The Book and Romanian Exile Museum
The Book and Romanian Exile Museum

The Book and Romanian Exile Museum

Monument Museum Architectural attraction

About

The "Museum of the Romanian Book and Exile" constitutes a unique, large-scale project, whose well-defined purpose is the reunification of Romanian culture with the cultural patrimony produced outside the country, from the post-war Romanian exile up to the present day. Its holdings include nearly 40 collections of immense value in terms of their content: The "Academician Basarab Nicolescu" Collection; The "Leonid Mămăligă" Collection; The "Neuilly Circle" Archive Collection; The "Hyperion Association" Archive Collection; The "Mircea Milcovitch and Maria Mesterou" Collection; The "Andrei Șerban" Collection; The "Paul Barbăneagră" Collection; The "Corneliu Șerban Popa" Collection; The "Vintilă Horia" Collection; The "Cicerone Poghirc" Collection; The "Andrei Codrescu" Collection; The "Carmen Firan and Andrei Sângeorzan" Donation; The "Victor Cupșa" Collection; The "Constantza Buzdugan" Donation; The "Bujor Nedelcovici" Collection; The "Cezar Vasiliu" Collection; The "Valeriu Veliman" Donation; The "Mircea Eliade" Collection; The "Emil Cioran" Collection; The "Ileana and Romulus Vulpescu" Collection; The "Șerban Viorel and Rodica Stănoiu" Donation; The "Academician Dan Berindei" Collection; The "Academician Dinu C. Giurescu" Collection; The "Academician Ștefan Ștefănescu" Donation; The "Romanian Institute/Romanian Library in Freiburg" Donation; The "George Banu" Collection; The "Dumitru Milcoveanu" Collection; The "Octav Calleya" Collection; The "Horia-Dinu Nicolaescu" Donation; The "Nicolas Adam" Collection; The "Ion Deaconescu" Donation; The "Aurora Cornu" Collection; The "Miron Kiropol" Collection; The "Grigore Arbore" Collection; The "Theodor Damian" Collection; The "George Roca" Collection; The "Romanian-American Academy of Arts and Sciences" Collection; The "Romanian Exile Memory at the National Romanian Television" Collection. The project emerged from the need to create an overview of Romanian spiritual creations, made beyond the country's borders during the communist regime.

The uniqueness of the Museum's holdings lies within a formidable, remarkable diversity, easily noticeable, especially in terms of the fields represented, ranging from the humanities and social sciences, theology and music, to performing and visual arts, as well as the types of materials that make up each individual collection. When visiting a multitude of museum exhibits, one can observe handwritten dedications in highly valuable books, original manuscripts and documents from the libraries of the personalities represented in the Museum, thousands of pages of correspondence from famous exiled writers, presented for the first time to the Romanian public, as well as unique pieces of visual art in painting, sculpture, drawing, or engraving.

The archives held in the museum's collection serve as a robust testimony, a documentary fresco of the cultural, scientific, and artistic activities undertaken by personalities of the Romanian exile. They also represent an invaluable research tool for all those concerned with the creations and memories of cultural figures who settled around the globe during the era dominated by Romanian communism.

The museum's efforts, therefore, aim to popularize the works signed by prominent names of the Romanian exile which, up to now, have circulated for almost half a century solely outside the country's borders, with only a small portion being published and translated into Romanian.

Photo Gallery

Video

Similar Suggestions

Monument Architectural attraction
The Carol I High School building in Craiova is an architectural monument of national interest, built at the end of the XIX th century. The edifice is located in the central area of ​​Craiova, near the Oteteleşanu School (the current Elena Cuza National College) and the Church of the Holy Trinity, on Ioan Maiorescu Street, no. 2. The building currently houses the Carol I National College, the second oldest secondary school institution in Romania. The history of this school begins in 1826, when two former students of Gheorghe Lazar and Ion Heliade Rădulescu, professor Stanciu Capataneanu and teacher Grigore Pleşoianu set up the Secondary National School, the second secondary school in the Principalities, after St. Sava College in Bucharest . In the beginning, the Central School functioned in the cells of the Obedeanu Monastery, then at the Madona Dudu Church. In October 1832, it was bought the current land of the College, in the centre of Craiova, with the amount of 300 gold coins donated by Iordache Otetelisanu. It was not until 1842 that the first location was inaugurated, the one immortalized by the painter Theodor Aman in the painting "Hora Unirii la Craiova ". In the big hall of the school, Ion Heliade Radulescu read The Proclamation of Izlaz, while Maiorescu, the head of the institution, climbed into a tree in front of the building and read the same Proclamation to pupils and other inhabitants of Craiova. After the defeat of the Revolution of 1848, for three years, the school closes because it does not have the necessary teachers, and the Turks turn the building into a garrison and a kitchen, heating their food with the furniture and the books in the library. Through the efforts of Professor G.M. Fontanin, who becomes head of the institution for almost 30 years, the school is reopened in 1854. In 1885, by high Royal Decree, the school was named "Carol I" High School. Between 1893 and 1895, was built the current high school building costing more than one million lei. King Carol I himself added at the foundation a metal cylinder containing the official document of the construction that will become a heritage building. The frescoes from the library and the round hall were made by the painter Francis Tribalski, and the new dome building was furnished with luxurious furniture. But this location also became a hospital during the First World War. In 1948, on the occasion of the centenary of the Revolution of 1848, the high school received the name "Nicolae Bălcescu" People's College, but in 1997 it will return to the old name "Carol I", which is preserved until today. Besides, both historical personalities are considered spiritual mentors of the College of Craiova. Over the years, the outstanding results of the students gave international recognition to the "Carol I" National College. The students, guided by outstanding teachers, gained 52 international awards, including 17 gold medals, 22 silver medals and 13 bronze medals. The school library is the most important school library in the country. It was founded in 1836 and bears the name of Mihail Strajan, a high school teacher during 1881-1902. He was the one who supplied the library with books and decorated it with expensive furniture. The Mihail Strajan Library contains heritage books, such as the Bible from Bucharest (1688). The oldest book dates back to 1514. Some heritage books were part of the library of Constantin Cantacuzino. The school also take pride in its butterfly collection (donated by Claudia and Ion Stănoiu and completed by Adrian and Ioana Rusescu), which includes thousands of specimens gathered around the globe. Another important piece from the high school's heritage is the collection of rocks collected by the teachers Dumitru and Ştefania Alexandrescu. One of the high value objects ​​sheltered by the high school is "The Ecorché" by Constantin Brâncuşi, made in collaboration with doctor D. Gerota and located in the biology laboratory. Source: www.cnc.ro; https://www.facebook.com/colegiulnational/ Photo: https://www.facebook.com/colegiulnational/
Strada Ion Maiorescu 2, Craiova 200418, Romania
Architectural attraction
5.0 1 review
This building was constructed between 1898 and 1903 according to the plans of architects Thoma Dobrescu and D. Nedelcu. The building was erected on the land that was then the property of Madonna Dudu epitropy. The documents of that time speak of a contract concluded on November 23, 1896, between the epitropes of the Madonna Dudu Church in Craiova (Gh. Anghelescu and A. Carianopol) and the architect Th. Dobrescu from Bucharest "in order to make plans to rebuild a new establishment in Craiova City to replace the demolished one, called Minerva Casino, whose cost does not go as much as 500,000 lei." The building would have a shop, a confectionery and a café, and in the cellars and basements there would be facilities for the confectionery laboratories. A Club and hotel rooms would be arranged in the main body of the building. The majestic building will gather important names of the old days, becoming the symbol of yesteryear Craiova, but also a true altar of culture where artists of great value from those days kneeled. From the stage at Minerva great names started their successful journey, including Madelaine and Manu Nedeianu, Iordănescu Bruno, Ion Vasilescu, Mia Braia, Ioana Radu, Dorina Drăghici, Petre Alexandru and many others. Also, this is the place where ideas were born, plans were made, and the art of the days was debated. Here we could see Amza Pellea, Gheorghe Cozorici, Constantin Rauţchi, Silvia Popovici, Sanda Toma, Ioana Bulcă, Andreea Năstăsescu, Rodica Tăpălagă, Ioana Măgură, Vasile Constantinescu, Vasile Niţulescu, Remus Comănescu, Geo Barton, George Mărutză or Costel Rădulescu and others. Minerva also hosted important people in the world: General Charles De Gaulle, Ciu En Lai, or Nikita Khrushchev. The architectural style is less common with us, inspired by the Arabic / Moorish architecture. Specifical to this style are the door and window openings closed at the top with an arc of more than 180 degrees, enclosed openings in the arch of 180 degrees and multilobate, as well as the polychrome geometric decoration. In the old days, at the ground floor operated shops, and at the upper floors were large and stylish salons, where cards and billiards were played. It was a place not affordable by many, as the luxury and prices made it high-class, so the most frequent characters entering through its doors were the boyars of Craiova. Source: audiotravelguide.ro Photo: ro.wikipedia.org; audiotravelguide.ro
Strada Mihail Kogălniceanu 1, Craiova 200390, România
Architectural attraction Restaurant - Craiova
Open
Casa Nicolae Romanescu este un monument de arhitectură de interes național din municipiul Craiova, situat pe Calea Unirii, lângă Biserica Mântuleasa. Casa, ce a aparținut familiei Romanescu, poartă numele celebrului om politic Nicolae Romanescu (consilier, primar al Craiovei, deputat și senator timp de 48 de ani), cunoscut mai ales pentru înființarea parcului ce azi îi poartă numele.  Clădirea şi anexele interioare ale curţii au fost construite în mai multe etape, în cursul secolului al XIX-lea (cea dintâi mărturie despre casă datează din 1833), ajungând la configuraţia definitivă, care este şi acum, în anul 1903, datorită arhitectului I.D. Berindey şi antreprenorului C. Roschovsky.  Cu un an înaintea morții, Nicolae Romanescu a hotărât să lase orașului său casa în care a trăit și toate colecțiile sale.  În jurul anului 1935 casa a fost închiriată unei bănci particulare, încăperile de la parter devenind birouri cu pupitre, seifuri și ghișee. La etaj locuia familia directorului I. Dondoe.  În 1939, aici și-au găsit adăpost temporar refugiați polonezi (funcționari militari) și familiile lor.  După 1941, la demisolul clădirii au fost depozitate lăzi pline cu documente de arhivă, în speranța conservării până la sfârșitul războiului. La mansardă erau adăpostiți refugiați din Basarabia și din nordul Ardealului.  În iarna anilor 1943-1944, în dormitoarele improvizate la mansardă au fost găzduiți copiii de la orfelinatul Liceului Ortodox de Fete din strada Brestei.  În Casa Romanescu a mai funcționat o vreme Banca Românească, care și-a încetat activitatea după naționalizarea din 1948. Administrația comunistă a schimbat numele Căii Unirii în strada Vladimir Ilici Lenin, iar în casă se organizau întruniri politice și ședințe muncitorești.  Ulterior, în Casa Romanescu s-a instalat o școală cu profil financiar, iar din 1956 până în 1974, aici a avut sediul Casa Pionierilor.  Mai târziu, în Casa Romanescu avea să funcționeze Institutul de Cercetări Socio-Umane al Academiei Române, în paralel cu Casa Universitarilor.  Din 1974, Casa Romanescu mai este cunoscută și drept Casa Universitarilor, spațiu activităților cultural-științifice organizate de cadrele didactice de la Universitatea din Craiova.  În prezent, sălile Casei Romanescu găzduiesc evenimente ale Universității din Craiova: susțineri de teze de doctorat, ceremonii academice restrânse, lansări de carte, conferințe științifice, microexpoziții de artă, cenacluri culturale, întruniri colegiale și aniversări oficiale.  În prezent, Casa Universitarilor este închiriată unei firme având ca activitate restaurant unde Universitatea din Craiova poate să - şi organizeze în continuare activităţile enumerate mai sus. Sursa: www.monumenteoltenia.ro; www.ucv.ro  Foto: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1506713899467445&set=pb.100063565119237.-2207520000
Casa Nicolae Romanescu, Calea Unirii 57, Craiova 200345, România
Monument Architectural attraction
