Bucharest National Cathedral, visitor info Catedrala Nationala - Bucuresti

The National Cathedral (Cathedral Church of Redemption) in Bucharest is the largest Orthodox place or worship in the world.   Established on Dealul Arsenalului (the Arsenal Hill) - the highest point in Romania's capital city - the Cathedral was completed in 2025, after 15 years of construction. Its location and size makes it visible from all approaches to the city. Interior decoration works, using glass tesserae, semi-precious gemstone, marble, gold foil and stained glass, are still in progress. Completion of adornments is scheduled for the end of 2026.
Around 5,000 worshipers standing (3,400 seating) and a church choir of 1,000 can be accommodated in the cathedral.  Besides ample worship space, the Cathedral is home to the Museum of Christianity in Romania, two large function rooms and a bookshop.  A 15-acre area, next to the Cathedral, will be turned into a park, thus increasing the amount of green space in Bucharest.
Construction of the cathedral has so far cost a reported 270 million Euros, the vast majority drawn from public funds. Some works are yet to be completed and unofficial estimates indicate a total cost of over 500 million Euros until completion.

The history of the church began in 1882 when King Carol I submitted a bill, to the Parliament, proposing the construction of a national cathedral in Bucharest - Romania's capital city. The king and the members of Romania's Parliament imagined more than a place of worship: a symbol of religious freedom and spiritual continuity for the Romanian people. The law passed on May 20, 1882 but beginning of construction of the cathedral was postponed, again and again; reasons included: lack of sufficient funding, the inter-war economic crisis, World War II and, the instauration of the Communist regime in Romania. The Communist authorities - known for their appetite for major infrastructure undertakings - considered that the cathedral was not a priority.
In 2005, a 28-acre hilltop parcel of was selected as the (new) site for Bucharest National Cathedral. Construction began in 2010 and were completed in October 2025, a record considering the size and complexity of the project.

Bucharest National Cathedral Exterior

Seen from above, the National Cathedral has the outline of a chalice – the holy vessel used in Holy Communion. This shape conveys the idea that the entire cathedral is a vessel of faith, where people gather to receive God's blessing.
The 417 ft. high  x  414 ft. long  x  224 ft. wide structure reaches toward the sky by eight gilded domes.   Each dome has a spiritual significance:
The crown of the largest and tallest tower - the Pantocrator - represents Jesus Christ.
Four smaller towers, symbolizing the four Evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John flank the Pantocrator.
To the west, a 200 ft. tall tower represents the Mother of God. It houses the cathedral's six bells that weigh a total of 72,760 lbs (33 tons). The main bell alone weighs 55,155 lbs. (25 tons); it is one of the world’s largest free-swinging church bells and can be heard from 12.5 miles distance.   Two smaller towers, adjacent to the bell tower, represent Andrew and Philip, the Holy Apostles who began the Christianisation of the Romanian people.
The church's facade is decorated with relief sculptures depicting Byzantine and Romanian motifs, such as acanthus leaves, ropes, and crosses. The doors and windows are framed by ornate arches and columns.
A 24 ft. high / 15,500 lbs. cross tops the 426 ft. high main tower.
Cathedral's eight domes and the roof are covered with 215,300 sq. ft. of sheet metal, made from a special copper alloy. Known as Tecu-Gold, it is considered one of the most durable roofing systems in the world.
An open-air observation deck wraps around the main tower. It is located 300 ft. above the ground floor and offers 360-degree views of Bucharest.

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Bucharest National Cathedral Interior

Access to the cathedral is through 28 bronze doors, featuring images of 56 saints. Each door weights 1,765 lbs. (800 kilograms) and is operated by a computerized system. 392 windows allow natural light into the cathedral. The windows of the western façade of the cathedral are 36 ft. high.

The interior of the Cathedral is lit by huge chandeliers. The main chandelier, located in the Pantocrator dome, has a diameter of 23 ft. while those in the apses (altar) are 20 ft. in diameter. Made of solid brass and decorated with angels, each carrying three lamp, the chandeliers are also meant to convey a symbolic message: the Church is illuminated by the grace of the Holy Trinity.

The base and upper part of the columns, in the cathedral, are adorned with acanthus leaves - a symbol of eternal life, a fundamental element in the representation of rebirth and Resurrection.

Another spectacular element of the cathedral is the 50 ft. high   x   18 ft. wide stained glass, above the main entrance. It illustrates the Ascension of the Lord and was completed, by Romanian artists, in a record time of three months.
Several viewpoints, located 185 ft. above the main floor, permit observation of the worship space/nave.
The nave is the largest of any Orthodox church in the world: 80 ft. wide and 145 ft. high.

In front of the cathedral lies an 125,000 sq. ft. esplanade that can accommodate 23,200 people, for outdoor liturgical events.   Beneath the esplanade lies generous underground space, larger than the building's footprint. Known symbolically as the "City Cave of Saint Andrew the Apostle" the 'cave' has a volume of 3.1 million cubic feet and can accommodate up to 6,900 worshipers.
The basement of the National Cathedral complex is also home to a 'second church' - a large, 36 ft. high, chapel.

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Bucharest National Cathedral Mosaics

Spectacular mosaics, inspired from both Byzantine and Romanian medieval art adorn 269,100 sq. ft. of cathedral's interior space. Between 2019 and 2025, 200 artisans used 350 million of pieces of Murano glass and semi-precious stones, in over 2,500 shades, to create one of the world's largest sacred art composition.
The mosaics of the National Cathedral depict scenes from the Old and New Testaments, events from the life of the Savior, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Apostle Andrew - the Protector of Romania, icons of the holy angels, prophets and righteous of the Old Testament, apostles, hierarchs, martyrs and confessors from all eras of the history of the Church.

The world's largest iconostasis (78 ft. wide  x   56 ft. high) separates the nave from the altar. 8,612 sq. ft. of colorful mosaics depict 45 Byzantine icons.

The crown of the main dome features a monumental representation of Christ: the Pantocrator (the Almighty), 350 ft. above the floor. It symbolizes divine protection and blessing for all who enter the cathedral. Its size is impressive: 1,615 sq. ft. / 40 ft. diameter. It was made of gold leaf (in Byzantine art, the gold symbolises the divine) and 5,300 lbs. (2.4 tons) of colored glass pebbles. The face of Christ has a diametre of 15 ft.

Another spectacular icon can be found in the apse of the altar: the 55 ft. high representation of the Virgin Mary Platytera. It is one of the largest largest mosaic icon of the Virgin Mary in the Orthodox world.

Sweet Snack
Half-mile southeast of the National Cathedral and JW Marriott hotel,
Cofetaria Zora (cake shop) offers tasty cakes, pastry, pies and cookies.
A great place for a coffee and a snack after your visit Bucharest largest buildings.
Address: Strada Uranus 100

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Romania National Cathedral fast facts

Romania's National Cathedral is a spectacular religious building, adorned with beautiful works of art and filled with light. Here are some facts and figures concerning one of the largest structures in Romania's capital city:

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Height	394 ft.
Length	414 ft.
Width	265 ft.
# of windows	392
# of doors	28 double doors
# of elevators	8
Built area	600,135 sq. ft. (14 acres)
Building volume	16,910,675 cubic ft.
Net floor area	397,200 sq. ft. (9.2 acres)
Liturgical space area	98,000 sq. ft. (2.3 acres)
Liturgical space capacity	5,000 people standing/ 3,400 seating
Front esplanade area	124,862sq. ft. (2.9 acres)
Front esplanade capacity	23,000 people
St. Andrew's cave volume	3,090,210 cubic ft.
St. Andrew's cave capacity	6,900 people

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Visit Bucharest National Cathedral

Local Name	Address	Hours
Catedrala Nationala	Calea 13 Septembrie 4 - 60 Telephone: (+4) 021 406.82.79	through November 5, 2025:   non-stop November 6 -- 14, 2025:   11 a.m. -- 7 p.m. November 15 -- December 23, 2025:   closed to visitors December 24, 2025 -- January 8, 2026:   9 a.m. -- 5 p.m.

How to reach the National Cathedral, using public transport:

Start point	Transportation option to National Cathedral
Bucharest Old Town	walk 0.6 miles to trolleybus 63 stop trolleybus 63 (from Pod Izvor to Uranus) - walk 0.2 miles or bus 385 (from Piata Natiunile Unite to Piața Arsenalului)
National Art Museum	bus 205 (from Piata Revolutiei to Palatul Parlamentului) then walk 0.8 miles to the National Cathedral or walk to Pod Izvor trolleybus stop and take trolleybus 63 to Uranus stop - walk 0.2 miles
Parliament Palace	walk 0.8 miles to the National Cathedral or bus 385 (from Palatul Parlamentului to Piața Arsenalului) - walk 0.25 miles
Piata Unirii	bus 385 (from Piata Revolutiei to Piața Arsenalului) - walk 0.25 miles
Piata Victoriei	bus 205 (from Piata Victoriei to Palatul Parlamentului) trolleybus 63 (from Palatul Parlamentului to Uranus) - walk 0.2 miles
Piata Universitatii	bus 122 (from Piata 21 Decembrie 1989 to Soseaua Panduri) - walk 0.6 miles
Village Museum	bus 205 (from Muzeul Satului to Palatul Parlamentului) trolleybus 63 (from Palatul Parlamentului to Uranus) - walk 0.2 miles
...	Bucharest public transport info