Chrissoveloni Palace was never just a bank—or just a palace. From the design phase, it was conceived as an architecture of function, yet with the prestige of a true palace. Built between 1923 and 1929, based on plans by architect George Matei Cantacuzino, the bank’s headquarters was a discreet declaration of financial power: two entrances (one for clients on Lipscani Street no. 16, and one for employees on Stavropoleos Street no. 7), dual-level underground vaults, meeting rooms, offices, a canteen, and even a gym and barbershop. Everything was planned for efficiency, yet expressed in a monumental language, with Beaux-Arts accents and a bold, symmetrical composition.

Today, Chrissoveloni Palace belongs to the National Bank of Romania and serves as one of its branches, after being carefully restored with great respect for the original structure. The interior retains its original banking details, from understated decorative flourishes to the grand proportions of its halls—striking a balance between function and formality. It is not a building that tries to seduce the casual passerby, but one that commands respect and vertical presence through a design free of ornamentation.

How to get there: It is located in the Old Town, between Lipscani and Stavropoleos streets, just a few minutes’ walk from the Universitate or Piața Unirii metro stations.