The Palace is located in Craiova, Frații Buzeşti Street, no. 10. Here, more than 100 years ago, Gogu Vorvoreanu, a well-known landowner and attorney-at-law, laid the foundation for his future family residence. For this purpose, the boyar has used the finest materials and the most talented craftsmen, desiring with all the urgency that the new construction will successfully pass through time his family crest and legacy. "Vorvoreanu" Palace was built at the beginning of the 20th century, between 1905-1910, according to the plans of famous architect Dimitrie Maimarolu. The harmony of shapes, authentically woven in a pure Renaissance style, brings together the delicacy and the finishing touches of an interior rich in ornaments with the impetuosity of the outer forms and bas-reliefs. Between 1916 and 1918 the German Military Command functioned in this palace. Vorvoreanu Palace and many other properties and assets of the family were nationalized by the Communists. Assets in the palace were not alienated. However, the sacrifice of the forerunners did not remain unpaid, and on May 31, 1964, after repeated attempts made by the representatives of the Craiova Archdiocese to the State Council of the Socialist Republic of Romania, the ”jewel” at Fratii Buzeşti Street no. 10 passed into the property of the Church, in exchange with the House of the Bania. In the old Vorvoreni courtyard, a beautiful wooden church was displaced from Tălpăşeşti, Gorj, in 1975. The holy place, dedicated to "All Saints", is more than 260 years old and was founded by the monk Daniil of the Tismana Lavra, with the support of the Tălpăşeşti population. Today it functions as a metropolitan chapel, with a liturgical daily program. Source: www.mitropoliaolteniei.ro Photo: www.monumenteromania.ro
Palatul Mitropolitan, Strada Frații Buzești 10, Craiova 200730, Romania
Monument Architectural attraction
Glogoveanu House is an architectural monument of national interest located in Craiova, on Brestei Street, no. 12. Built by the Glogoveni boyars' family in 1802 on the foundations of an 18th-century edifice, the building hosted the Craiova City Hall and then, until 2016, the Dolj County Courthouse. At the beginning of the 18th century, the Gologoveni boyars moved to Craiova, Cerneți and Râmnicu Valcea in order to be better aware of what is happening in the political, economic, social and cultural life of society. The Glogoveanu House, bought by the Overseer (vornic) Matei in 1724, remained the property of the Glogoveni boyars for almost two centuries. The end of the century coincided with bringing the young Tudor Vladimirescu to the Glogoveni house in Craiova, to learn together with the son of boyar Ioniţă Glogoveanu, Nicolae. In 1801, the building burned, but its walls were completely restored. During the Russo-Turkish wars of 1806-1812 and 1828-1829, Glogoveanu House was transformed into a hospital for Russian soldiers. The building was affected by the earthquake of 1838, after which the edifice underwent some transformations and additions. The second part of the 19th century was sprinkled with visits by King Carol I to Craiova, during which he was housed in what was then called "Glogoveanu Palace". In 1908, Nicolae Romanescu erected the northern wing of the building. The house was sold by Nicolae Glogoveanu in September 1913 to the Craiova City Hall, together with some of furniture. In this building the City Hall functioned until 1943. Between 1943 and 2016, the Dolj County Courthouse carried out its activity in the Glogoveanu House. Source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro Photo: www.monumenteoltenia.ro
Casa Glogoveanu, Strada Brestei 12, Craiova, România
Public institution Monument Architectural attraction
Closed
The Palace of the Bank of Commerce, a monumental building that houses the Craiova City Hall, is one of the most famous buildings in the city. The Bank of Commerce was designed by architect Ion Mincu in 1906 and completed in 1916 by his student, Constantin Iotzu. The building has a rich interior decorated with stuccoes, stained glass, Venetian mosaics and wrought iron grilles. On December 12, 1897 (according to other sources in 1899), the banker and liberal politician from Craiova, Constantin Neamţu, set up in Craiova the Bank of Commerce, in the form of a family business. The banking company quickly became one of the most important and successful banks with Romanian capital in the country, opening branches in several important cities. At the time of its inauguration, the Bank of Commerce was one of the most beautiful buildings in the city and even in the country, impressing both by its exterior and its interior, richly decorated with stained glass, chandeliers and mosaics. Built on 3 levels, the building had a basement (treasury bank thesaurus, various warehouses, archive, homeowner's residence, central heating, own power plant and mechanical workshop), ground floor (a vestibule, a large hall, offices and administration offices) and an upper floor (a vestibule from which, through a gallery, one can reach the hall where various offices, the boardroom and the director's office are located). During the period 1916-1918, during