Places

The Stoilov-Bolintineanu House is a historic architectural monument of local interest, located in the center of Craiova, on Calea Unirii, no. 5 (near Valea Vlăicii), opposite to the Constantin Vălimărescu House. The building, dating back to the end of the 19th century, belonged to General Simion Stoilov, the father of the great Romanian mathematician Simion Stoilov. The Stoilov-Bolintineanu House has a three-level height (basement, ground floor and attic). On the exterior, the main entrance stands out (from Savinesti street), covered by an awning, as well as the decorations and frames of the windows on the facade facing Calea Unirii. Source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro/casa-stoilov-bolintineanu/

Constantin Vălimărescu House is a historical monument of local interest architecture, located in downtown Craiova, on Calea Unirii, no. 4. The building is surrounded by other significant historical monuments in Craiova, including the Stoilov-Bolintineanu House, the National Bank of Romania - the Dolj headquarters and the All Saints Catholic Church. The building dates back from the end of the 19th century (1892-1893) and was built by the entrepreneurs Costa and Nedelcu, according to the plans of the French architect Albert Galleron. The building has four levels (basement, ground floor, floor and attic), a monumental entrance and a spacious courtyard with several access ways (pedestrian and car). The main gate leads to the main entrance to the building, crossing the courtyard through a paved alley. Source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro

The Vârvoreanu House is one of the buildings included in the list of historical monuments of Dolj County, being built at the end of the 19th century. Today there is a kindergarten functioning in the building. Photo: Monumentalist

Vernescu House is a historic architectural monument from the beginning of the 20th century, located near the center of Craiova. The house is located on Metropolitan Firmilian Street, at no. 20, and is neighboring another local architectural monument, Pencioiu House. The house belonged to Dr. Dumitru Vernescu, one of the representative figures of the medical community in Romania in the first part of the 20th century. Vernescu House has a three-level height scheme (basement, ground floor and attic) and an internal courtyard surrounding the house, enclosed with a cement and iron fence (facing the street). On the exterior of the house, some elements stand out: a decoration of apparent brick, decorations around the windows and cornices, decorative plaster with intricate letters D and V, tin roof with windows and skylights, brick baskets and the balcony on the western façade. The door and window framing is wooden. The visible facades (western, eastern and southern) are degraded, with the plaster missing on large areas. Source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro/casa-vernescu-craiova/ Photo: Mihai Murărețu

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

Casa Vrăbiescu is a historical architectural monument from the middle of the 19th century, located near Craiova`s downtown. The house is located on Calea Unirii, no. 100, and is right next to another local architectural monument, Casa Caleteanu. The house belonged to the Vrăbiescu family, its most representative owner being Iulian Vrăbiescu, jurist and politician, prefect of Dolj, deputy and chairman of the Senate in 1931. House Vrăbiescu has three levels (basement, ground floor and floor). On the northern side it is bordered by Casa Caleteanu, the eastern façade is on Calea Unirii, and the western one on Str. Gheorghe Doja. The main entrance is through a covered gang, closed with tin gates, leading to the interior yard. Above the entrance is a closed balcony with windows fixed in metal structure. From an ornamental point of view, the eastern façade of the building is distinguished by a rich ornamentation and delicate, artistic details such as those above the upstairs windows and the cornice. The windows carpentry is made of wood, while the ornament above the entrance gate, the balcony structure and the balcony-style fences from the upstair windows are made of metal. The exterior façades (eastern and southern) are extremely degraded (fallen plaster, pierced by bars of iron concrete reinforcement, broken windows). Source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro

The Dianu Houses are a small architectural jewel of Craiova. Located right in the city center, they have always been some of Craiova's most attractive buildings. Spacious and solid, they amazed the locals when they were finished in 1902. The facades loaded with floral ornaments and balconies in the Art Nouveau style with wrought-iron railings, were enjoyed so much by the local aristocracy that they began to be copied. The Dianu House has a single upper floor and is beautifully decorated with window-frames, with a masonry corner balcony and another forged iron balcony towards A. I. Cuza Street. It has a steep slope roof with a truncated pyramid shaped dome on the corner and another pyramid shaped dome above the alleyway towards A. I. Cuza. On the side towards Panait Moșoiu Street, there is a truncated pyramid shaped dome exactly at the middle of the building. On this side there is another wrought iron balcony and another masonry balcony towards the area called the "Small Crossroad". On the ground floor there were always two or three shops of little importance, visited by those who descended towards the "Small Crossroad". In the summer of 1934, in Craiova it was held the trial of the railwaymen and oil miners who had organized big strikes in the previous year. During the trial, a "defense committee" was set up and the newspaper "Defense of the Railwaymen" appeared. The headquarters of the editorial office were initially in the house of lawyer Costel Dianu (A.I. Cuza Street, no.16) opposite to today’s National Theater. The Dianu House was later the headquarters of the Craiova Committee against the Imperial War of Looting and Conquest, which included Mihail Cruceanu, Eugen Constant, av. Nicu Popilian and av. Costel Dianu. The facade of the house was renovated in 2014, following the City Hall's decision of renovating the aspect of the entire historical center of Craiova Source: vladimirrosulescu-istorie.blogspot.com/2016/05/casa-dianu-aicuza.html Photo: https://www.facebook.com/craiovadeieri/

The Charmed Castle of Craiova is located in the most famous and popular park in the city, the "Nicolae Romanescu" Park. However, the fact that it is in a less visible place, being hidden among the trees, has made it less known to tourists, until a few years ago. The Charmed Castle was built in 1905 with the purpose of concealing the water tower in the park. It was built in a romantic style and was one of the meeting places of the Craioveni. The castle is located near the Suspended Bridge, another popular park sight. It separates two hills and is above a water.

Constantin Brancusi is honored in a unique way in Craiova. The huge glass “egg” constructed in the courtyard of the Craiova Art Museum  represents an unparalleled construction in the artistic and architectural world, a real attraction for the enthusiasts of Brancusi's work, for those fascinated by modern art, as well as for those hunting spectacular objectives. The architect of the glass prism is the famous Dorin Stefan. He wanted to make an unprecedented project, a work on the border between sculpture and bold architecture. Dorin Ștefan was inspired by a sketch made by the great Constantin Brâncuși for the “Temple of Meditation”, a monument he had designed at the request of a Maharajah who wanted to build a mausoleum dedicated to the memory of his wife. In fact, the shape of the egg is found in many of the works of the famous sculptor. The idea of building a center dedicated to Brancusi was assumed by Dolj County Council, and the unique project of glass construction became a reality. The prism, 12 meters high, consists of slats and glass pillars weighing over 200 tons. Below the glass volume is a multifunctional underground pavilion, from inside which the access inside the “egg” is made, with an elevator that offers the perspective of another famous work of Brancusi, the Great Bird (Maiastra). The two overlapping structures, the gallery and the glass signal, form  a complete and complex interactive cultural objective: the “Constantin Brancusi” International Center.  Inside the pavilion there are exhibition spaces, but also areas that can host conferences and shows. At the heart of the concept of exhibition are the life and works of the great sculptor, and the way of presentation is an interactive one. Constantin Brancusi International Center was inaugurated in September 2022, offering Craiova a tourism product of international interest. Visitors have the opportunity to see both the attractive and interactive exhibitions of the center and the Jean Mihail Palace, a construction dating back to 1907 and hosting the Art Museum. Among the valuable exhibits of the museum there are also six Brancusi works: Miss Pogany, Ego, Kiss, Torso, Child's Head and Vitellius. 

