Talpalari Church

The Talpalari Church (Romanian: Biserica Talpalari) is a Romanian Orthodox church located at 3 Tălpălari Street in Iași, Romania. It is dedicated to the Nativity of Mary and to Elijah.

The first church on the site was built around 1640. The ktitor was vistiernic (treasurer) Iordache Cantacuzino, brother-in-law and close adviser to voivode Vasile Lupu. It was located on the city's northern edge and dedicated to the Nativity of Mary. The walls remained, but the church was rebuilt around 1760, and was covered with pine boards in 1797. In the 18th century, shoe-sole makers (tălpălari) settled in the area, giving rise to the church's popular name. Their guild maintained a candle in the church until the late 19th century; from early on, the church and its parishioners benefited from certain privileges and donations from the princes. Aside from the Cantacuzino family, which offered support to the church for 220 years, other prominent families were benefactors: Beldiman, Scorțescu, Cazimir, Hermeziu, Burghelea, Gane, Carp, Botezatu, Bosiasa. In 1828, the ban Atanasie Gosan willed the entire Mădârjești estate to the church, as well as land in Bucium (now a neighborhood of Iași), together with houses and orchards.

In July 1827, a devastating fire completely destroyed the church. A descendant of the original founders, vornic Dimitrie Cantacuzino-Pașcanu, rebuilt the structure. He and his wife Pulcheria are depicted in an oil painting, holding the church. During the period, Metropolitan Veniamin Costache, himself related to the Cantacuzenes, was preoccupied by the church's well-being. By 1835, reconstruction was complete, and a liturgy was celebrated in the new building for the opening of the nearby Academia Mihăileană. Subsequently, the church would serve as a chapel for the school. The church was practically ruined by 1884, when renovations took place, lasting until 1890. The walls were repaired, the walls and ceilings painted in oil, the iconostasis gilt, the balcony, doors and windows redone. The bell tower was also rebuilt, and two pavilions added to the south side of the church: one at the entrance, the other near the altar, above the crypt which contains the graves of benefactors.

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