Stavropoleos Monastery
History
The Stavropoleos Monastery, also known as Stavropoleos Church during the last century when the monastery was dissolved, is an Eastern Orthodox monastery for nuns in central Bucharest, Romania. Its church is built in Brâncovenesc style. The patrons of the church (the saints to whom the church is dedicated) are St. Archangels Michael and Gabriel. The name Stavropoleos is a Romanian rendition of a Greek word, Stauropolis, meaning "The city of the Cross". One of the monastery's constant interests is Byzantine music, expressed through its choir and the largest collection of Byzantine music books in Romania.
The monastery was founded in 1724 by Archimandrite Ioanichie Stratonikeas. During the 18th century, the monastery housed a printing press and a school of calligraphy where many Romanian chroniclers learned their trade. The library contained more than 8,000 books, including valuable copies of the Bible, service books, and works of the church fathers. The monastery was also known for its collection of Byzantine music manuscripts.
Architecture
The church, built in the Brâncovenesc style, is a combination of Byzantine, Ottoman, and Renaissance architectural elements, and is decorated with stone carvings, an art form that reached its peak in Wallachia during the reign of Constantin Brâncoveanu. The church's main portal features a tympanum with the representation of "Dormition of the Mother of God". The church's interior frescoes were painted by Gheorghe Tattarescu in 1854–1855.
The church has a triconch plan (a square room with four pillars supporting the dome), with apses at the east end. The nave is covered by a dome with a lantern. The pronaos is separated from the nave by a wall with three openings. The narthex, located at the west end, is a later addition. The nave and the pronaos are decorated with Neo-Byzantine paintings, created by Nicolae Vermont and Costin Petrescu.
Monastic Life
The monastic life in Stavropoleos Monastery is organized around the liturgical program and the daily work. The nuns learn Byzantine music and the art of miniature painting, sew church vestments, and maintain the monastery's library and museum. The monastery's library contains a large number of old books, some of which are rare or unique. The library's collection includes books of Orthodox theology, Byzantine music books, and books of Byzantine studies and Romanian history.
Museum
The Stavropoleos Monastery also houses a museum, which contains a collection of objects of art from the Brâncovenesc period, including icons and pieces of embroidery. The museum also houses a collection of stone crosses from the 18th and 19th centuries.
See Also
- Brâncovenesc style - Byzantine music - Eastern Orthodox Church