The County Centre for Conservation and Promotion of the Traditional Culture Dolj is a public cultural institution with legal personality, subordinated to Dolj County Council, specialized in researching, collecting, archiving, transmitting and promoting the traditional culture in Dolj County, as well as highlighting the potential of the contemporary crafts in our county. It was established on December 1, 1955, by State Decree, under the name of Regional Centre for Traditional Crafts in Oltenia, an institution meant to guide and control amateur artistic activities, with a focus, for many years, on the ​​mass culture. The Community Centres (at that time, there were also neighborhood community centres in each city) and the Local Houses of Culture were subordinated to the Regional Centre for Traditional Crafts. Over the years, this institution has also been named: The Guiding Centre for Traditional Arts and Crafts Mass Movement Dolj, The Centre for Traditional Culture Dolj, County Centre for the Conservation and Development of the Traditional Culture, and since 2003, the County Centre for the Conservation and Promotion of the Traditional Culture Dolj, its current title. Objectives: - Ethnological and anthropological research; - Conservation (archiving) of the traditions and perennial values ​​of folk culture, their defense against pollution and degradation trends -Developing traditions in contemporary times, encouraging the process of folk creation in all artistic genres, promoting through the media and prints the creators and performers of authentic folk tradition and creation -Initiating, organizing and developing annually cultural - artistic manifestations specific to traditional culture (Commune days, competitions, local festivals, etc.).

The main objective of the activity of the County Centre for Nature Protection, Tourism and Sustainable Rural Development Dolj is to ensure the management and the exploitation of the Dolj county`s natural heritage by fulfilling the tasks of the Dolj County Council regarding the management of Natura 2000 sites and the protected natural areas, improving the quality of life in rural areas through sustainable development and tourism promotion in Dolj county.

Opened in 2016, in one of the flagship buildings of Craiova, namely the Damianov House, The Cross-Border Centre for Communication and Information Dolj-Vratsa functions within the frame of “Alexandru and Aristia Aman” Dolj County Library. Conceived as a cross-border hub which aims at contributing to the consolidation of communication and information on both sides of the Danube, the Centre coordinates the process of ongoing development of the information portal and online catalogue which all interested parties can consult in order to access heritage documents, press articles, maps, photographs and all other materials made available by institutions involved in the project – libraries, museums, archives etc. – from Dolj County and the Bulgarian Region of Vratsa. The Cross-Border Centre for Communication and Information Dolj-Vratsa promotes joint business opportunities, public partnerships at all levels, as well as social and cultural exchanges between communities in Dolj and Vratsa.

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/

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 building in which the secondary headquarters of Craiova City Hall are located, on A. I. Cuza Street, at no. 1, dates from 1900-1905 and is on the list of historical monuments. It was built according to the plans of architect Otto Hesselmann. According to archive records, the building was designed from the very beginning to have two purposes. Here, a hotel, but also a bank office, were supposed to operate. To fulfill the first purpose, the Palace Hotel was designed in a manner specific to most of the early 20th century hotels in Bucharest. As in the capital, the hotel was positioned on a street corner, with two main facades and entrances and apartments located right on the corner of the building. The double utility of the building can be seen on the inside. Architects talk about a special concept of "building inside the building" that can be noticed as soon as you enter the building. The ground floor and the first floor have been fitted with a large indoor hall and many counters to serve as bank office. On the second, third and attic floors are the apartments where the guests of the Palace Hotel were accommodated. The most interesting element of interior decoration is the main skylight. Located on the first floor, it functions as a "light garden", according to the specialists. The building also had many beautiful paintings and wainscots, especially in the hotel rooms, but they have deteriorated over time. Five earthquakes have passed over this building, beginning with the one in 1908 and ending with the one fromt the 1990s. They have seriously affected the building’s resistance structure. Despite the fact that the traces of time can be easily observed everywhere in the building, local authorities say that no consolidation work has been done, not even after the earthquake of 1977. Source: https://audiotravelguide.ro/hotel-palace-craiova/ Photo: https://audiotravelguide.ro/hotel-palace-craiova/; www.monumenteoltenia.ro

Puţureanu Inn is a heritage building located in the old historical centre of Craiova, in the Old Square (Elca Square), near major monuments and tourist attractions - the former Central School of Girls (today the Oltenia Museum), Madona Dudu Church, Hurezi Inn , The Swineherd's Fountain, the St. Dumitru Cathedral and the Bania House. The edifice, erected by merchant Niţă D. Puţureanu, is a wonderful building with an architecture specific to 19th-century mansions, that unfortunately reached an advanced stage of degradation. Puţureanu Inn was set up and built by merchant Niţă D. Puţureanu, born in 1845 in a modest peasants family from Puţuri village-Dolj. Alcohol and tobacco business, lending, renting properties that they buy over time, turn him into one of the representatives of the great bourgeoisie of Craiova. At his death (in February 1910), the inn and the outbuildings remain in the care and administration of his son Mihail, lawyer, clerk and librarian at Dolj Bar. Despite the competition represented by the newer and more spacious hotels, offering luxurious facilities,like Minerva Hotel and Geblescu Hotel (Hotel New York), set up at the beginning of the 20th century, the inn was still in use until the First World War. After 1918, for 30 years, Mihail Putureanu rented his father's shops to various merchants and the inn's rooms to new tenants. In the spring of 1945, Red Army officers will occupy several apartments of the inn. The building was nationalized in 1950, following the Decree no. 92 regarding the nationalization of some buildings. In 1996, by court order, the former owners acquired the ownership of the building. Source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro/hanul-putureanu-craiova/ Photo: www.facebook.com/Craiova-veche-in-imagini-259281224357, artmarkhistoricalestate.ro

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

The Monument of Buzesti Brothers, work of art of the sculptor Boris Caragea, is located in the corner of the Garden of Roses or the Garden of Bania, near the Bania House, in front of the Buzeşti Brothers National College. The work of art represents Preda, Stroe and Radu Buzescu. On the statue's socket is engraved: "Preda, Stroe and Radu Buzescu, captains in the army of Michael the Brave (1593-1601). Honor and eternal gratitude to our heroes who fought fearlessly for freedom, unity and independence, laying the foundation for the construction of socialist Romania. " Source: memorielocala.aman.ro

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.

