Stavropoleos Monastery in Bucharest, Romania

• 

Walking in the old town of Bucharest, amongst the streets where nightlife happens, where people go to eat, drink, chat, to laugh and to dance, you’ll find the unexpected. The Stavropoleos Monastery is home to a group of nuns who run it in the middle of the city. The name comes from the greek stavropolis, meaning the city of the cross.

It was built in 1724 by a Greek monk in Brâncovenesc style (romanian renaissance). You’ll find this architectural style in many churches – it was developed in the region of Wallachia, and it’s a mix between the Byzantine, Ottoman, late Renaissance and Baroque architecture – you’ll observe elements of all of these styles.

It’s indeed a lovely place to visit. The tiny church is open to the public, so you can admire its beautiful and intricate interior decorations. But what I wasn’t expecting was to visit it in the middle of their own celebration of the day of the death or All Saints Day. It was the 2nd of November, and people were gathering in its yard and offering food and drinks to the passersby.

• 

• 

• 

It was an incredible experience. Everyone was so nice and welcoming, offering me food and insisting on giving me more. I was so glad – I went to the right place at the right time. I was given toast with veggies and some kind of hummus. Also, a different kind of porridge which I could not identify what exactly was, but it tasted so nice.

• 

• 

• 

Love

Nic

More about my trip to Romania:

• Bran Castle in Halloween
• The town of Brașov
• One morning in Sinaia
• Bucharest, the Little Paris