The Cathedral of Curtea de Argeș (early 16th century) is a

Romanian Orthodox The Romanian Orthodox Church (ROC; ro, Biserica Ortodoxă Română, ), or Patriarchate of Romania, is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church in full communion with other Eastern Orthodox Christian churches, and one of the nine patriarchates ...

cathedral in

Curtea de Argeș Curtea de Argeș () is a municipality in Romania on the left bank of the river Argeș, where it flows through a valley of the Southern Carpathians (the Făgăraș Mountains), on the railway from Pitești to the Turnu Roșu Pass. It is part ...

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

. It is located on the grounds of the Curtea de Argeș Monastery, and is dedicated to

Dormition of the Mother of God The Dormition of the Mother of God is a Great Feast of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches (except the East Syriac churches). It celebrates the "falling asleep" (death) of Mary the ''Theotokos'' ("Mother of ...

. The building is the seat of the

Archdiocese of Argeș and Muscel The Archdiocese of Argeș and Muscel ( ro, Arhiepiscopia Argeșului și Muscelului) is a diocese of the Romanian Orthodox Church. Its see is the Dormition of the Theotokos Cathedral in Curtea de Argeș and its ecclesiastical territory covers Arge� ...

. The cathedral is faced with pale grey limestone, which was easily chiselled then hardened on exposure. The interior is of brick, plastered and decorated with

fresco Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plast ...

es. Nearby on the grounds stands the large

Neo-Romanian style Romanian Revival architecture ( Romanian National Style, Neo-Romanian, or Neo- Brâncovenesc; ro, stilul național român, arhitectura neoromânească, neobrâncovenească) is an architectural style that has appeared in late 19th century in Roman ...

Royal Palace built in late 19th century.

Architecture

The building resembles a very large and elaborate

mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be cons ...

, and was built in the

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

architectural style, with

arabesque The arabesque is a form of artistic decoration consisting of "surface decorations based on rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling and interlacing foliage, tendrils" or plain lines, often combined with other elements. Another definition is "Foli ...

s. The cathedral sits upon a raised platform, above the surrounding grade, and encircled by a stone

balustrade A baluster is an upright support, often a vertical moulded shaft, square, or lathe-turned form found in stairways, parapets, and other architectural features. In furniture construction it is known as a spindle. Common materials used in its c ...

. In shape the structure is oblong, with a many-sided annex at the back. A

dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...

rises in the center, fronted by two smaller twisting and leaning

cupola In architecture, a cupola () is a relatively small, most often dome-like, tall structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome. The word derives, via Italian, f ...

s, while a secondary dome, broader and loftier than the central one, springs from the annex. Each summit is crowned by an inverted pear-shaped stone, bearing a triple cross, emblematic of the Trinity. The windows are mere slits; those of the tambours (the cylinders on which the cupolas rest) are curved and slant at an angle of 70 degrees, as though the tambours were leaning to one side. Between the

pediment Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds. A pedim ...

and the

cornice In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian ''cornice'' meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, around the top edge of a ...

a thick corded moulding is carried round the main building. Above this comes a row of circular shields, adorned with intricate arabesques, while bands and wreaths of lilies are everywhere sculptured on the windows, balconies, tambours and cornices, adding lightness to the fabric. Facing the main entrance is a small open shrine, consisting of a cornice and dome upheld by four pillars.

Inscriptions

The archives of the cathedral were plundered by

Hungarians Hungarians, also known as Magyars ( ; hu, magyarok ), are a nation and ethnic group native to Hungary () and historical Hungarian lands who share a common culture, history, ancestry, and language. The Hungarian language belongs to the ...

and

Turks Turk or Turks may refer to: Communities and ethnic groups * Turkic peoples, a collection of ethnic groups who speak Turkic languages * Turkish people, or the Turks, a Turkic ethnic group and nation * Turkish citizen, a citizen of the Republic ...

, but several inscriptions, Greek, Slav, and Roman, are left. One tablet records that the founders were Prince Neagoe Basarab (1512–1521) and his wife

Milica Despina of Wallachia Milica Despina ( sr-cyrl, Милица Деспина; ro, Milița Despina; – 30 January 1554) was the Princess consort of Wallachia by marriage to Neagoe Basarab (). She was regent of Wallachia from 1521 to 1522, on the behalf of her son Te ...

; another that Prince, Radu de la Afumati completed the work in 1526; a third describes the repairs executed in 1681 by Prince Șerban Cantacuzino; a fourth, the restoration, in 1804, by Joseph, the first bishop. Between 1875 and 1885 the cathedral was reconstructed, and in 1886 it was reconsecrated.

