It is the town's best-known monument and the burial place of Romania's first kings, Carol I and Ferdinand, with Queens Elisabeth and Marie; King Michael I lies in the new cathedral.
About the place
Neagoe Basarab built the church between 1512 and 1517 and consecrated it on 15 August 1517. Its carved façades and twisted towers make it one of Romania's best-known old buildings, and legend says Master Manole walled his wife into the masonry so that the work would stop collapsing. The French architect André Lecomte du Noüy rebuilt it between 1875 and 1886, and since Carol I's burial in 1914 it has been a royal necropolis: Carol I, Elisabeth, Ferdinand and Marie lie here, alongside Neagoe Basarab and his family.
Since 8 December 2025 the church has been closed to the public for an EU-funded restoration of the roof, walls, paintings and bell tower, with reopening expected in May 2028; the façades are covered in scaffolding. The new Archiepiscopal and Royal Cathedral at the entrance to the precinct, whose altar was consecrated in 2018, is open: its necropolis holds King Michael I, Queen Anne, King Carol II and Queen Elena.
Good to know
- Until 2028 you cannot enter the old church; check with the Archdiocese before you go, on +40 348 401 956.
- The new cathedral with King Michael I's tomb is right at the entrance to the precinct and can be visited.
- Manole's Fountain is across the road, about 200 m away, and fits into the same walk.
Opening hours
Opening hours are not confirmed. Check the venue's website before you go.