Talpalari Church

About

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...