Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
The Metropolitan Hill
The Metropolitan Hill in Bucharest is a landmark for the romanian orthodoxy and it hosts today the headquarters of the Romanian Patriarchy and the Patriarch's residence. The Romanian Orthodox Patriarchal Cathedral was build in 1656 by Constantin Serban Basarab and was painted and completed in 1658. All three buildings of the Romanian Patriarchy complex are decorated with mosaics realised by romanian artist Daniel Codrescu in collaboration with Mozaicon Art Studio, using glass tiles from Angelo Orsoni Mosaici di Venezia. The Cathedral went trought a lot of changes that helped restore, but also reshape it’s form. During the works done in 2008 26 mosaic icons were installed in the upper register of the porch.
The Patriarchal Palace was built in 1907, on the place of the ex-Deputies Palace
according to blueprints drawn by architect Dimitrie Maimarolu, and the works were carried out under the supervision of engineer George Constantinescu. Reinforced concrete elements were used for the building, the first one built with this technology in Romania. Various subsequent modifications were brought to it, the most important being the rebuilding of the dome.
The façade, done in a neo-classical style, is 80 m long. The imposing ground floor
is dominated by the centre of the façade, the entrance area, detached and having a
peristyle featuring six Ionic columns. Behind the six columns, above eye-level, is a
frieze from 2009 which depicts in mosaic technique with Orsoni tiles three scenes of
Saint Andrew's life, the patron saint of Romania.
From left to right the first scene illustrate The Calling of Saint Andrew, who was the
first disciple of Jesus. Saint Andrew is represented along with his brother, Saint Peter.
We can also see Saint John the Baptist to whom Saint Andrew was a disciple and the
scene depicts the moment described in The Gospel of John when John the Baptist
pointed to Jesus and said "Behold the Lamb of God!" and Andrew understood that
Jesus was greater and immediately left John to follow Jesus.
The next scene depicts Saint Andrew preaching in Dobrogea (Scythia Minor). After
Christ's crucifixion and resurrection, Saint Andrew the Apostle preached the Gospel in
Asia Minor and in Scythia as far as Kiev. The official stance of the Romanian Orthodox
Church is that Andrew preached the Gospel in the province of Dobruja to the Daco-
Romans, whom he is said to have converted to Christianity.
The last scene of the frieze represents The Crucifixion of Saint Andrew the Apostle.
Saint Andrew was martyried by crucifixion at Patras in Achaea in Greece. Because
Saint Andrew deemed himself unworthy to be crucified on the same type of cross on
which Christ had been crucified, he asked to be tied to a Crux decussata or an X
shaped cross. The Apostle Andrew did not die right away but instead, as it can be seen
in the depiction, he was left to suffer while he continued to preach the gospel of Jesus
Christ until he died.
Inside the Patriarchal Palace there is a new project ongoing also realized with Orsoni tiles. Europa Christiana Hall has on its walls mosaics with some important orthodox saints: Apostles, Hierarchs and other Holy Fathers of the Church along with two great scenes representing The Conversion of Saint Paul and The Conversion of Emperor Constantine, each scene being 7 meters wide. Apart from the last scene with The Conversion of Emperor Constantine which is still in progress, all the other mosaics can be admired inside the Patriarchal Palace.
The Patriarch's Residence underwent many changes and was reshaped into its present form between 1928- 1931. Inside the building you can admire the Great Hall of the Throne, the Patriarchy's chancelleries, the patriarch's apartment as well as other impressive rooms.
In front of the main entrance, the porch’s ceiling was decorated with a mozaic icon
that represents The Icon of Our Lady of the Sign, that is the term for a particular type of icon of the Theotokos (Virgin Mary), facing the viewer directly, depicted half length, with her hands raised in the orans position, and with the image of the Child Jesus depicted upon her breast. The Virgin is accompanied by Archangel Michael on the right and Archanghel Gabriel on the left. The icons were made in 2009.
In the courtyard of the Patriarch’s Residence there are others mosaic icons that
portray four major figures in the romanian orthodoxe church: Saint Apostle Andrew Protector of Romania, The Virgin Mary with Child Jesus on a throne, Jesus Christ on a throne, Saint Dimitrie the New Protector of Bucharest.
The chapel is the oldest part of the Patriarchal Residence, it was built in the same period as the Cathedral and it celebrates Saint George. A mosaic was realised here in 2012, on the chapel’s porch. The icon depicts Saint Georghe in the middle, surrounded by scenes from his life and martyrdom. This mosaic was made in a mixted technique that embedded venetian tessere and natural stones (such as marble, granite and sandstone).
Patriarch Daniel of Romania
Daniel, born Dan Ilie Ciobotea (born 22 July 1951) is the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church. The elections took place on 12 September 2007. Daniel won with a majority of 95 votes out of 161. He was officially enthroned on 30 September 2007 in the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest. As such, his official title is "Archbishop of Bucharest, Metropolitan of Muntenia and Dobrogea, Locum tenens of the throne of Caesarea of Cappadocia, Patriarch of Romania".
Contact details
Artist Daniel Codrescu
Phone no. +004 074 443 1970
Address: Str. Zefirului, nr. 15, Sector 2, Bucharest – Romania.
e-mail: [email protected]
Mozaicon Art Studio
https://www.facebook.com/mozaicon
