- Tourist Information
- Map
- What is the history of Mihai Vodă Monastery?
- What architectural style has the monastery?
- What role did the monastery play in the history of Bucharest and Romania?
- What important relics can be found inside the monastery?
- How can I get to Mihai Vodă Monastery?
- What other tourist attractions are near the monastery?
Tourist Information
| Type | Monastery, Religious Site |
| Year | 1591 |
| Founder | Mihai Viteazul |
| Location | Sapienței Street, no. 4, Bucharest, Romania, Europe |
Map
What is the history of Mihai Vodă Monastery?
Mihai Vodă monastery was built in 1591 by voivode Mihai Viteazul. Initially, the monastery served as both a royal residence and an Orthodox monastery.
During the communist regime, the monastery was almost demolished, but the church was saved by moving it to another location in 1985. The moving of the Mihai Vodă Monastery church from the hill on which it had been founded by Mihai the Brave to a new location (the rest of the buildings, including those that housed the State Archives, was demolished to build the People’s House) was a spectacular operation at the time. The operation itself consisted of translating the church down the slope, over a distance of 289 m horizontally and 6.2 m vertically, from the Mihai Vodă Hill to the place where it is currently located, Strada Sapienței no. 4, near the bank of Dâmbovița. This technical achievement was considered at the time a special performance, the main merits going to the project manager, engineer Eugeniu Iordănescu.
The monastery is open to visitors and pilgrims. It has been restored and maintained following the move from the communist period.
The church, inner courtyard, and other annexed structures can be visited.
Daily religious services and special services are organized on the occasion of important religious holidays.
What architectural style has the monastery?
The monastery is a typical example of Brâncovenesc art, which combines elements of the Italian Renaissance with local traditions.
Distinctive elements include the portico with carved arches, columns, and carved stone decorations.
What role did the monastery play in the history of Bucharest and Romania?
The monastery was an important religious and cultural center in Bucharest. It also housed royal residences, a military hospital, a medical school, and State Archives.
It symbolized national identity and cultural resistance during foreign occupation and oppression.
In 1825, the buildings of the monastery complex were repaired to serve the first earthly lord, Grigore IV Ghica, as a royal residence, between 1822 and 1828.
What important relics can be found inside the monastery?
In the monastery church, there are valuable icons and old frescoes. An object of great importance is the icon of the miracle-working Mother of God.
Other artifacts include ancient manuscripts and cult objects.
On the Mihai Vodă Hill, the place where the monastery originally was, the ruins of a Dacian settlement were found, following some archaeological research.
In the courtyard of the Monastery is the tomb of Ioan, the son of Grigore Ghica Voievod, who died in 1664.
How can I get to Mihai Vodă Monastery?
The monastery is located in the center of Bucharest.
It can be accessed by public transport such as buses or the metro (Izvor station being the closest).
What other tourist attractions are near the monastery?
Nearby is the Palace of the Parliament, one of the largest administrative buildings in the world.
Other attractions include Izvor Park, the Patriarchal Cathedral, and the National History Museum of Romania. There are also restaurants and cafes in the area where tourists can relax.
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