Official chronology. The Cathedral of the Salvation of the Nation, in figures and stages. When will it be sanctified

The National Cathedral in Bucharest, located on Arsenal Hill, is approaching the moment of sanctification, scheduled for October 26, 2025. The project has crossed several administrative and technical stages, being one of the largest yards in Romania for the last decades.

National Cathedral, during the Easter holiday of 2024. Photo: Adevărul Archive

Basilica.ro publication has published a material about the main stages of the construction of the national cathedral, from the moment of establishing the site in 2005 until the completion of the scheduled works for 2025. The cathedral, previously known as the Cathedral of the Salvation of the People, is to be sanctified at the end of October.

The first stages: from idea to location

The project was resumed in 2005, when the Government set the site on Arsenal Hill, in the area of ​​Calea 13 September – Izvor Street. A year later, the land of over 100,000 square meters was transferred to the Romanian Patriarchate, and in 2007 the Parliament adopted the law on the construction of the architectural ensemble.

The design phase and organization of works

Between 2007 and 2010 the technical and administrative procedures for selecting the project were carried out. The building permit was issued in 2010. In the same year the work of the site and the preparation of the foundation began.

In 2011, the contract for underground infrastructure was awarded, and in 2013 the construction reached the ground level. Subsequently, another company was selected for the execution of the superstructure.

Technical data and capacity

According to official data, the National Cathedral has a length of 126 meters, a width of 67.7 meters and a height of 120 meters, to which is added a 7 -meter cross on the main tower. The total area built on the ground is 13,668 square meters, and the one exceeds 52,000 square meters.

The inner capacity is estimated at 6,000 people, of which 1,000 on chairs, according to the data taken by the truth in the official architecture of the project.

The costs of building the building

As “Adevărul.ro” He also wrote, between 2010-2025, 270 million euros entered the Cathedral of the Salvation of the Nation, with “over 10% of costs” covered from own funds, according to those transmitted by the Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate, which stated that the estimated amount refers to the “whole ensemble” of the Cathedral, “Which includes the annex buildings and the other constructions”.

Mosaic painting and artistic elements

The works on the interior paintings, made in the mosaic, cover an area of ​​about 25,000 square meters, under the coordination of the painter Daniel Codrescu. In the altar area is the main icon of the Virgin Mr. Platytera, with a height of 16 meters, considered one of the largest in Eastern Europe.

The bells were cast in Austria at the Grassmayr factory, and weigh over 33 tons. Their installation, in the Western tower, took place in 2018.

Finishing work and recent stages

According to the same source, between 2016 and 2019 were made the main exterior elements: turrets, copper roofs and bells. In parallel, the interior decoration of the mosaic began, coordinated by a team of Romanian artists.

Pope Francis visited the Cathedral in May 2019, at a time considered symbolic for the dialogue between Catholicism and Orthodoxy. In 2025 the works were completed at the main tower, where a seven -ton cross was mounted, at a height of about 130 meters.

The sanctification ceremony of the National Cathedral is scheduled for October 26, 2025 and will be officiated by Patriarch Bartolomeu, along with the Patriarch of Romania Daniel.

After this year's consecration, the National Cathedral will remain open for the liturgical service and the participation of the believers.

Cathedral in international context

In an analysis by “Adevărul.ro”The National Cathedral is among the largest religious constructions in the world, together with the Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican, the Basilica of the Virgin Mary in appearacida (Brazil), the Cathedral of Milan and the Cathedral of Saint John the New York.

By dimensions, the building in Bucharest exceeds the surface of other major churches in Europe and is part of the top ten places of worship in the world as a built volume.