuments and historic sites](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/monumente-si-situri-istorice)

## About St Nicholas Church in Făgăraș (Brâncoveanu Church)

On Sfântul Constantin Brâncoveanu Street in Făgăraș stands the church that locals simply call "Brâncoveanu's". The town's Orthodox community had been left without a place of worship after its old church burned down, and the authorities of the Principality of Transylvania would not let them build another. They asked for help from the ruler of Wallachia, Constantin Brâncoveanu, who obtained the consent of Prince Mihai Apafi II on condition that the walls be neither too thick nor too high, so as not to overshadow Făgăraș Citadel. Work began in 1697 under Neagoe Pitar Rătescu and was finished in 1698.

The building belongs to the Brâncovenesc style: two bands of exposed brick running around the walls, cornices under the eaves, an open porch with ten octagonal columns and an octagonal bell tower above the pronaos. The architect is unknown; he is thought to have trained at the Hurezi school. From 1723 the church was taken over by the Greek Catholics and served as an episcopal seat until 1737, and in 1948, after the Greek Catholic Church was banned, it returned to the Orthodox.

### What you can see

Outside you can see the seven windows with carved stone frames, the door with its original frame, the arches of the porch and the polygonal apse, ringed by the red brick bands. Inside, the iconostasis of carved, gilded oak, made by the painter Preda from Câmpulung, is the original, with registers of icons and carved floral and geometric decoration. The altar and nave are painted in fresco, between 1719 and 1721, by Preda and his sons Preda and Teodosie. The paintings were cleaned and restored between 1994 and 1998, and the church was reconsecrated on 30 September 1998.

### Good to know

The church is an active parish and can be visited during its liturgical hours; organised groups can ask for an appointment. The parish is raising donations to replace the roof with hand-made tiles, so scaffolding may appear around the building.

## Don't miss

- The original iconostasis of carved, gilded oak, from 1698–1699, made by the painter Preda from Câmpulung.
- The fresco paintings in the altar and nave, from 1719–1721, restored in 1994–1998.
- The open porch with ten octagonal columns and the octagonal bell tower.
- The seven windows with carved stone frames and the door with its original frame.
- The bands of exposed brick, the hallmark of the Brâncovenesc style.

## Good to know before you go

### Getting there

**By car:** Făgăraș is on the DN1, ~66 km west of Brașov (~1 hour) and ~76 km east of Sibiu (~1 hour). The church is ~600 m from Făgăraș Citadel, an 8–10 minute walk from the centre.

**Public transport:** Făgăraș railway station has trains to Brașov and Sibiu; from the station it is a ~15-minute walk to the church, or a short taxi ride. Brâncoveanu Monastery at Sâmbăta de Sus is ~29 km away.

### Fees & discounts

Entry is free; the parish charges no visiting fee.

### Rules

Modest dress, as in any Orthodox church: shoulders and knees covered. During services, do not walk around the church or take photos.

## Details

- **Construction period:** 1697–1698
- **Founder:** Constantin Brâncoveanu
- **Dedication:** Saint Nicholas
- **Denomination:** Orthodox
- **Architectural style:** Brâncovenesc
- **Historical period:** Brâncoveanu era

## Frequently asked questions about St Nicholas Church in Făgăraș (Brâncoveanu Church)

**How much is a ticket to St Nicholas Church in Făgăraș (Brâncoveanu Church)?**

Admission to St Nicholas Church in Făgăraș (Brâncoveanu Church) is free. Entry is free; the parish charges no visiting fee.

**How long does a visit to St Nicholas Church in Făgăraș (Brâncoveanu Church) take?**

A visit to St Nicholas Church in Făgăraș (Brâncoveanu Church) takes about 30 min (church and churchyard).

**Can you visit St Nicholas Church in Făgăraș (Brâncoveanu Church) with kids?**

Yes, St Nicholas Church in Făgăraș (Brâncoveanu Church) is suitable for children (modest dress and quiet).

**How do I get to St Nicholas Church in Făgăraș (Brâncoveanu Church)?**

St Nicholas Church in Făgăraș (Brâncoveanu Church) is located at Strada Sfântul Constantin Brâncoveanu (fosta Tudor Vladimirescu) nr. 16, Făgăraș, Brașov County. By car: Făgăraș is on the DN1, ~66 km west of Brașov (~1 hour) and ~76 km east of Sibiu (~1 hour). The church is ~600 m from Făgăraș Citadel, an 8–10 minute walk from the centre. Public transport: Făgăraș railway station has trains to Brașov and Sibiu; from the station it is a ~15-minute walk to the church, or a short taxi ride. Brâncoveanu Monastery at Sâmbăta de Sus is ~29 km away.

**When is the best time to visit St Nicholas Church in Făgăraș (Brâncoveanu Church)?**

The best season for St Nicholas Church in Făgăraș (Brâncoveanu Church): All year round (all year).

## Nearby attractions

- [Făgăraș Citadel](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/cetatea-fagarasului) — Fortresses and fortifications · Făgăraș, BV · 30 lei · 1½ – 2 hours · Top 20 · 1 km
  A moated, bastioned fortress in the centre of Făgăraș, seat of the princes of Transylvania in the 17th century and now home to the Făgăraș Land Museum.
- [Cincșor Fortified Church](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/biserica-fortificata-din-cincsor) — Churches · Cincșor, BV · 45 min · 14 km
  A Gothic Saxon church from 1421, enclosed by walls, four defensive towers and a second ring of fortifications, in the middle of a village by the Olt with the Făgăraș Mountains behind it.
- [Brâncoveanu Castle in Sâmbăta de Sus](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/castelul-brancoveanu-sambata-de-sus) — Castles and palaces · Sâmbăta de Sus, BV · 30 min · 19 km
  A Late Baroque palace built by Ban Grigore Brâncoveanu around 1800, on the site of Constantin Brâncoveanu's earlier residence; closed today, it can be seen from outside in the village of Sâmbăta de Sus.
- [Cincu Fortified Church](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/biserica-fortificata-din-cincu) — Churches · Cincu, BV · ½ – 1 hours · 20 km
  One of the largest Romanesque basilicas in the Saxon villages of Transylvania, built in the 13th century on a hill between the Olt and the Hârtibaciu, with a tall tower and defensive walls.
- [Brâncoveanu Monastery of Sâmbăta de Sus](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/manastirea-brancoveanu-sambata-de-sus) — Monasteries · Sâmbăta de Sus, BV · 1 – 1½ hours · 28 km
  Orthodox monastery founded by Constantin Brâncoveanu below the Făgăraș Mountains: the church rebuilt in 1926–1946 on its old foundations, an icon museum and a new Brâncovenesc-style precinct.
- [Viscri Fortified Church](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/biserica-fortificata-din-viscri) — Churches · Viscri, BV · 20 lei · UNESCO World Heritage · Top 100 · 33 km
  A small white church on the hill above the village, grown from a 12th-century Romanesque chapel and ringed by walls, towers and grain galleries, in a Saxon village that has survived almost intact.

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Last updated: 24 October 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania