Tag: Southern Romania

Architect, builders crew and proprietors on a 1928 building site

Valentin Mandache
The architect Constantin Nanescu, builders crew and proprietors on a building site in 1928 Campulung Muscel, Romania. (fragment of an old postcard, private collection)

The above postcard fragment is a fascinating snapshot of Romanian social, economic and also architectural history from the inter war period. It depicts the main parties in a building project for a shop (“Magazinul Staicu” according to the information on the back of the pc) that took place in 1928 in the city of Campulung Arges, southern Romania. The couple on the right are the proprietors, the person in the middle with a hat, tie and smoking, holding the plan is the architect Constantin Nanescu (better known among his contemporaries for his nickname “Cotone”), surrounded by the builders crew (the foreman between the couple and the architect, the bricklayer also holding the plan, the carpenter together with a young apprentice on the left hand side of the photograph). The postcard was intended as a medium for advertising the architect’s services, whose contact details are prominently displayed on a billboard in the foreground. It was most probably sold at the local bookshops and newsagents, thus spreading the word about the architect among other potential local clients. I like the obvious professional pride and sense of optimism (ironically the Great Depression of 1929 – 33 was just one year away) displayed by all the personages depicted in this memorable image, a fact reflected in the high quality architecture and building workmanship existent in inter-war Romania, which made possible the creation of many wonderful Neo-Romanian, Art Deco and modernist style edifices. I believe that the architectural style of this particular shop was Neo-Romanian, very popular in the late 1920s Campulung. (Many thanks to Mr Daniel Bobe, a native of Campulung, for supplying this postcard image).

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I endeavor through this series of daily 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 Contactpage of this weblog.

Little Paris Style House in an Idyllic Setting

Valentin Mandache
Little Paris style house dating from the 1890s in a verdant idyllic summer 2010 setting. Targoviste, southern Romania (©Valentin Mandache)

This Sunday last, I went for a second short architectural photography trip to Targoviste in southern Romania. The city is located in an Arcadia like natural setting, in the zone of contact between the Subcarpathian piedmont and the Wallachian plain (also called the Lower Danube prairie), between two important rivers, the Dambovita and the Ialomita. During the long summer seasons, the gardens and orchards of the local historic houses are overwhelmed by a dense explosion of lush leaves, delicious cherries and berries, and pungently perfumed flowers. That glorious state, which I just tried to describe, is much better conveyed by the above photograph of a Targoviste Little Paris style house (French c19th historicist styles provincially interpreted in Romania) dating from the last decade  of the c19th. It is a somehow stripped-down version of a Little Paris house, in contrast with the more abundantly decorated examples from Bucharest. Nevertheless, the patriarchal setting, typical of this provincial town in southern Romania, and the superb, near wild garden give this house an idyllic air of peace and timelessness. In my opinion this type of period property is one of the most affordable an rewarding potential renovation projects for anyone willing to take up such a challenge in this part of Europe.

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I endeavor through this series of daily articles to inspire appreciation of the historic houses of Romania, a virtually undiscovered, but fascinating chapter of European architectural heritage.

***********************************************

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.