Historic Center of Craiova

It is a historic monument building, dating back to the end of the 19th century.

The former Normal School for Boys in Craiova is a monumental building, located on Calea Bucureşti, no. 107. The work of architect Constantin Băicoianu, the edifice was built between 1898-1901 as a building for the Normal School for Boys. Later, the building hosted several educational institutions, currently being the headquarters of the Faculty of Mechanics of the University of Craiova. The building of the former Normal School for Boys is an imposing building of monumental dimensions, disposed on three levels (semi-basement, ground floor and upper floor) on a plane symmetric to the vertical of the central tower (entrance from Calea București). The facades of the building are covered with apparent brick, and the roof of the edifice is made of tile. On the outside, the ornamental stucco and the painted decorations are remarkable. On the facade of the building there is a marble plate that commemorates Ștefan Velovan's activity in Craiova. Ștefan Velovan, considered the greatest Romanian teacher of his time and the one who laid the foundations for pedagogical education, was the promoter of a new trend in didactics and pedagogical methodology ("velovanism"). Source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro/ Photo: http://mecanica.ucv.ro/; www.monumenteoltenia.ro/

The Dolj branch of the National Bank of Romania is housed in a historical monument of local interest, located in the center of Craiova, on Calea Unirii, at no. 6. The building is located near Constantin Vălimărescu House and opposite to the Evangelical Church.  The building, dating from the end of the 19th century (1887-1888), was built to serve as the office of the county branch of the National Bank of Romania (BNR), an institution founded in 1880. The development of the fabric of BNR agencies began in 1891 and ended throughout the entire country in 1900, triggering a massive expansion of the Romanian banking movement.  Returning to the headquarters of the Dolj branch of the BNR, the building is distinguished by the architectural style specific to the late 19th century, which combines European eclecticism and neoclassicism with Art Deco influences (neoclassical style, late baroque and freely interpreted French style). Responsible for the construction of the building were entrepreneurs Dimitrie Nedelcu and Domenico Costa, those who had already built the headquarters of the Galaţi branch of the institution during 1885-1886. Nedelcu had also taken part in the construction of the Casino Minerva Hotel and Carol I High School in Craiova, while Costa had built the Stock Exchange Palace (currently the National Library) and the Parliament Palace (currently the Patriarchal Palace) in Bucharest. Set on a single floor, the brick and carved stone building impresses with its total area (1,500 sqm), the height of the rooms (the central lobby has a height of 7 m) and the grandeur of the interior decorations (doors, windows, chandeliers, furniture, mosaics). In the basement there is the Bank's Treasury, which has long been used as a cash desk.  The building houses the same institution as it did 125 years ago, the Dolj branch of the National Bank of Romania. Apart from the administrative offices and the management of the institution, there is also an office of the National Agency for Consumer Protection and the Bank Inspection Service of the branch. Source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro/banca-nationala-a-romaniei-filiala-dolj/  Photo: https://www.bnr.ro/Sucursala-Regionala-BNR-Dolj-19532-Mobile.aspx

The so-called ”White House” (on one side of the central garden - English Park - made in the style of a London square) was built in the 20's of the 20th century, according to the plans of architect Constantin Iotzu. The building is the first apartment building in Craiova, was called the New Palace and belonged to the Bank of Commerce, and the street was called the New Street. According to the project, the building was supposed to have 44 apartments for the Bank of Commerce officials and to contain an elevator. The White House was built by Giovanni Batista Peressutti, together with the construction company of Carlo Dalla Barba. Source: audiotravelguide.ro Photo: www.facebook.com

Here he lived the prefect of Dolj county (1914-1915) and then mayor of Craiova (1919), Constantin N. Popp (1877-1958), together with his wife, Antoaneta, who is descended from two of the great boyar families of Oltenia, Brăiloiu (after her father) and Glogoveanu (after her mother). The house will remain to their daughter, Veronica, married to Ion Caletzeanu. The Art-Nouveau-style house was built in 1875, number that is carved above the entrance. It is believed that the man who built the house was the father of Costică Popp, the banker Nae T. Popp (1848-1920), born in the suburb of Old St. George, Frăţia Street (today Petre Carp Street). In the absence of documents certifying this fact, this statement remains merely a hypothesis. The building had a ground floor and an upper floor. The walls of the ground floor rooms were gilded with golden Cordoba leather, and the ceilings were painted with scenes that matched the rooms’ purposes. In the back there was a small building where the kitchen and pantry were located, and at the back of the courtyard were stables, warehouses and staff accommodation rooms, next to which were flowers and grass. Next door was the "old house" bought by N.T. Popp from the Bengescu family, a house described by Al. Kiriţescu in the play "Gaiţele" (”The Jays”). In Nicolae Popp's house, after August 23, 1944, the Military Tribunal was established and the family members were forced to move to the old house where they lived until the summer of 1948 when they were evicted even from there. Source: www.facebook.com/craiovadeieri/ Photo: www.facebook.com/craiovadeieri/