Legends

Legends of Curtea de Argeș have inspired many Romanian poets, among them the celebrated

Vasile Alecsandri Vasile Alecsandri (; 21 July 182122 August 1890) was a Romanian patriot, poet, dramatist, politician and diplomat. He was one of the key figures during the 1848 revolutions in Moldavia and Wallachia. He fought for the unification of the Romani ...

. One traditional legend describes how Neagoe Basarab, while a hostage in

Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...

, designed a splendid

mosque A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...

for the

sultan Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it c ...

, returning to build the cathedral out of the surplus materials. ;Manole legend A legend tells of

Radu Negru Radu may refer to: People * Radu (given name), Romanian masculine given name * Radu (surname), Romanian surname * Rulers of Wallachia, see * Prince Radu of Romania (born 1960), disputed pretender to the former Romanian throne Other uses * Radu ( ...

employing a Meşterul Manole or Manoli as architect. With Manole being unable to finish the walls, the prince threatened him and his assistants with death. At last Manole suggested that they should follow the ancient custom of placing a living woman into the foundations; and that she who first appeared on the following morning should be the victim. The other masons warned their families, and Manole was forced to sacrifice his own wife. Thus the cathedral was built. When Manole and his masons told the prince that they could always build an even greater building, Radu Negru had them stranded on the roof so that they could not build something to match it. They fashioned wooden wings and tried to fly off the roof, but, one by one, they all fell to the ground. A spring of clear water, named after Manole, is said to mark the spot where he fell. This motif is widespread in South-East Europe, most notably also in

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...

, like the blinding of the Masons of

Saint Basil's Cathedral The Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed ( rus, Собо́р Васи́лия Блаже́нного, Sobór Vasíliya Blazhénnogo), commonly known as Saint Basil's Cathedral, is an Orthodox church in Red Square of Moscow, and is one of the most p ...

Ivan the Terrible Ivan IV Vasilyevich (russian: Ива́н Васи́льевич; 25 August 1530 – ), commonly known in English as Ivan the Terrible, was the grand prince of Moscow from 1533 to 1547 and the first Tsar of all Russia from 1547 to 1584. Iva ...

Burials

* Neagoe Basarab V, Reigning Prince of Wallachia * Despina Princess Consort of Wallachia *Petru, Prince of Wallachia *Ion, Prince of Wallachia *Anghelina, Princess of Wallachia *Stana, Princess of Wallachia and Princess Consort of Moldavia, wife of Stephen IV of Moldavia * Radu V, Reigning Prince of Wallachia *Ruxandra, Princess of Moldavia and Princess Consort of Wallachia, wife of Radu V of Wallachia * Carol I, King of Romania * Elisabeth, Queen of Romania * Maria, Princess of Romania * Ferdinand I, King of Romania * Marie, Queen of Romania * Carol II, King of Romania * Michael I, King of Romania * Anne, Queen of Romania * Helen, Queen Mother of Romania * Mircea, Prince of Romania On 16 December 2017, King Michael I was buried here with a full

state funeral A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honour people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of ...

, his remains joining those of his wife Queen Anne, who had died in 2016. Those attending the funeral included

Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf (Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus; born 30 April 1946) is King of Sweden. He ascended the throne on the death of his grandfather, Gustaf VI Adolf, on 15 September 1973. He is the youngest child and only son of Prince Gustaf Adolf, D ...

and Queen Silvia,

Juan Carlos I of Spain Juan Carlos I (;, * ca, Joan Carles I, * gl, Xoán Carlos I, Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias, born 5 January 1938) is a member of the Spanish royal family who reigned as King of Spain from 22 Novem ...

and

Queen Sofia Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mo ...

Charles, Prince of Wales Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to a ...

Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg Henri (french: Henri Albert Gabriel Félix Marie Guillaume, ; born 16 April 1955) is the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. He has reigned since 7 October 2000. Henri, the eldest son of Grand Duke Jean and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium, is a ...

, and Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz of Belgium. The remains of Queen Mother Helen, the mother of King Michael, were returned to Romania from the

Bois-de-Vaux Cemetery The Bois-de-Vaux Cemetery ( French ''Cimetière du Bois-de-Vaux'') is the principal burial ground of Lausanne in Switzerland. Laid out by the architect Alphonse Laverrière between 1922 and 1951, the cemetery lies to the south of the town and ...

in Switzerland on 18 October 2019. They were interred in the cathedral on 19 October.

Gallery

File:Catedrala Curtea de Arges.jpg, 1880 photo

References

External links

Monastery website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Curtea de Arges Cathedral

Cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominations ...

Romanian Orthodox cathedrals in Romania Romanian Orthodox monasteries of Wallachia Historic monuments in Argeș County 16th-century Eastern Orthodox church buildings Byzantine sacred architecture Burial sites of the House of Wied-Neuwied Burial sites of the House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen