The Pinacoteque of Căldărușani Monastery
The Pinacoteque of Căldărușani Monastery

Summary/Abstract: The Căldărușani Monastery, a fortress monastery and an important nucleus in the suite of defence systems set up by Wallachian rulers around Bucharest, was founded by Matei Basarab, and has since been called the "fortress". History notes that the Căldărușani Monastery has been used since 1690 as a prison for political adversaries. Metropolitan Ghenadie Petrescu, born in 1836 in Bucharest, became a monk in Căldărușani at the age of 18, and was elected Metropolitan-Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church of Hungaro-Wallachia on May 18th, 1893, following in the seat of Metropolitan Iosif Gheorghian (1829-1909), who had withdrawn because of disagreements with the Conservative government which came into power at the time. In turn, he was removed from the metropolitan seat, which determined a forced residence at the Căldărușani Monastery. There he arranged his dwelling, which in time became a true pinacoteque (Painting Gallery). In 2002, through the National Restoration Plan of the Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs, an important amount is allocated for both the design and the execution of the restoration of the pinacoteque, which was near collapse. The restoration works lasted from 2003 until August 30th, 2018, the moment of celebrating 100 years since the death of the Metropolitan; the institution of the Romanian Patriarchate desired the sanctification of the building, therefore hastening the completion of the execution works.

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