# Dormition of the Mother of God Church in Cetate [Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Transylvania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/transilvania) › [Brașov County](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/county/brasov) › [Brașov](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/city/brasov) > The Orthodox church hidden in the courtyard of a building on Piața Sfatului, built in 1895–1899 in the Neo-Byzantine style, with a carved and gilded iconostasis and interior paintings from 1937. **At a glance:** Churches in Brașov, Brașov County. The visit takes 20 min. Information verified on 7 November 2026. ## Key facts - **Opening hours:** The entrance to the church is through a corridor in the façade facing Piața Sfatului. The patronal feast, the Dormition of the Mother of God, is held on 15 August. - **Visit duration:** 20 min — church and entrance corridor - **Parking:** Yes, paid — paid car parks in the centre - **Best season:** All year round — all year; feast day on 15 August - **Address:** Piața Sfatului 3, Brașov, Brașov County - **Coordinates:** 45.64303, 25.5896 - **Website:** https://protopopiatul-brasov.ro/biserici/biserica-adormirea-maicii-domnului-brasov-cetate/ - **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pia%C8%9Ba_Sfatului_Orthodox_Church - **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21600552 - **Categories:** [Churches](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/churches), [Monuments and historic sites](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/monuments-and-historic-sites) ## About Dormition of the Mother of God Church in Cetate In the heart of Brașov's old town, on Piața Sfatului, a façade of exposed red and yellow brick with an octagonal tower hides the Orthodox church of the Dormition of the Mother of God, also known as the church in Cetate. Until after Emperor Joseph II's edict of toleration of 1781, Orthodox believers had no right to live or build inside the Saxon citadel. In 1829 only a small chapel with the same patron saint was consecrated here, set up in a room in the courtyard. The present church was built on the initiative of the priest Bartolomeu Baiulescu: the foundation stone was laid on 9 June 1895, and the church was consecrated on 18 June 1899 by Metropolitan Ioan Mețianu. The plans are by the architect G. Bruss, modelled on the Greek Orthodox church in Vienna. It is built in the Neo-Byzantine style, with a central dome and a bell tower, and measures about 27 m in length and 12 m in width. From Piața Sfatului you see only the parish house, with its octagonal tower, damaged by the 1940 earthquake and rebuilt in 1973 together with the whole façade. ### What you can see The church itself stands in the courtyard, behind the parish house, and is reached through a corridor from the square. Inside, the carved and gilded iconostasis, the pulpit, the bishop's throne and the choir galleries are the work of the sculptor János Kupcsay, director of the sculpture school in Brașov, while the icons of the iconostasis were painted by Hans Bulhardi in 1898. The interior paintings are by Anastase Demian, from 1937, and were restored in 1965–1966, in 1985 and in 2005. ### Good to know The church is an active parish, not a museum: during services, visit quietly. ## Don't miss - The Neo-Byzantine façade of exposed red and yellow brick, with an octagonal tower, on Piața Sfatului. - János Kupcsay's carved and gilded iconostasis. - Anastase Demian's interior paintings from 1937. - The corridor leading from the square into the church courtyard. ## Good to know before you go ### Getting there **By car:** Brașov is ~185 km from Bucharest on the DN1 (~3 hours) and ~140 km from Sibiu on the DN1 (~2.5 hours). Piața Sfatului is pedestrianised: leave the car in a car park nearby. **On foot:** the church is right on Piața Sfatului. From Brașov railway station it is ~3.7 km (~50 minutes on foot, ~6 minutes by car to the centre). ### Where to park Piața Sfatului is pedestrianised and parking in the historic centre is paid; the easiest option is to leave the car in a public car park nearby and walk. ### Rules Modest dress, as in any Orthodox church: shoulders and knees covered. During services, do not walk around the church. ## Details - **Construction period:** 1895–1899 - **Dedication:** Dormition of the Mother of God - **Denomination:** Orthodox - **Architectural style:** Neo-Byzantine - **Historical period:** 19th century ## Frequently asked questions about Dormition of the Mother of God Church in Cetate **How long does a visit to Dormition of the Mother of God Church in Cetate take?** A visit to Dormition of the Mother of God Church in Cetate takes about 20 min (church and entrance corridor). **Where can I park at Dormition of the Mother of God Church in Cetate?** There is paid parking at Dormition of the Mother of God Church in Cetate (paid car parks in the centre). More under “Where to park”. **How do I get to Dormition of the Mother of God Church in Cetate?** Dormition of the Mother of God Church in Cetate is located at Piața Sfatului 3, Brașov, Brașov County. More under “Getting there”. **When is the best time to visit Dormition of the Mother of God Church in Cetate?** The best season for Dormition of the Mother of God Church in Cetate: All year round (all year; feast day on 15 August). ## Nearby attractions - [Council Square (Piața Sfatului)](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/council-square) — Monuments and historic sites · Brașov, BV · Free · 1 – 1½ hours · Top 100 · 0 km The main square of old Brașov, lined with merchants' houses and dominated by the Council House, the old town hall with its watchtower, now the County History Museum, with Tâmpa as a backdrop. - [Casa Mureșenilor Museum](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/casa-muresenilor-museum) — Museums and memorial houses · Brașov, BV · 8 lei · 45 min · 0 km A house-museum on Piața Sfatului dedicated to the Mureșianu family, who ran "Gazeta Transilvaniei": an archive of over 25,000 documents, furniture, paintings and evidence on the history of the anthem "Deșteaptă-te, române!". - [Graft Bastion](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/graft-bastion) — Fortresses and fortifications · Brașov, BV · 15 min · 0 km A rectangular bastion built in 1515–1521 by the saddlers' guild as a bridge over the Graft canal, on the north-west side of Brașov's walled town. The interior is closed, but the path runs beneath its arch. - [White Tower](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/white-tower) — Fortresses and fortifications · Brașov, BV · Free · 45 min · 0 km A 15th-century horseshoe-shaped defence tower perched on a rock above the Graft, with one of the best views over Brașov's old town. - [The Black Church](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/the-black-church) — Churches · Brașov, BV · 30 lei · 45 min · Top 20 · 0 km Romania's largest Gothic church, built by the Saxons of Brașov between 1383 and 1477; inside are the 1839 Buchholz organ and a rare collection of Anatolian carpets. - [Black Tower](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/black-tower) — Fortresses and fortifications · Brașov, BV · 30 min · 0 km A square 15th-century watchtower perched on a rock outside Brașov's western walls, with a glass pyramid roof and a platform looking out over the old town and the Black Church. ## Featured in the guides - [Things to do in Brașov: what to see in 1–2 days, in the city and nearby](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/guides/things-to-do-in-brasov) — Council Square, the Black Church (30 lei), Tâmpa by cable car (45 lei), Șchei and Catherine's Gate, the zoo; Strada Sforii is closed. Winter and day trips. --- Full page: https://peplaiuri.ro/en/dormition-of-the-mother-of-god-church-in-cetate Other languages: Română: https://peplaiuri.ro/biserica-adormirea-maicii-domnului-cetate-brasov.md · Deutsch: https://peplaiuri.ro/de/kirche-mariae-entschlafung-in-cetate.md · Italiano: https://peplaiuri.ro/it/chiesa-della-dormizione-della-madre-di-dio-di-cetate.md · Français: https://peplaiuri.ro/fr/eglise-de-la-dormition-de-la-mere-de-dieu-de-cetate.md · Español: https://peplaiuri.ro/es/iglesia-de-la-dormicion-de-la-madre-de-dios-de-cetate.md · Magyar: https://peplaiuri.ro/hu/az-istenszulo-elszenderulese-templom.md Last updated: 7 November 2026 Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania