Nicolae Romanescu Statue

The statue was erected in the memory of Nicolae Romanescu, former mayor of Banie in 1898, 1901-1916, 1929. He was one of the most emblematic figures of the city and he contributed to the development of Craiova in the early XXth century.
Mayor Nicolae Romanescu was a descendant of an old boyar family, and in 1883 he was the municipal councilor of Craiova.

The Romanescu Park is the testimony of the love that Nicolae P. Romanescu beared for his town, and the place where the former mayor of Craiova rests for eternity. The remains of Nicolae Romanescu are burried under the Belvedere Dome or the temple of love, as the construction from the main entrance to the park, located on the Carmen – Sylva hill is known to the public. He was buried initially in the Ungureni graveyard, but in 1978, the son of the great mayor consented to the relocation of his remains in the Belvedere Dome. There is a bronze plaque on the temple of love which states: "Nicolae P. Romanescu born in 1855, deceased on August 31, 1931. Visionary and perseverant mayor, honorary citizen of Craiova". This is where the former mayor, as he wished, watches over the welfare of Craiova.
On August 31, 1931, mayor Nicolae Romanescu died. His death wish was to be buried upright, not lying , so that he could watch over the city of Craiova to see how it is managed. He also requested to be carried to the graveyard in an oxen cart, accompanied by young boys and girls, dressed in national costumes. Only purple flowers should be brought.

He was carried in an oxen cart decorated with thousands of purple flowers and traditional Romanian carpets. Young boys and girls dressed in national costumes and tens of thousands of inhabitants of Craiova accompanied him, that late August, to the grave at Ungureni cemetery. “But he was not buried upright as he wished”, writes Petre Gigea Gorun, in his work "People and Events of Craiova", a fact the author heard from the two sons of Nicolae Romanescu, Radu N. Romanescu and dr. Nicolae N. Romanescu.
Nicolae Romanescu loved Craiova "as you love a mother, and even a girlfriend, a betrothed that you would like to see as happy as possible, as accomplished as possible. May God help us, to work, united and in harmony, for the welfare of our city ", as he himself testified.

He placed Craiova on the map of Europe and turned nature into a real tourist attraction. A visionary in a French meaning, he was the first to develop important urban projects: public hygiene, sanitation, sewage, drinking water, street lighting, tramway networks, electricity, parks and pavements.

Source: audiotravelguide.ro