Coltea Church

Coltea Church was founded between years 1701-1702 by Cantacuzino. Coltea Church presents numerous decorative elements related to the Brancovenesc style. The Fresco inside of the church was made by painter Tattarescu.

After the great earthquake of 1838, the church was repaired in 1841 by architect Faiser and contractor Conrad Schwink.The painted panels alternate with various motifs, decorations or marbling.

On the west wall of the narthex, the votive picture shows the Cantacuzino and his wife Maria. In 1895, repairs were made, supervised by the architect G. Mandrea (when it was discovered in the exterior plaster, a paint in fresco, red with black, which covered the church, attributed to Parvu Mutu).

After the bombing in 1944, Coltea Church was consolidated in 1949. Since 1996, the church is again in process of consolidation and restoration, works continuing with difficulty because of lack of funds.

In terms of architecture, Coltea Church presents a three-lobed plan with bell in the narthex, with a porch supported on pillars and over a meter thick walls. The church is built in authentic Brancovenesc style, which combines Byzantine style with Romanian architecture and art, being influenced by late Italian renaissance.

In the register of imperial icons there are large icons and older than those in the upper registers. On the left side there is an icon of the Virgin Mary with Child, with silver plated handmade clothing, having at the bottom the Healing Spring. The icon was given by Prince Nicolae Mavrogheni in 1786.

Another icon of great value is the Three Holy Hierarchs. There is also the icon of the Holy doctors without silver, Cozma and Damian, attributed to Parvu Mutu. Another valuable icon painted and overlaid in silver is the icon of Pious Parascheva, painted in the eighteenth century by the Russian school.