The weather is still excessively wintry at the time when I write this post, with heavy snowfalls and blizzards affecting Bucharest and the surrounding region. I like to think that the following pictures of a flowery decorated glazed ironwork house entrance, which I photographed during a milder winter a couple of years ago, would cheer up the spirits 🙂 The artefact dates from the La Belle Époque years, which in the British world correspond with the late Victorian and Edwardian periods. I like its agreeable proportions and quality of material and craftsmanship, facts that would make it a straight forward restoration job, if ever someone would undertake such a travail, a very rare occurrence in this part of the world. I wrote another article a few days ago about the wonderful Fin de Siècle architectural ironwork creations, as is the one presented here, which embellish Bucharest; link here. The entrance comprises two beautiful side lamps, the second one not being visible from the angle in which I made the photograph. The house exhibiting this entrance is a wagon type one, a standard in house architecture in the Bucharest of that time: the building is positioned on a narrow strip of land, with its small side bordering the street, while the main façade and the entrance face the courtyard, or what remains from the unoccupied land, giving it somehow the appearance of a “wagon”, hence the difficult angle of photographing this piece of ironwork from the street.
Valentin Mandache, architectural historian 
I think even you would agree Valentin, that is an outstandingly wonderful cast iron entrance “porch” among the many that still exist, a very rare find indeed! anywhere.., what is interesting at the time it was a “bolt on goody” :-))) have you managed to find any of the cast iron catalogues of that period? they did exist, so that architects and house builders could choose different balconies etc.
And YES! your blog is doing an excellent job in helping to educate Romanians in their architectural heritage!! far more than any “official government body” they show little or no interest…..
LikeLike
I very much appreciate your nice words about my site Moray! So far I have not been able to identify a catalogue of architectural wrought and cast iron elements from that period. I know they were circulating and there must be some still surviving somewhere. I hope to get hold of one at least in my work endeavours. Valentin
LikeLike
Yes, those catalogues are rare and wonderful books, I have found 2 in the past, on different subjects, which I gave to friends whose passion they encompassed, your site is excellent!! you are doing a first class job!! in education, credit where credit is due! I am just one of your very many fans 🙂 keep up the crusade to save Romania`s heritage!!
LikeLike
Again, many thanks for your nice words and encouragement Moray! I hope to do my bit, how they say, and the local heritage to be much better appreciated. Valentin
LikeLike
I think that is the first wagon entrance I have seen on a house… and like it very much. Your city would be quite fortunate if its fin de siècle architectural ironwork creations are still intact. If the surviving examples are looking a bit shabby, the town council should “encourage” home owners to fix them up asap.
LikeLike
There is an ongoing educational process going on among the Bucharest people about the cultural and material value of their architectural heritage, an awareness which was nearly wiped out during the communist times, and my blog is part of that recovery process. The knowledgeable people in that field are far and few between at the moment in this country of about 20 million people. I am happy (and unashamed) 🙂 to report that my site and architectural tours, which are undertaken without any state or private help, are an important part in that historical identity reconstruction! Valentin
LikeLike