The Donie Church (Biserica Donie) is a historic Romanian Orthodox church dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God, located next to the Robert Schuman Park in Focșani. Built in the early 18th century, it takes its name from Damian Donie, a Wallachian border captain who founded the church together with his wife Sanda during the reign of Constantin Brâncoveanu.
The church was constructed between 1708 and 1712 on the site of an earlier religious building, whose foundations were discovered during archaeological investigations beginning in 1996. These excavations revealed that the original church, probably built after 1694, had a simpler rectangular plan, while the present building was reconstructed with three apses. The church suffered serious damage during the earthquake of 1802, after which its bell tower was replaced with a wooden structure. A fire in 1854 caused further destruction, prompting repairs financed by Ion Donie, a descendant of the founding family. Additional alterations followed during the 19th and 20th centuries, including the enclosure of the entrance porch and repairs after the earthquake of 1940. An extensive restoration carried out between 1996 and 2006 gave the church its present appearance.
The church has a traditional triconch plan, with a nave, narthex, sanctuary, and entrance porch. Its brick facades are divided horizontally by a decorative band above the windows, while a series of small trefoil-shaped niches beneath the cornice contain painted images of saints. Particularly distinctive are the carved stone window surrounds, decorated with elaborate floral motifs. The entrance porch originally had semicircular arches supported by round columns, elements that were altered during later renovations. Archaeological excavations in the churchyard also uncovered a former cemetery, including burials from the first half of the 19th century and personal objects such as crosses, rings, and coins.
