Saint Joseph Cathedral, Bucharest

The St. Joseph ( rumän. Catedrala Sfântul Iosif ) cathedral in the Romanian capital Bucharest is the bishop's church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bucharest. It was built in 1875-1883 according to the plans of the then famous Viennese architect Friedrich von Schmidt, consecrated on February 15, 1884 by Archbishop Ignatius Paoli and considered a historical monument of architecture.

History

The Roman Catholic church in Bucharest grown since the mid-19th century mainly by immigrants from Western, Central and Southern Europe. Pope Leo XIII. signed on 27 April 1883 apostolic letter " Praecipuum munus ", in which he declared the apostolic vicariate of Wallachia to an archbishopric and Ignatius Paoli promoted to the rank of archbishop, who dedicated the Cathedral on Friday, February 15, 1884. The Archbishop's chair, however, was initially confessional from political reasons, then often vacant after the Second World War to pressure the communist regime.

The bombing of Bucharest in 1944, the cathedral was severely affected. She suffered multiple earthquake losses that were serious destroyed in the earthquake of 1977, when large parts of the interior.

Since 2005, a few meters built next to the Cathedral, the Cathedral Plaza, a 19 - story office building. Due to the unclear situation permit, the visual impairment and the risk of earthquakes, the work was interrupted by opposition of the Archdiocese in 2008, however, recorded in late 2009.

The Court of Appeal in Suceava decided on 12 July 2011 in the last instance that the property " Cathedral Plaza" had been built illegally and needed to be demolished. Responsible for the demolition is the Mayor of Bucharest, Sorin Oprescu.

Architecture

The St. Joseph's Cathedral is an essentially neo-Romanesque brick basilica, mixed with neo-Gothic elements, without transept and tower. The structure of the walls is highlighted by white plaster surfaces. At the three-aisled, fünfjochige nave joins the south a lower, retracted choir. The portal facade on the north side contains a large rose window.