Perhaps unexpectedly, a piece of ancient Greece resides here in Bucharest. We’re standing before the Biserica Ortodoxă Greacă. It is also known as the Greek Church. This Romanian Orthodox church stands on Pache Protopopescu Square. Intriguingly, it’s situated on the grounds of the Greek Embassy.
The Biserica Ortodoxă Greacă is dedicated to the Feast of the Annunciation. Its story is quite interesting. The church was erected on the site of a former Greek cemetery. This cemetery once stretched all the way to Foișorul de Foc.
In the 19th century, Bucharest’s Greek community lacked its own church. Instead, they attended services at other parishes. The Kalenderoglu Church was a popular choice. The idea of building a dedicated Greek church arose in 1874. However, disagreements and hurdles related to land, permits, and funding caused delays.
Finally, construction of the Biserica Ortodoxă Greacă began in 1899. The Harokopos brothers and other affluent Greeks financed it. The first Divine Liturgy took place on Greek National Day in 1901. This was exactly two years after the cornerstone was laid. Around the year 2000, the building and its interior paintings underwent restoration.
Notice the church’s dimensions. It measures 24 meters long and 13.5 meters wide. The exterior is reminiscent of an ancient Ionic temple. The Temple of Hephaestus served as its direct inspiration. It is a hexastyle pseudoperipteros built with stone and brick masonry.
Twelve imposing stairs lead up to the stylobate. Here, you’ll see six slender fluted columns. They form the west portico, positioned three meters from the entrance wall. The entrance portal boasts a wide stone frame. It includes a classical profile, three garlands, and a sawtooth cornice. The long sides each feature ten columns. Nine of these are embedded in the facades. Pediments and parapets top the main and rear facades. Each is adorned with a cross.
Inside the Biserica Ortodoxă Greacă, you’ll first find a vestibule. This leads into a nave divided by two rows of four Corinthian columns. These columns are not fluted. They are made of stucco marble. The vaulted ceiling is painted. Marble covers the floor. Light streams in through four windows on each side. These windows are stained with the Greek cross in blue and white.
The iconostasis is crafted from white marble. It is fairly short. This allows a view of the altar ceiling’s painting. Two small, partly fluted columns frame the central part. A pediment and a cross top these columns. Above the royal doors, a painting of the Last Supper is visible. Carved flowers and branches, along with niched icons, complete the iconostasis. Behind it stands a carved wooden baldachin. Lion’s heads adorn the carved wooden cathedra in the nave. The Byzantine revival interior painting is organized in panels. Christ Pantocrator is inscribed in a large ceiling medallion.
A high, artistically carved cast-iron fence surrounds the Biserica Ortodoxă Greacă. In 1999, a sculpture of Rigas Feraios was erected in front of the church. The church is officially listed as a historic monument by Romania’s Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs.
The Association of Friends of the Hellenic Church of Bucharest supports the church’s functions. They also work to preserve it. This group highlights the church’s harmonious blend of traditions. It combines an Ionian temple exterior with a Byzantine basilica interior. This unique blend makes the Biserica Ortodoxă Greacă a true gem. Its presence stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Greek culture here in Bucharest.