St. Nicholas–Șelari Church

St. Nicholas–Șelari Church (Romanian: Biserica Sfântul Nicolae–Șelari) is a Romanian Orthodox church located at 16 Blănari Street in the Lipscani district of Bucharest, Romania. It is dedicated to Saint Nicholas. A first church, likely of wood, existed in the vicinity in the 17th or even the 16th century. It is attested in a 1664 document, and mentioned in records from subsequent decades. The church was rebuilt in masonry in 1699–1700; the main ktetor was Paharnic Șerban II Cantacuzino. Severely damaged during the 1802 earthquake, it was rebuilt in a different form over the following two years. In the mid-19th century, it was the church of the chandlers’, cotton-weavers’ and barbers’ guilds. After being badly damaged by the Great Fire of Bucharest, it was demolished in 1860. The rubble of the old church was reused, forming a wall up to four meters thick. Work on the new church proceeded slowly. In 1867, when Prince Carol visited, he was shown the difficult situation and promptly promised a donation from his personal funds. His grant of ten thousand gold coins made the prince a ktetor. The interior painting by Gheorghe Tattarescu dates to the same period. The general aspect of the church, with its Greek- and Gothic Revival touches, goes back to the 1866-1868 rebuilding. Repairs took place in 1903, 1921–1925, 1940, 1971 and, following the appearance of serious cracks due to the 1

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