Dealul Mitropoliei

Dealul Mitropoliei (Romanian: [ˈde̯alul mitropoˈliej], Metropolitanate Hill), also called Dealul Patriarhiei (IPA: [ˈde̯alul patriarˈhiej], Patriarchate Hill), is a small hill in Bucharest, Romania and an important historic, cultural, architectural, religious and touristic point in the national capital. From a religious point of view, it is one of the centres of Romanian Orthodoxy: the headquarters of the Romanian Patriarchy and the residence of the Patriarch are both located here.

A series of events in the history of Romania is closely linked to this place, for until 1997, the Chamber of Deputies of Romania as well as the Great National Assembly met in the Palace of the Chamber of Deputies in the Patriarchal complex. Also here, in the building where the Princely Divan met, Alexandru Ioan Cuza was elected prince of Moldavia and Wallachia.

In about 1650 the hill was covered in grapevines owned by the country's voivodes. The monastic complex was surrounded by walls, like a citadel; beginning in 1698, access to the monastery yard was provided by the bell tower built by Constantin Brâncoveanu. Three stone crosses stood within the yard: one in memory of Metropolitan Teodosie (d. 1708), another in honour of General Miloradovich (d. 1825), and one commemorating the 1655 revolt of the seimeni, during the reign of Constantin Şerban, against the boyars. The seimeni were a regiment of 2,000 foreign soldiers, drawn up by the prince, whose mission was to fight in foreign wars. During this revolt Papa Brâncoveanu, Constantin's father, was killed. Preda, Papa's father, later assassinated by Radu Mihnea, raised a wooden cross on the spot where his son was killed. Later, one of Constantin Brâncoveanu's sons, Constantin Beizadea, replaced the wooden cross with one of stone, still preserved, with an inscription stating it was built on July 20, 1713.

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