Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul
About Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul
On Heroes' Avenue (Calea Eroilor) in Târgu Jiu, roughly halfway between the Central Park and the Endless Column, the axis conceived by Constantin Brâncuși passes through a small square holding a three-towered Orthodox church. The Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul is the only building included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Brâncuși Monumental Ensemble of Târgu Jiu", inscribed in 2024: the site description calls it the landmark that marks the middle of the axis, about 1.5 km long.
The foundations were laid on 8 September 1927, on the site of a church from 1747 that had fallen into ruin. The plans were commissioned from the architect Anghel Păunescu and changed along the way: of the five towers originally planned, three were kept. Work stopped for several years for lack of money and was completed with the support of the National League of Gorj Women, led by Aretia Tătărescu, the same organisation that commissioned from Brâncuși the monuments to the heroes of 1916. In 1938 the League listed the church among the works it donated to the town, and the street it stands on became Heroes' Avenue.
The church was consecrated on 7 November 1937, in the presence of Patriarch Miron Cristea and Prime Minister Gheorghe Tătărescu. Brâncuși, then in Târgu Jiu to supervise work on the stone pieces, filmed the ceremony; his film is one of the few records of what the town looked like while the ensemble was being built.
What you can see
The church is surrounded by conifers, in the square in the middle of Heroes' Avenue. The two patron apostles are painted on the pediment of the entrance façade, above a porch with stone columns and a rounded roof. Under the porch, a marble plaque records the start of work in 1927, the names of the founders and the consecration of 1937, and in the tympanum above it Christ is painted among vines. Along the sides and the apses, under the red eaves, runs a band of saints painted in small arches. The paintings inside are in the Neo-Byzantine style.
From the square the logic of the ensemble is easy to read: to the east, about 550 m away, rises the Endless Column, and to the west, about 800 m away, Heroes' Avenue reaches the Gate of the Kiss and the Table of Silence in the Central Park.
Good to know
The church is an active parish, not a museum: during services, visit quietly.
Information verified on 21 October 2026.
- The icon of Saints Peter and Paul painted on the pediment of the entrance façade, above the porch.
- The marble plaque in the porch recording the building of the church and its consecration on 7 November 1937.
- The band of saints painted in small arches under the red eaves of the apses.
- The view along Heroes' Avenue, towards the Endless Column to the east and the Central Park to the west.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: Târgu Jiu is ~110 km from Craiova (DN6 to Filiași, then DN66, ~2 hours), ~60 km from Petroșani on the DN66 through the Jiu Gorge (~1.5 hours) and ~110 km from Râmnicu Vâlcea on the DN67 (~2¼ hours). The church is on Heroes' Avenue in the town centre, ~550 m west of the Endless Column and ~800 m east of the Gate of the Kiss.
Public transport: Târgu Jiu railway station, on the Craiova – Petroșani – Simeria line, is ~700 m south of the church, about a 10-minute walk. The walk along Heroes' Avenue between the Central Park and the Endless Column passes the church.
- Where to park
There is on-street parking around the square and in the nearby streets; parking in central Târgu Jiu is generally paid. The church is easy to see on foot, on the same walk as the Central Park and the Endless Column.
- Fees & discounts
The parish does not publish an entrance fee for the church.
- Rules
Modest dress, as in any Orthodox church: shoulders and knees covered. During services, do not walk around the church or take photos without the priest's permission.
Frequently asked questions about Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul
- How long does a visit to Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul take?
- A visit to Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul takes about 20 min (the church and the surrounding square).
- Where can I park at Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul?
- There is paid parking at Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (in the surrounding streets). There is on-street parking around the square and in the nearby streets; parking in central Târgu Jiu is generally paid. The church is easy to see on foot, on the same walk as the Central Park and the Endless Column.
- How do I get to Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul?
- Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul is located at Calea Eroilor, between the Central Park and the Column Park, Târgu Jiu, Gorj County. By car: Târgu Jiu is ~110 km from Craiova (DN6 to Filiași, then DN66, ~2 hours), ~60 km from Petroșani on the DN66 through the Jiu Gorge (~1.5 hours) and ~110 km from Râmnicu Vâlcea on the DN67 (~2¼ hours). The church is on Heroes' Avenue in the town centre, ~550 m west of the Endless Column and ~800 m east of the Gate of the Kiss. Public transport: Târgu Jiu railway station, on the Craiova – Petroșani – Simeria line, is ~700 m south of the church, about a 10-minute walk. The walk along Heroes' Avenue between the Central Park and the Endless Column passes the church.
- When is the best time to visit Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul?
- The best season for Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul: All year round (all year; feast day on 29 June).
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