Built between 1898 and 1907 in the middle of a city caught in the fever of the innovations of the early twentieth century, the Mihail Palace stands out by the execution details that have the distinction of a meticulously crafted jewellery. Thus, it reflects the exigencies and social status of one of the richest men of that time, and the ambition and the spirit of competition which helped him make a fortune. So, as Gh. Grigore Cantacuzino, nicknamed the "Nabob", in Bucharest and the royal advisor Vălimărescu, across the street, assigned the building of their houses to the famous architect Albert Galleron who had also made the projects of other important buildings in the Kingdom - the Romanian Athenaeum, Constantin Mihail could accept nothing less for himself. He contracted another famous name at the time, Paul Gottereau - the architect of the Royal Court and the creator of the Royal Palace, of the Palace of the "Carol I" University Foundation, the CEC Palace etc. Reflecting on the prevailing trend of the time, that of an eclecticism which successfully combined the rigor of the French academicism with late Baroque elements, the plan of the construction has many similarities with the plan of the Cheverny Palace in the Loire Valley, recognized as an example of architectural balance and elegance. The exterior details and the ornaments on the facade, the window frames and the ironwork of the balconies, prepare the viewer's eye for the exquisite grandeur hidden inside. In the hall of honour, in the reception lounges and in the music room, in the living rooms, but also in all other areas not necessarily having a specific destination for social events, the building materials were of the highest quality: Carrara marble, Murano crystal and Venetian mirrors, decorative ironwork, Lyon silk, gilded mouldings, furniture and art objects, generally purchased from Vienna with the aid of the rich Dumba family, with which Constantin Mihail was closely related. But not only these standards of luxury are impressive. We should also mention the skylights and the large windows, designed to provide the space with as much natural light as possible, and also the technical equipment used to provide comfort all around the house, all exceptional for that period of time, including electricity and the "Roman type" heating system with pipes inserted in the walls and floors. The Palace has 29 rooms (plus annexes) of which the most spectacular is the Hall of Mirrors Inaugurated in 1909 by the two sons, Nicolae and Jean - as Constantin Mihail had died the year before, the Palace began its representation mission, which was intended from the beginning. Jean Mihail was a cultivated man and a person with broad views. He had studied law in Paris, wanting to devote to a political career. Being a prominent member of the high society and part of the restrictive circle at the Royal Court, he hosts the royal family in his palace in 1913, at the inauguration of the monument "That's the music that I love", called so after the remark of Charles I when hearing the cannon shots that marked the start of the War of Independence in 1877. The monument was destroyed immediately after the communists come to power. Two years later, King Ferdinand and Princess Mary are welcomed at the palace together with General Averescu, who were coming to visit the Military Hospital in Craiova. In 1936, Jean Mihail, the last descendant of the family, dies, leaving his entire fortune to the Romanian state, by will. And it really was an impressive fortune considering that, during the economic crisis of 1929-1933, he guaranteed with it the loans contracted by the Romanian state from the foreign banks. His gesture reflects a high civic sense and a patriotism of the noblest kind – and this is why the building remained in the public consciousness as the Jean Mihail Palace. At the beginning of World War II, when Romania generously housed Polish refugees, the Polish President Ignacy Moscicki with his family and Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły - the chief commander of the Polish armed forces, were housed at the palace. Furthermore, here, in 1940, Romania and Bulgaria signed the Treaty of Craiova by which the Quadrilateral is ceded to Bulgaria. The palace was first opened to the public between the 24th and the 31st of October 1943, during the "Week of Oltenia" event under the patronage of the Royal Cultural Foundation and during which some of the works of Constantin Brancusi were exposed for the first time in Craiova, (Head of a boy, Head of a girl and The Kiss). From 1945 to 1950, the palace became the headquarters of ARLUS (Romanian Association for Tightening the Relations with the Soviet Union), and then of the Regional Committee of the RMP in Oltenia, whose secretary was Nicolae Ceausescu (probably out of sentimental reasons he later decided, after having become the General Secretary of the Communist Party and the President of the Romanian Socialist Republic, to preserve and restore the building after it had been severely damaged during the earthquake of 1977). Since 1954, following the decision of setting up an art collection, the building was transferred in the patrimony of the City People's Council heritage and became the headquarters of the Art Museum of Craiova. Part of the "Alexander and Aristia Aman” Pinacoteca was moved here, including, besides the library, furniture and paintings belonging to the Dutch, Flemish, Italian and French schools from the XVII-XIX century, paintings and graphics by Theodor Aman, Romanian and foreign decorative art. Its patrimony was extended during the interwar period through purchases made by the city and due to the donations from the great noble families of Craiova: Mihail, Romanescu, Cornetti, Glogoveanu etc. The acquisitions continued in the post-war period and transfers have been made from the National Museum of Art and the central state funds. Currently, the patrimony of the Museum consists of over 8,000 works of European and Romanian art. The collection includes the most important names of the Romanian painting and sculpture: Theodor Aman, Nicolae Grigorescu, Nicolae Tonitza, Ștefan Luchian, Gheorghe Petrașcu, Theodor Pallady, Eustațiu Stoenescu, Ion Țuculescu, Gheorge Anghel, Dimitrie Paciurea. The most valuable works of art from those held by the museum are six pieces from the works of the titan of the universal modern art, Constantin Brancusi: Vitellius, Head of a girl, Head of a boy, Torso Fragment (or Thigh), Miss Pogany and The Kiss.

The Henri Coanda Exhibition is hosted in the old town hall building, at the initiative of the Romanian Propaganda and Aeronautics History Association - Craiova Branch. There are two halls dedicated to the great scholar's memory, exhibiting objects related to his childhood partly spent in Perişor. In front of the museum was placed a bronze bust of Henri Coanda. Also in the yard of the museum you can see an IAR - 93 plane, one of the first Romanian flying machines to which the Romanian scientist contributed. The museum features a variety of ethnographic cultural objects. It can be visited upon request. Source: ghidulmuzeelor.cimec.ro

Bania House, a monument of medieval architecture and the oldest civil building in Craiova, was built in the late fifteenth century by the Craioveşti noblemen and it was rebuilt in 1699 by the prince martyr Constantin Brancoveanu. From the initial construction done by Craioveşti only part of the cellar is preserved. In the midst of history, the old foundation was burned many times, it passed through different dominations and administrations and "suffered" architectural changes, additions and deletions according to their needs. Thus, between 1718 - 1739, in Baniei House is based the austrian administration, which strengthens it for defense. In 1750, the building is transferred by ruler Grigore Ghica to the Diocese of Râmnic. Since 1850, the building became headquarters for various institutions of the city: Craiova’s Court, Buzeşti Brothers’ High School, the Local Seminar, the State Archives. Since 1933, the building will house the Museum of Oltenia until 1948, when its use is switched to the Metropolitan Church of Oltenia. Since 1966, the old brancovenian architectural monument hosts the Department of Ethnography from the Museum of Oltenia. The Department of Ethnography organizes: permanent and temporary exhibitions including ethnographic documentary valuables (of traditional and contemporary art from its property patrimony or belonging to other institutions), communication sessions, symposiums, meetings with field specialists, book launches, ethnographic film screenings and other para and meta-museum activities. The Department of Ethnography provides to the public: specialized information, bibliographies on the models and values of the culture and the traditional arts; specialized publications edited by the museum with ethno-folk specific, including the annual of Oltenia, Studies and Communications, Ethnography, and other publicity materials: leaflets, guidebooks, postcards, aso, contemporary traditional art objects (ceramics, icons, fabrics, painted eggs, musical instruments, aso.) and traditional art objects, for sale, at "The cartful of pots" store.

Brief summary of the History-Archaeology In the XVII-XIX century, in the main building where the History-Archaeology Department within Oltenia Museum is located, there was a spring from where water carriers took drinkable water and sold it in the historical area of Craiova. The ground belonged to the Maica Precista Church from Dud, today called Madona Dudu. On the same ground, there was a part from an old and ancient forest, of which a small part is still preserved nowadays, in the park Mihai Bravu. The ground belonged to Brînduşa slum as well, which was divided by a bourn, merging Vâlcea Valey to one of the Jiu branches from those days. In front of the current building, there was a wooden footbridge which connected with the Dorobănţia slum, where people from Dorobănţia lived, who maintained order in Craiova and had military obligations as well. At the end of the XIX century, supported by a donation made to the Madona Dudu Foundation by a certain Preda, the municipality considered the idea of building an asylum. Under these terms, the project of the future building contained a yard with a closed interior and the windows were barred at a greater height than the usual buildings. The management of Craiova town, who received this land by donation, decided that building such a hospital would be inappropriate, as it was too close to the town centre. As a result, the hospital would be built in a location outside Craiova. With funds from the Ministry of Education, supplemented by funds from Craiova city hall, at the beginning of the XX century, the construction of its current residence began. The construction of the History-Archaeology Department building from Oltenia Museum, made after architect Fr. Billek’s plans, was finished in 1906 and inaugurated in the autumn of the same year, on the occasion of the 40 years anniversary celebration of the reign of king Carol I, building that served as an elementary school for boys and girls. This place also served as a shelter for orphan children, who had an opportunity to learn a profession. With funds collected on their own through different methods: objects handcrafted by pupils and sold by the “Doamnele Craiovene Committee” during holidays over the year, they would provide food for many poor pupils, all managed by the priests of the Madona Dudu church. In November 1940, the building was seriously damaged by an earthquake and the school was temporary transferred before further restoration. In 1948, all religious buildings and private schools were suppressed by the Communist regime. As a result, at the direct intervention of future scholar C.S. Nicolăescu-Plopşor and his colleague, Ştefan Voitec, at that time secretary of education, the building was granted to Oltenia Museum. In this location, the State archives, as well as archives of all Craiova museums, would be initially registered.

