The Chrissoveloni Bank (Banca Chrissoveloni) is a historic building in the old town of Bucharest, located next to the Dacia-Romania Palace in Strada Lipscani.
Chrissoveloni Bank was founded by the Greek banker and industrialist Zannis Chrissoveloni who started his business in Constantinople in 1830. In 1848 he moved to Romania where he set up a bank and export company with operations in multiple cities. For a while, the headquarters was located in the building that is now the Cărturești Carusel bookstore, until a new purpose-built headquarters was constructed.
The new headquarters in Bucharest was designed in a late Renaissance style by the architect George Matei Cantacuzino and its construction took place between 1923 and 1929. A second, taller building, designed by the architect August Schmiedigen, was added facing Strada Stavropoleos. The employee entrance was on that side, while the customer entrance was on Strada Lipscani.
The building has a 2-level basement which was used for the bank’s safes. The customer counters and officials’ offices were on the ground floor. On the first floor were the lower-ranking officials and on the second floor were meeting rooms and Chrissoveloni’s own office. The upper floors were used as a kitchen and canteen, a gym and a barber shop.
After the First World War the business of the bank was booming and offices were opened in Paris, London, Athens, and New York under the management of Jean Chrissoveloni. When the world economy collapsed in 1929, the bank was severely hit by the economic crisis
When the Chrissoveloni Bank was on the verge of collapsing the building was sold to the National Bank of Romania and it’s operations moved to Suțu Palace. Under the management of Nicky Chrissoveloni, Jean Chrissoveloni’s son, the bank was saved and returned to profit, but under the communist regime the bank was nationalized in 1948. After a restoration in 1990, the building became the Bucharest branch of the National Bank of Romania.
