Bucur Church

First built perhaps as early as 1416, this could well be the site of the oldest church in Bucharest. Nobody is exactly sure how long there has been a church here, but we do know that it predates the Radu Voda monastery opposite, which was first constructed in 1506. Today, the Bucur Church is often ignored, hidden as it is on a hill above the street and hemmed in by two blocks. The current church was built around 1720 (thoroughly renovated in 1909-10) to serve as a chapel for the cemetery of the Radu Voda monastery. The church - and the hill on which it stands - were recently consolidated in order to prevent them falling further towards the Dambovita river, just a few metres to the rear. The church is named for Bucur the Shepherd, the legendary founder of Bucharest.