Project for the People’s Salvation Cathedral Bucharest
Variant proposed by architect Gh. Bratiloveanu

The altar – an apse (13,00 x 17,50m) is semicircular in the east, bordered in the north and in the south by confessionals rooms and access stairs that rise pyramidally towards the superior cornice. Following up the apse of the altar, its semi cylindrical volume is surrounded by more rooms: the room in which the bread is blessed, the room in which encense is prepared, and a room for raiment, with a lower height. This plan is articulated by a blind archway, which stops at the socle level.

The octagonal nave (for the Christians it symbolizes the resurrection), with a free opening of 36,00m, is completed on the octagon’s diagonals with four semicircular apses inside and polygonal apses outside, with spaces in amphitheatre. The eight pilasters of the octagon are underlined along all their height with a triple torus weaved – decorative element encountered in Romania in the churches of Stefan cel Mare and the Dragomirna Monastery. In front of the apses, the lateral galleries and also the platforms with access stairs of the nave open. In the area of the north-south buffers are placed the access stairs for the first floor, the basement and the hydraulic elevators for 6 persons.

The pronaos is marked up by three semicircular arches supported by the pillars that assure the passage towards the office and the room for the candles and the objects requested by the cult.

The first floor of the cathedral has galleries, platforms and spaces in amphitheatre.

In the opposite part of the altar, a large gallery for the chorus (75 persons) is designed with large steps.

In the south part of the first floor, close to the elevators and the access stairs, we have designed the gallery and the official platform.

For the journalists and the TV operators, we have designed an alveolate space in front of the chorus amphitheatre and a room in the south area of the altar with access stairs. The parapets of the galleries from the first floor will be fretworked with floral elements of brancovenian influence.

Upon the exonartex rises the tower of the belfry with a clock and a space for seven bells placed at the superior floor.

The tourists who want to admire the surrounding area can reach the balcony of the central dome by elevators or by the four stairs.

The basement of the cathedral was provided with the following spaces:

-a chapel for the celebration of the saint liturgies and the memory of the deaths;

-confessionals

-rooms for expositions

-rooms for conferences

-rooms for candles

-a room for social assistance

-offices and administrative services

-different warehouses

-toilets for women and men

-vault with sixteen places for the church personalities