#TheStoriesOfTheWalls. How to be an urban explorer in Craiova

#TheStoriesOfTheWalls. How to be an urban explorer in Craiova


The sense of adventure must not be lost, even if we live in the urban area. Some would say that there is nothing to discover in such a perimeter, but we want to contradict them. Because, with every walk through the streets of the city, we discover, see and experience new things, and not alone, but under the guidance of people who are passionate about history, architecture and beauty. 

As we told you last year, one of these people is Dragoș Andreescu - Monumentalist - who organizes different guided tours through Craiova and beyond. In a full group of about 30 people, we went with Monumentalist again on a guided tour through the old central area of Craiova, which is full of surprises. And they can only be discovered by being on the spot. 
Monumentalist - facebook

This time, we started by learning more about the History-Archaeology Section of the Oltenia Museum, a building built according to the plans of the architect Fr. Billek. Its construction was completed in 1906 and inaugurated in the autumn of the same year, on the occasion of the jubilee of the 40th year of the reign of King Carol I, with the function of a primary school for boys and girls. Everything was patronized by the serving priests of the "Madonna Dudu" Church, until 1948, when the building was given to the Oltenia Museum. 
Muzeul Olteniei - facebook

A few minutes' walk from the History-Archaeology Section, we had the pleasure of walking into a private, restored house on Câmpia Islaz street no. 29. A chic and intimate coffee shop, Harvest Specialty Coffee operates there, where several mementos of the former owner of the house, Hortense Presbiterianu, have been found. Together with the "expedition" colleagues, we walked among the letters and photos, all kept in a chest from another time. And great was our joy to see that there are people who appreciate the old buildings of the city and do their best to keep them beautiful and full of their original elements. Beyond "tasting" the history of the house, we encourage you to also taste the coffee from Harvest, which is always made with love and dedication.
Harvest Specialty Coffee - facebook

Starting again to walk towards the heart of the city, the former Elca Market - current Old Market - we had a huge surprise set up by the tour organizer. With the consent of the owners, we went back decades ago and stepped inside the Niță Puțureanu Inn, a historical monument building from the mid-19th century, on Matei Basarab Street no. 9, a representative building for this central area of the city. The superb building, which time has not forgiven, led us through its cellars, up the stairs or through the superb rooms which, once upon a time, served as accommodation for merchants from Elca Market. At the moment, the former inn is waiting for a new owner who could bring it back to life, along with its lost glory. 

The whole area in the vicinity of Elca Market was a modern "mall", as a fellow expedition member aptly put it. The Hurez Inn operated here, on the current Horezului street, and part of its walls were preserved and left visible by those who decided to invest here. 

In the same perimeter, at the end of the guided tour, we received another surprise: we visited a tunnel impeccably preserved by the current owners, under the Prestige Boutique Hotel, actually a former glacier, which gave us great sensations and a lot of adrenaline. 
Prestige Boutique Hotel Craiova - facebook

Our journey of about two hours ended in front of the Bănia House - the Ethnography Section (end of the 17th century) of the Oltenia Museum, which is right next to the Metropolitan Cathedral "St. Dumitru", with the promise that we will meet again to explore new and new areas of the city and county. 

Catedrala Sfântul Dumitru - facebook

Puteți participa și voi la tururile ghidate, inedit organizate de Monumentalist, accesând grupul de Facebook destinat acestora. 
Monumentalist - grup facebook

Don't forget that we live in a city and in a county with so many stories, that it would be a shame to pass by them every day and not find them as history left them: full of meaning and lessons for the current times. 

Photo:  Discover Dolj 

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