St. Nicholas Princely Church

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## St. Nicholas Princely Church – The Oldest Place of Worship in Iași Located on Anastasie Panu Street, in the immediate vicinity of the former princely court, St. Nicholas Princely Church is one of the oldest and most significant religious monuments of Moldavia. Founded between 1491 and 1492 by Stephen the Great, the church was initially known as *St. Nicholas near the Court*, situated outside the princely enclosure but closely connected to it. Over the centuries, the church served as a voivodal necropolis and, until 1695, functioned as the Metropolitan Cathedral of Moldavia. ## Architecture and Successive Restorations Although the initial construction belonged to the Moldavian style specific to Stephen the Great’s era, the church underwent numerous transformations. During the second reign of Alexandru Lăpușneanu (mid-16th century), a narthex for the burial of voivodes, a bell tower, and a spire were added. The 17th century brought further interventions: Prince Antonie Ruset initiated the repainting of the church in 1677, a work completed in 1680 by Gheorghe Duca, who also restored the two side altars. Between 1884 and 1904, the French architect André Lecomte du Nouÿ coordinated an extensive reconstruction, giving the church its current appearance. The exterior harmoniously combines stone, exposed brick, and terracotta, arranged in polychrome glazed discs, characteristic of medieval Moldavian architecture. In the upper register, the friezes house 282 frescoed faces, a testament to the religious art of the era. ## A Symbol of Liturgical Diversity St. Nicholas Princely Church holds a unique particularity in Moldavia: here, the Divine Liturgy is celebrated simultaneously in three languages – Ancient Greek, Church Slavonic, and Romanian. This practice reflects the cultural and religious diversity of medieval Iași, reinforcing the church’s role as a meeting point between different liturgical traditions. ## Short Visitor’s Guide Access is via Anastasie Panu Street, No. 28, in the historic center of Iași. The visiting schedule is adapted to religious services, but the church can also be admired from the outside. The interior impresses with its restored frescoes and the atmosphere steeped in history, making it a place of pilgrimage for those interested in the cultural and religious heritage of Moldavia.