“What secrets do these walls hold?” I wonder, standing before the Biserica Adormirea Maicii Domnului, Sfântul Alexie, also known as Alexe Church. It is located on Calea Șerban Vodă. The church is dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God.
Reportedly, the Alexe Church was built around 1799. It stands on the site of a former wooden church. A list of names to be prayed for was once carved in stone in the altar. It mentioned the year 1809.
The church was re-founded in 1812 by Alexe Arnăutu and his wife Maria. After Arnăutu’s death in 1813, the church was dedicated to the Hilandar Monastery on Mount Athos. The interior painting is in Renaissance style. It was done by Gheorghe Ioanid.
The Alexe Church has undergone several renovations. These took place after the 1838 earthquake. Other renovations occurred in 1845 and 1897. Major repairs were undertaken in 1926. More minor interventions happened in 1948, 1953, and 1979. The church was mostly closed from 1988 to 1998. Demolition was even proposed. More repairs began in 2004.
The cross-shaped church measures 28 meters long and 6–12 meters wide. The altar apse is polygonal. The side apses are round on the exterior. The nave and narthex share the same tin roof. The entrance facade features a simple pediment.
The larger dome above the nave has windows on all eight sides. The octagonal bell tower sits above the narthex. Both are coated in tin and lack a base. The narthex ceiling is flat. The choir area is above.
The added portico is narrower than the narthex. It is only one story high. A large central arch with a metal door provides entry. Narrow windows rounded above flank the arch.
A string course adorns the portico. The whitewashed facades are plain otherwise. A painting of the patron feast sits in a rectangular frame on the pediment. The large lower windows feature stained glass with saints and Biblical scenes. The smaller upper windows light the choir.
The surrounding yard is large. Old poplars stand near the street. The Alexe Church is listed as a historic monument by Romania’s Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs. It stands as a testament to faith and resilience. Its story continues to unfold with each passing year.