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“Saint Nicolae Domnesc” Church is the oldest religious settlement in Iași. Its building ended in 1492, being part of the founding chain of Voivode Stephen the Great and Holy. But it was radically restored between 1884-1904 by the French architect André Lecomte du Noüy
The church was called “Saint Nicolae Domnesc”, in order to distinguish it from other buildings with the same patron. Several princes of Moldavia were anointed (invested) here, after moving Moldavia’s capital from Suceava to Iași in 1564. During time, it was damaged due to fires and earthquakes, being repaired on several occasions. After the passing of Sultan Mahomed IV through Iași (20th -28th of July 1672), on way to Poland, the church was closed. During the next repairs made by Voivode Antonie Ruset in 1676, some walls were added, from which some portions are visible even today. The 1725 fire has left the church in ruins until 1758, when it was fully restored by Prince Ioan Teodor Callimachi.
Its present aspect is due to the wide works under the leadership of the French architect Lecomte du Noüy beginning with 1884. When the works started, the church was twice and a half bigger, due to the enlargements made throughout time, which brought more annexes and two more lateral altars. In the 19th century, the church had five patrons, and the Holy Liturgy was held simultaneously in three languages, in each altar: Old Greek, Paleo-Slavonic and Romanian. The French architect decides to demolish the ensemble due to the presumed precarious state of the brick laying and rebuild the church of Stephen the Great. Although the faithful reproduction of the initial construction was tried, the current church is taller than the original one, and doesn’t have the initial abutments. On the place of the two disappeared lateral altars, now there are some wayside crosses.
This church is part of the group of city churches built by Stephen the Great, characterised by enlarging the pronaos and through the lateral apses which offer the church the shape of a cross. It was made of raw stone and of finished stone on the corners. At the exterior, it has rows of decorative bricks which frame archways, niches with 282 faces of saints and pre-Christian philosophers, and a series of enamelled discs under the cornice reproducing some Moldavian seals. The particularities of this style can also be noticed at the churches of Stephen in Vaslui, Dorohoi, Bacău, Botoșani or Hârlău.
Inside, during the restoration, the separation wall between the nave and pronaos was replaced with a series of archways, the service space being thus enlarged. The painting was made towards 1900 by the French men, Boris Bernard, Emile Picot and P. Mauretal in Neoclassic style, replacing the initial Byzantine painting. At the entrance in the pronaos we can notice the commemorative painting of Stephen the Great and his family on one side and on the other side, the painting of the royal family of Romania: King Charles I of Hohenzollern with his wife Elisabeth and their daughter, and the heir Prince Ferdinand and future Queen Mary, with their two children. The scenes of the life of Saint Nicholas (from Mira), a great bishop of the Christian church in Anatolia in the 14th century are testimonies of the example he is offering to the entire world. The most important scene is the one where Saint Nicholas climbs down the chimney in the house of the three poor young women, to offer them a bag of money as dowry, in order to get married. This scene shall be the base of the tradition of placing presents in the children’s shoes on Saint Nicholas’ Day, on the 6th of December, or of the legendary figure of Santa Claus (Nicolaus). The interior decorations, the warm tones, the cosy atmosphere and the special choir during the liturgy offers the visitor a special experience.
5. Église Barnovschi