Eastern and Central Europe (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

574

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp596–7 and pp598–9

SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE

National History

Museum 2

Muzeul Naţional de Istorie

Calea Victoriei 12. Map E4. Tel
(021) 315 8207. @ 336, 601. #
Apr–Oct: 10am–6pm Wed–Sun; Nov–
Mar: 9am–5pm Wed–Sun. & =

Housed in a late 19th-century
Neo-Classical building that
ser ved as the headquarters of
the Romanian Postal Service
until 1970, the eclectic National
History Museum offers a great
introduction to Romania’s past.
The museum’s well-presented
exhi bitions are spread over
60 rooms. The central hall
holds an enor mous replica of
the original Trajan’s Column
in Italy. A base ment vault
houses Romania’s National
Treasury, with jewel lery and
gold dating from the 14th
century BC. The high lights of
this collection are the beau-
tiful gold earrings from the
Hellenistic period (3rd–4th
century BC) and the legend ary
Piretrosa Treasure, also known
as The Hen and her Golden
Brood, which was dis covered
by peasants in the Buzău
region in 1837. The treasure
is thought to have belonged
to the Goths. Its 12 surviving
pieces include brooches inlaid
with semi-precious stones, a
sacrificial dish engraved with
images of gods, a 12-sided
ceremonial goblet and several
intricate necklaces.

Stavropoleos

Church 4

Biserica Stavropoleos

Str Stavropoleos 4. Map E4. Tel

(021) 313 4747. @ 336, 601.

# 7:30am–7pm daily. http://www.

stavropoleos.ro

Built in 1724 for the first

Phanariot ruler, Nicolae

Mavrocordat, this church has

remained intact ever since,

despite renovation work

carried out in the 20th cen-

tury. Four columns support

the brilliant Byzantine-style

arched porch and a series

of framed icons adorn the

church’s façade. The interior,

domi nated by an 18th-century

gilt iconos tasis, features

detailed biblical scenes from

floor to ceiling. Next door is

a small monastery complex,

which was added to the

church in the early 20th

century and accom modates

an active community of nuns

today. The nuns main tain

a valuable library of

Byzantine manuscripts and

a museum collec tion of

icons and frescoes. Some

of these priceless frescoes

were rescued from the

numerous churches that

were torn down by

Communist leader Nicolae

Ceauşescu to make way

for his grandiose scheme

for the rebuild ing of

Bucharest’s centre.

Ornamental brickwork on the

16th-century Old Court Church

Old Court

Church 3

Biserica Curtea Veche

Str Franceza 25–31. Map E4.

@ 116. # 8am–8pm daily.

The lovely Old Court Church,

with its striped brick tower

and ornamental niches, is

one of Bucharest’s oldest

churches. Founded in the

16th century, it has under-

gone several reno vations

following fires and earth-

quakes, but has retained its

original design. It was here

that the Wallachian princes

were crowned between the

16th and the 19th centuries.

The interior is black ened

from years of candle smoke,

however parts of the superb

murals and frescoes are

still visible.

Byzantine motifs and intricate iconography in Stavropoleos Church