Nearby on the grounds stands the large Neo-Romanian style Royal Palace built in late 19th century.

Above this comes a row of circular shields, adorned with intricate arabesques, while bands and wreaths of lilies are everywhere sculptured on the windows, balconies, tambours and cornices, adding lightness to the fabric.

[3] The archives of the cathedral were plundered by Hungarian and Ottoman troops, but several inscriptions, Greek, Slavic, and Romanian, are left.

One traditional legend describes how Neagoe Basarab, while a hostage in Constantinople, designed a splendid mosque for the sultan, returning to build the cathedral out of the surplus materials.

[5] This motif is widespread in South-East Europe, most notably also in Russia, like the blinding of the Masons of Saint Basil's Cathedral by Ivan the Terrible.

[9][10] The remains of Helen, the mother of King Michael, were returned to Romania from the Bois-de-Vaux Cemetery in Switzerland on 18 October 2019.