"Saint Spiridon" and "Saint Nicholas" Church

Saint Spiridon Church is located on a small hill in the heart of Craiova, not far from the National Theatre and the University.
It was built in 1758 by the Vlădăieni boyars, during the reign of Constantin Nicolae Mavrocordat and of the bishop of Râmnic, Grigorie Socoteanu.
In the middle of the XVIIIth century, the settlements of the Vlădăieni boyars were located in Craiova, on the hill between the Orbeţilor Valley (today Stefan cel Mare street) and the Opincă Valley (today Calea Bucureşti).
Boyar Fota Vlădăianu erected, in 1758, the church of Saint Spiridon (also called the Vlădăianu Church), on the same spot where it was an older one made of twigs that was built by captain Tudor Berindei.
Large houses were erected around the church, endowed with estates and worship objects, so that it started to resemble a monastery. This is the reason why, in the History of Dacia, Dionisie Fotino mentions it among the monasteries of Craiova.
In 1837, the Vlădăianu monastery retained this title along with the Obedeanu and the Gănescu monasteries.
Saint Spiridon Church is the first boyar church of the second half of the XVIIIth century that kept its old inscription above the entrance door in 1758.
In a register from 1813-1815, were listed the Poenari boyars and founders who were related to Vlădăieni family.
In 1771, Fota Vlădăianu was part of the boyars council in Craiova and Dolj county, and starting with July 1775, he was part of the vicegerent`s council.
He died in 1778 and the inscription on his tombstone is still visible despite the passing of time.
In 1826, a fountain was built in the church yard, and after the earthquake in 1838, several repairs took place, but they did not change its design.
In 1843 it was surrounded with a brick wall. In 1861 a wooden bell tower was built in the church yard, which will be restored in 1925.
Major repairs from the mid- XXth century included "elements of foreign composition, which changed the Byzantine character of many churches."
Inside, the floor and the stairs were repaired and the base was painted.
Between 1924 and 1925, at the "Saint Spiridon" Church, major repairs took place: it was painted again and the porch was opened, in order to reveal the beautiful stone pillars surrounding it.
Also during this period, the church was repainted by the great painter from Craiova, Ion Listeveanu.
Today we can admire the architecture of the open porch, the ornaments and the blind windows on the exterior side walls, the ventilation rosettes decorated with the Byzantine eagle.