In 1724, the Greek monk Ioannikios Stratonikeas used the donations to build a church and a small monastery with several cells in the very center of Bucharest. Nearby, he built an inn to receive funds for the maintenance of the church. A few years later, Ioannikios became metropolitan of Stavropolis, and the temple complex in Bucharest became known as Stavropoleos. Today, it is the Stavropoleos Church and Monastery devoted to Justin the Philosopher.

The temple is hiding in one of the old city alleys. When you suddenly come to a small square in front of it, you freeze in amazement. The church was built in the Wallachian Renaissance, which is typical for Romania. It is very small, elegant, like a toy. It reminds visitors of fairy tales and ancient Byzantium. However, the original building was even smaller. The church was expanded with a bell tower, a refectory, and a library later, in 1897. Today, the facade is framed by an elegant gallery with a row of narrow stone columns with floral ornaments and images of saints along the top row. The entrance doors are entirely made of carved wood and adorned with images of archangels. Inside, the entire space from floor to ceiling is covered with frescoes, 18th-century icons, and rich carved decor. If you look closely, you can see portraits of Prince Nicholas Mavrocordatos, who financed the construction of the church, and Ioannikios Stratonikeas, its founder. The frescoes show the scenes of the most important biblical events: the Resurrection, the Second Coming, the Descent into Hell.

The church is also a cultural center. For example, piano and choral concerts are held in the premises of the library (where 8 thousand church books are kept). Behind the church, there is a small, cozy courtyard surrounded by greenery. You can sit on the benches or take a walk in the covered three-sided gallery. These galleries were always laid out in the southern monasteries so that the monks in their warm clothes felt comfortable in the shade. Today, everyone can get a dose of beauty and coolness. Just come to the Stavropoleos Church, an oasis of peace in the tumultuous life of the Lipscani quarter.