the German occupation in Craiova, in the new building the German general headquarters were installed. When the Germans left Oltenia, the building was devastated, as it happened with several other occupied buildings. After 1948, several institutions were operating in the building, including the Academy of Historical Sciences, Archaeology and Ethnography, the Municipal Committee of the Romanian Communist Party (PCR) and the Municipal People's Council. After the 1977 earthquake, the building benefited from current repair works. Since 1989, the former headquarters of the Bank of Commerce is the headquarters of the City Hall and the Local Municipal Council of Craiova. In 2000, a feasibility study was carried out to consolidate the building, with the intention to request funds from the World Bank. However, the proceedings were stopped due to disputes over the ownership of the building, which is why no administration has since tried to start rehabilitation works. Source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro Photo: imagoromaniae.ro; www.monumenteoltenia.ro
Strada Alexandru Ioan Cuza 7, Craiova, România
Monument
It is located in the northwest part of Filiaşi, in the immediate vicinity of the cemetery. There are also tourist signs that guide visitors to this monument. The mausoleum was erected between 1865 and 1868 by Dimitrie Filișanu, a great politician and philanthropist of the past, and is called the "Sistine Chapel of Oltenia". The historical ensemble consists of a mausoleum, surrounded by an enclosure wall. The construction is the work of a great Italian architect who drew inspiration in erecting the mausoleum from a French model. Inside are three massive walnut sarcophagi, richly decorated with sculptures. The remains of the Filișanu family are in the crypts below the sarcophagi, which have only a decorative purpose. On one of them is the family crest. One reason why the Filișanu Family Mausoleum deserves attention is the fact that it is reminiscent of the boyar Dimitrie Filișanu, a great politician of the past, who was very much involved in the Revolution of 1848 and the Union of the Principalities in 1859. Source: www.turismland.ro; www.impact-tour.eu Photo: audiotravelguide.ro: www.impact-tour.eu
Filiași 205300, România
Museum
In the courtyard on Mihail Kogălniceanu no 9, right next to the headquarters of “Alexandru and Aristia Aman” Dolj County Library, there is a small, yet history-rich building, namely the “Elena Farago” House, the oldest memorial house in Craiova. The two patrons of Craiova – the Alexandru and Aristia Aman couple – left the House by testament to be used as “residence for employees in the service of the library and the museum”. The poetess Elena Farago lived here since her naming as director of the “Alexandru and Aristia Aman” Foundation on September 1st 1921, until her passing away in January 1954. Due to the nature of the organised or hosted events, the current Memorial House had the allure of a true cultural salon, the meeting place of literary persons. The “Elena Farago” Memorial House hosts a permanent exhibition that includes 396 showpieces: furniture, personal belongings, books and reviews, as well as hundreds of original documents, photocopies, family photographs and correspondence. Each year thousands of children and young people, as well as persons interested in Elena Farago’s work and life visit the building.
Strada C. S. Nicolaescu Plopșor 9, Craiova 200733, România
Museum
Closed
Marincu Palace houses the Art and Ethnography Museum in Calafat. It was built between 1905-1907 by Ştefan Marincu, in memory of his daughter Marioara Marincu according to the plans of the architect Paul Gottereau. The works were supervised by the architect Constantin Rogalski. The exterior and interior decorations were made by construction engineer Pietro Adotti. As an architectural style, the recently rebuilt palace (2001-2002) belongs to the French neoclassicism with baroque and rococo accents and with influences of the Romanian architecture at the beginning of the 20th century. The edifice was introduced in the National Heritage, on the List of Historic Monuments, in 2003. It hosts collections and works by some great Romanian fine artists such as Nicolae Grigorescu, Henri Catargi or Theodor Pallady and sculptures by Ion Irimescu, Nicu Enea, George Demetrescu Mirea. The folk art collection of the museum includes traditional clothing and carpets, braids, tools and household items. In September 2012 a department dedicated to the history of Calafat was opened , with the important support of the Florentza and Ilie Marincu families, descendants of the family who built this palace and who made important donations to the museum, including the concert piano and the chandelier in The Great Hall of Mirrors. Source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro Photo source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro
Strada 22 Decembrie 6, Calafat 205200, România