The Buzau Commune Palace has been inaugurated in 1903 and is the work of Alexander Savulescu, a prominent Fin de Siecle era architect of Romania, famous as the designer of the Post Office Palace in Bucharest, which today hosts the National Museum of History of Romania. The Buzau edifice quarters the mayoralty and its name comes from that of the old administrative unit that in the late c19th described towns or districts grouping villages, a “commune”. It is the most flamboyant creation of Savulescu’s career, in a very peculiar style that blends Neo-Romanian elements rendered in part in an Art Novueau matrix, local architectural motifs found in the Little Paris style houses of Buzau tradespeople or aristocrats and decorative patterns inspired from the grape vine plant, a main crop of the area, symbolising an important component of Buzau’s economy.
Bellow are a photographs depicting a few columns and column elements that embellish the palace’s ground floor gallery. The column capitals are in their turn crowned by ample pediments, in the manner of those featured by the old Wallachian country mansions from the Ottoman period, decorated with the PC (Commune Palace) monogram, surrounded by vine leaves and grapes. The capital itself is also formed from an interesting composition of vine leaves.




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I endeavour through this series of periodic articles to inspire appreciation of the historic houses of Romania, a virtually undiscovered, but fascinating chapter of European architectural history and heritage.
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If you plan acquiring or selling a historic property in Romania or start a renovation project, I would be delighted to advice you in sourcing and transacting the property, specialist research, etc. To discuss your particular plan please see my contact details in the Contactpage of this weblog.
I am very much enjoying your blog on the buildings of Romania – one of the very few countries which Nikolaus Pevsner never really explored !
Best wishes
Susie Harries
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Many thanks Susie! It is a honour for me and also an accolade to receive your kind words about my blog on the buildings of this corner of South East Europe! Nikolaus Pevsner is an ideal for me and I very much prize this little connection made with him through your message!
Best regards,
Valentin
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I just posted a bibliography of Pevsner’s writings on my website http://www.pevsnerinfo – you will see that he came close to your part of the world but never studied it in depth. As you know, he believed very strongly in the importance of Zeitgeist in determining architectural styles, but he also insisted that national character would define how the style of the age took shape . I’m sure he would have been fascinated by the evidence you present on the Romanian spirit as it influences Art Nouveau and the other movements that interested him so much. If only he had had the Internet at his disposal !
Best wishes
Susie
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