Dealul Mitropoliei is one of the most important historical points in old Bucharest, which has withstood the passage of time.
In 1650 the hill was covered by vines owned by the country's voivodes. The monastery complex here was surrounded by walls, like a fortress.
The foundation stone of the current Church of the Patriarchate was laid by the Lord of the Romanian Country Constantin Serban Basarab, in 1654. It is at the end of the road, is positioned in the center of the ensemble, and all around, are the rest of the buildings of the old monastery: the old cells part of it (today some of the offices of the Patriarchate), the Patriarchal Palace, the Chapel, the Palace of the Chamber of Deputies and the Bell Tower.
Starting with 1698, the access to the monastery courtyard was made through the bell tower built by Constantin Brancoveanu. It seems that this was an integral part of the walls that surrounded the monastery complex, having the role of access gate. In this place, on June 8, 1862, Barbu Catargiu was assassinated.
During the interwar period, the mayor of the capital, Demetru Ion Dobrescu, ordered that the path leading up to the church at the top of the hill be paved with stones. The structure of the pavement was so strong that it has survived to this day, so that it remains the only street in Bucharest paved with interwar stones, which is why it is considered a historical monument.
Also in the time of Constantin Serban, the construction of the Chapel of the Patriarchal Palace began. The chapel was completed during the reign of Gheorghe Duca (1673-1678), and the final form, which we can see today, was made by the ruler Nicolae Mavrocordat in 1723.
The current Patriarchal Palace (former headquarters of the Chamber of Deputies) is the place where, on January 24, 1859, the Electoral Assembly of Wallachia, led by Metropolitan Nifon Rusaila, decided to unite Muntenia with Moldavia and elected Alexandru Ioan Cuza ruler of the Romanian Principalities.
The whole area is full of important historical significance for our country, and the streets and buildings here have a lot to show about what our historical journey has been over the centuries, from religious one to social and political. So, all you have to do is come with us to discover this special corner of Bucharest that will surely catch your attention.
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