The Schina House in Craiova, nicknamed "The Little Louvre", is a historic architectural monument located near the central area of the city. The building is located on Calea Unirii, at no. 70, near Feraru House and opposite of Teodoru House. Built at the end of the 19th century in the Renaissance style, the house belonged to Dr. Constantin Schina, who is said to have been the chief physician of Craiova for a period of time. Schina House was sold after 1943 by the descendants of the doctor to a Craiova lawyer named Popescu. Between 1979 and 1996, the Museum of History of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Gomoiu" functioned in the building, founded by prof. Dr. Mihail Şcheau based on the "Pharmacy History Collection" organized in 1963 by pharmacists Gheorghe Cismărescu (1900-1964) and Nicolae Zahacinschi (1919-1988). The core of the museum, donated by Dr. Viorica Gomoiu in 1972, consisted of museum pieces gathered during his life by the great physician and historian of medicine Victor Gomoiu. Among the collections of the museum were two works by Constantin Brâncuşi, " Écorché" (one of the four or five existing copies, and the second remaining in Craiova, apart from the one preserved at the Carol I National College) and the bust of General Carol Davila. After 1996, lawyer Popescu's descendants claimed ownership of the building in which the museum was functioning. In 1997, they won the building in court, the collections of the museum being evacuated. The management of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova and the "Victor Gomoiu" Foundation decided to transfer the collections to the University of Targu Jiu in order to establish a medical faculty. The pieces are now located in the building of the Faculty of Medical Assistance, Dental Technique, Art and Physical Culture in Târgu Jiu. Later, in the former Schina House functioned a research institute. Currently Schina House is privately owned. Source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro Photo: www.monumenteoltenia.ro

Hotelul “New York” din Craiova este una dintre clădirile reprezentative de pe principala stradă de promenadă a orașului, Calea Unirii, fiind situat vis-a-vis de alt binecunoscut edificiu-monument, Hotelul Casino Minerva. Construit la cumpăna dintre secolele XIX-XX sub numele de Hotel Geblescu, a surprins la acea vreme prin luxul și silueta sa impunătoare. Clădirea fostului hotel se află pe lista monumentelor istorice din anul 1975. Sursa: www.monumenteoltenia.ro/ Foto: www.monumenteoltenia.ro/

The Ionel (Iancu) Pleșia House is an architectural monument of the late 19th century in Craiova, located in the historical center of the city, near the former Victoria Store. An architectural jewel both on the outside and the sumptuous interiors, Pleşia House is hosting the headquarters of the Omnia branch of the National Library of Romania. Ionel Plesia House was built between 1890-1892 in an eclectic style of neoclassical predominance at the façade and neo-baroque at the interior. The architect is unknown, but the impressive building is supposed to be the work of the Frenchman Albert Galleron, who also designed in Romania the Romanian Athenaeum and the Palace of the National Bank of Romania in Bucharest, the Constantin Vălimărescu House in Craiova, the Dimitrie Ghika Palace in Comăneşti and numerous boyars' houses in Bucharest and the province. According to other sources, the Ion G. Pleșea houses were built in 1905 following the plans of the architect Iohan Goetz. The building was seized in the 1950s by the Romanian state. After the seizure, the building had different purposes. In September 1989, a conference presided by Zoia Ceaușescu was held in the Mirrors Hall of the Pleșia House and, fascinated by the beauty of the building, she would have proposed to Nicolae and Elena Ceaușescu to turn it into their third residence in Craiova (along with the Barbu Drugă House and the Jianu House). Apparently, an investment of 2-3 million lei was immediately approved for the preparation of the house in order to begin the redevelopment, which lasted until December 1989 when the works were stopped by the coming of the Revolution. After the fall of the communist regime, upon receiving a fund of books donated by the EquiLibre Association and following countless petitions from a group of people of culture in the city (Marin Sorescu - editor-in-chief of Ramuri magazine in Craiova), Craiova City Hall provided a space for their hosting at the ground floor of Pleșia House. This is when the prestigious cultural institution, which is today the French Omnia Library, was set up. On May 25, 1990, following the order signed by Andrei Pleșu, then Minister of Culture, the Omnia Library became a subsidiary of the National Library of Romania. The official inauguration of the library took place on July 23, 1991, in the presence of prestigious guests, personalities of the cultural and political life of Craiova, from the country and from abroad. Since 2000, the building has returned to the patrimony of culture following a Governmental Decision. Source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro/ Photo: www.monumenteoltenia.ro

The Poenaru House was built in 1890-1895 by the Italian company Adotti and belonged to a family that had large estates, namely that of Constantin Poenaru. The sumptuous building was built with the help of architects Ion Mincu, I.D. Berindei and Duiliu Marcu. The Students' House functioned in the building. The building is a monument where elements of the late French baroque style and neo-classical French style come together on the exterior, and the late Baroque and Rococo styles are intertwined in the interior. From the Great Hall of Honor, a T-shaped marble staircase allows, to the east and west, access to the basement. On the left and right of the staircase there are two large mirrors made of Venetian crystal. At the end of it was the Honor Chamber, accessible through a wide door with four sashes. From here one can pass to the other rooms through ornate doors. Source: https://audiotravelguide.ro