People's Salvation Cathedral (Romanian National Cathedral)

The People's Salvation Cathedral (Catedrala Mantuirii Neamului), also called the Romanian National Cathedral, stands on Dealul Arsenalului beside the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest's Sector 5. Construction began in 2010 and the building was consecrated in 2018, with work on interior mosaics continuing since. It is among the tallest Orthodox churches in the world, with a main dome rising to about 127 metres, and the cathedral can hold several thousand worshippers. Its design draws on Brancovenesc and Byzantine traditions, with stone facades, a large central dome and a bell tower. The interior is being decorated with extensive mosaics in the Byzantine manner, covering walls and domes in gold-ground scenes, and the scale of the work is large enough that completion takes years. Because of this, the interior opens intermittently; it was open daily from 09:00 to 17:00 over the 2025-2026 winter holidays, but visitors should check the Patriarchate's website before travelling. The exterior is visible at all times and gives the main impression: the pale stone, the copper-coloured domes and the broad esplanade. A visit takes about 30 minutes, and entry is free. Visitors should dress modestly. The building is near the Izvor metro station and about 15 minutes' walk from the Palace of the Parliament tour entrance, so combining both in one morning is straightforward. Crowds are modest on weekdays and larger during religious feasts. Photographs of the dome work well from the Calea 13 Septembrie side in morning light, with the Palace of the Parliament in the background. The cathedral remains a subject of public debate in Romania for its cost and scale.