page_title: Dealul Mitropoliei
section_title: Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral
hierarchical_section_title: Dealul Mitropoliei / Sites / Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral
caption_attribution_description: Mitropolia (Biserica Patriarhiei), Dealul Mitropoliei, Bucharest Français&#160;: Église métropolitaine de Bucharest en Valachie
context_page_description: Dealul Mitropoliei, also called Dealul Patriarhiei, is a small hill in Bucharest, Romania and an important historic, cultural, architectural, religious and touristic point in the national capital. From a religious point of view, it is one of the centres of Romanian Orthodoxy: the headquarters of the Romanian Patriarchy and the residence of the Patriarch are both located here.
  A series of events in the history of Romania is closely linked to this place, for until 1997, the Chamber of Deputies of Romania as well as the Great National Assembly met in the Palace of the Chamber of Deputies in the Patriarchal complex. Also here, in the building where the Princely Divan met, Alexandru Ioan Cuza was elected prince of Moldavia and Wallachia.
context_section_description: The cathedral, dedicated to Saints Constantine and Helen, was built between 1654 and 1658 by Constantin Șerban and his wife Bălașa, and consecrated under Mihnea III in 1658. Soon afterwards, the church became Wallachia's metropolitan cathedral. In 1925 the Metropolitanate was elevated to the rank of Patriarchate.
  As is usual for churches of that time and place, the builder's name is unknown. The officials (dregători) were logofăt Radu Dudescu and Gheorghe Sufariu.
  Broadly speaking, the building is a copy of Curtea de Argeş Cathedral; the cupolas resemble those of Neagoe Basarab's church. The cathedral was restored several times (in 1792–99, 1834–39, 1850, 1886 and 1932–35), for which reason the present building is no longer in its original form, various finishing touches and adjustments having been made over time. Inside are the relics of Saint Dimitrie Basarabov (Dimitrie the New), preserved in a silver coffin, having been brought from Bulgaria on July 13, 1774.
  It will eventually be replaced as the Patriarchal seat by the People's Salvation Cathedral.
caption: The cathedral in 1837
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