„Saint  Ilie” Church, Bârlad town, str. Paloda, nr. 14, Vaslui County (code LMI 2004, cod: VS-II-m-B-06744)   

It was built during 1859–1869 by the skinner fellowship, at the north of the wooden church from 1794–1795 (together with which it coexisted during 1860-1864). The works were accomplished by the hodmen Mihai Popoiu and Gheorghe, according to the plan drawn up by the architect of the town, Ignat Lorenzo. The mural painting done at the end of the 19^th century by the painter I. Munteanu from Bârlad was repainted during 1932-1934. After the earthquake from 1940, the aisle dome was rebuilt and the upper level of the bell tower was removes as it had been broken down by the seism. Today’s appearance is due to the restoration works during 1993-2004, done by the Ministry of Culture and Cults. With this occasion the interior was repainted by Armand Kuchta from Iaşi through the contribution of the parish. The fresco technique was applied keeping traces of the scenes from the aisle from the previous painting: “The Healing River” and “Saint Ilie’s Miracles”.

In the 19^th century (c.1815-1864), a school intermittently functioned near the church. During 1880-1912 the future archbishop of Huşi (1924-1931), I. Antonovici, served the church in the position of pedant, thurifer, pastor and perish priest. He was also the author of several scientific studies and works, correspondent member of Commission for Historical Monuments (1914), member of honor of the Romanian Academy (1919), founder member of the public museum from Bârlad (1914) and founder of the bishopric museum from Huşi (1926).

The church is of three-apse plan with semicircular apse of the altar and lateral apses in jutties and bell tower in the west. In the interior, the aisle is covered by a wooden arch of polygonal section. The quasi-domes on the lateral apses and the ceilings of the other compartments are of wood. The main access entrance in the west and the jutties of the lateral apses are interpreted as facades of iconic temples. The neoclassic architectural appearance of a special stylistic purity is illustrated through rectangular panels deepened in the backing, right-angles windows with arch opening in plain centre, perches underlined by a frieze with dentils and “wolf-tooth” frontals.  The four leveled watch bell-tower raised over the threshold of hexagonal section and with a roof in baroque style has the same background as the church. Besides the real estate donations (terrains, houses, shops), the two bowers were endowed by the founders with gems and religious books which nowadays can be found in the collections of the Parish and of the rural Museum of Huşi.