Tag: Byzantine

Sketching the Byzantine church Panagia Chalkeon

Valentin Mandache

Panagia Chalkeon in Thessaloniki is a high Byzantine style architecture church built in 1028 AD, during the times of the Macedonian dynasty’s renaissance in arts and architecture, a period of recovery and magnificence of the Eastern Roman Empire, aka the Byzantine Empire, after a few centuries of “dark ages” when it had to face the pressure of the new religion of Islam and the internal convulsions reflected in Iconoclasm. Doing architectural sketching, is a means for me to internalise even more the character, features and symbolism of such an example of old architecture and artistry, which influenced the entire region of the Southeast Europe.

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My aim, through this series of blog articles, is to inspire appreciation of the historic houses of Romania and Southeast Europe, a virtually undiscovered, but fascinating chapter of world’s architectural history and heritage.

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If you have a historic house project in Romania or other country in Southeast Europe, I would be delighted to advise you in aspects pertaining to its architectural history and ways to preserve as much as possible from its period fabric and aesthetics in the course of restoration or renovation works, or to counsel you with specialist consultancy work related to that project. To discuss your particular plan please see my contact details in the Contact page of this website.

Neo-Romanian Style Street Fence

Valentin Mandache

A attractive example of wrought iron Neo-Romanian style street fence dating from mid-1920s, provided with massive, bollard like, brick and concrete fence posts. Armeneasca area, Bucharest (©Valentin Mandache)

The ironwork decorative outline of the basic street fence element, shown in the lower left hand side corner of the photomontage above, is formed by textbook Neo-Romanian motifs, inspired from the Byzantine and Ottoman church/ mosque decoration register. The shape of the massive fence posts resembles Ottoman cemetery tombstones. The street fence represents a major architectural component within the assembly of a Neo-Romanian style house, often made from high quality materials by the skilled craftsmen from the inter-war period, a fact which explains the high rate of survival over the ensuing tumultuous decades of many such fine examples in a quite unscathed state.

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I endeavor through this daily series of images and small 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 a historic property in Romania or start a renovation project, I would be delighted to advice you in sourcing 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.

The Art Nouveau Style of Amzei Church

Valentin Mandache

Romania was the scene of a very particular Art Nouveau style variety architecture in which traditional Byzantine, Ottoman and Romanian peasant vernacular – ethnographic motifs were brought together with wonderful results. Amzei Church in Bucharest is one such iconic example of Romanian Art Nouveau style. It was designed by the architect Alexandru Savulescu and inaugurated in 1901. The Neo-Romanian architectural style is also often expressed in an Art Nouveau matrix, especially in examples of buildings dating from 1900s – 1910s period and Amzei church design shows that evolution in its incipient stages.

Art Nouveau - Byzantine style votive painting by Marchetti Umberto (1901), Amzei church, Bucharest (©Valentin Mandache)

The Western entrance of Amzei church, building designed by architect Alexandru Savulescu in the Art Nouveau - Byzantine style, Bucharest (©Valentin Mandache)

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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 Contactpage of this weblog.