The veranda is an important ingredient of a Neo-Romanian style house. It is often incorporated on the top of the citadel-like tower, one of the main diagnostic structures of this architectural order. If the space allows, the veranda is usually incorporated along an entire side of the the building’s upper floor. In the example above, the space was severely limited by the stricter zoning rules in the Kisellef Causeway area of Bucharest, which would not afford either a tower or long veranda. The architect solved the problem by adopting a smaller balcony like veranda, which aggregates many decorative and structural details found in Balkan peasant and Orthodox Ottoman church art, major sources of inspiration for the Neo-Romanian style. This veranda type is found in numerous historic domestic buildings throughout the whole of the northern Balkans (Bulgaria, southern Romania, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania and northern Greece), in examples of merchant houses, old inns, parochial houses, etc. The most common elements displayed by these edifices are the Orthodox Ottoman church decorations and structures conspicuous in the shape of the large shady roof eaves, column arches, the rope motif frieze, the masonry base, etc. The Romanian peasant art contribution is represented by the ethnographic patterns sculpted on the veranda poles and fence. The result is this beautiful architecture, which relates excellently to the natural and human landscape of historical southern Romania (Wallachia).
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I endeavor through this daily image series to inspire appreciation of the historic houses of Romania, a virtually undiscovered, but fascinating chapter of European architectural heritage.
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If you plan acquiring a historic property in Romania or start a renovation project, I would be delighted to advice you in locating the property, specialist research, planning permissions, restoration project management, etc. To discuss your particular plan please see my contact details in the Contact page of this weblog.
Valentin Mandache, architectural historian 