Inaugurated on December 2, 1923 under the title "Museum of Natural History Craiova", by the members of Craiova Scientific Circle managed by Prof. Marin Demetrescu, teacher of natural sciences, the museum became a department of Oltenia Regional Museum in 1928. On May 13, 1928 it was decided that the Museum of Natural History Craiova, having extended its management area to the collections of the Museum of Ethnography and Antiquities Dolj county during 1927, should "restrict the exploration area to Oltenia region" (Vincenz, 1928) and function under the title “Oltenia Regional Museum”, managed by Prof. Marin Demetrescu. At first, the Department of Natural Sciences was operational in the Prefecture building; between 1934 - 1948 the department moved to the current office of the Ethnography Department, and between 1949 - 1975 it was operational in the current office of the Archeology – History Department. During this period, the patrimony of the Department of Natural Sciences was opened for visitors under various exhibition forms until 1963, when the basic exhibition was introduced into the exhibition circuit, installed in the building ground floor at 44 Madona Dudu Street, performed according to a thematic project drafted by Prof. Dr. Ioan Firu. This exhibition was phased-out in the year 1975 to extend the basic exhibition of the Archeology – History Department. Between the years 1975 - 1986, in the absence of the required space, the exhibition within the Department of Natural Sciences closed and was followed by specific activities with the aim to complete, diversify, record and scientifically improve the museum patrimony. The new exhibition campaign began on March 13, 1986, on the building ground floor at 8 Popa Sapca Street where it also continues to be operational nowadays, when two temporary exhibitions have been introduced: “Butterflies – Flying Petals” and “Animal World”. The two exhibitions have been regularly followed by dozens of temporary exhibitions with the aim to renew the enhanced patrimony with museum pieces resulting from research activities performed by curators. At least four temporary exhibitions have been showed annually at the Department’s office, some of them being also exhibited in other museums in the country (Drobeta Turnu Severin, Timişoara, Târgu Mureş, Brăila, Curtea de Argeş, Suceava, Bacău, Bârlad, Bistriţa Năsăud etc). On September 18, 2008, the basic exhibition from the 1st floor has been opened and installed after implementing the project “Enhancing tourist attractiveness of Craiova municipality and Dolj county by installing the basic exhibition at the 1st floor of the Department of Natural Sciences within Oltenia Museum in Craiova”, submitted on December 16, 2002 within PHARE Program 2001 Economic and Social Cohesion – Non-refundable financing scheme for small infrastructure projects, by Dolj County Council, in partnership with Oltenia Museum – Department of Natural Sciences (photos 1-3). On February 22 2012 the basic paleontology exhibition “Oltenia – Terra fossilis” has also been introduced, installed at the building ground floor located in 8 Popa Şapcă Street.

The Administrative Palace of Craiova, located at 19 Calea Unirii, is one of the most representative buildings in the city. Built in the first part of the 20th century according to the plans of architect Petre Antonescu, in the neo-Romanian style promoted by Ion Mincu, the edifice today houses two of the most important institutions of the county: the Prefecture and the Dolj County Council. The Administrative Palace was built at the beginning of the 20th century, most probably between 1912-1913 (the starting year of the construction differs from source to source, from 1907/1909/1910/1912). It is said that Prime Minister Ion I. C. Bratianu, present at Craiova at the liberal meeting of June 24, 1909, would have been present at the placement of the act at the foundation of the building. The constructor appointed by Antonescu for building the Administrative Palace was Giovanni Battista Peressutti. From an aesthetic point of view, the façade decoration is distinguished by the numerous original elements, but which reinterpret the elements of the old Romanian architecture: the roof with green enameled tile, decorative elements of zinc sheet and skylights, the loggias, balconies and bay windows on the side façades of the floor, the console crevasses, the trilobal springs from the windows, the window frames, the columns, friezes and stone sinks, the decorative brackets or rainwater gutters, modeled with the twisted rope motif. Starting with April 1, 1915, the Prefectural Palace hosted at the ground floor the Dolj County Antiquities and Ethnography Museum, set up at the initiative of history professor Ştefan Ciuceanu, and from 1928 it became the Regional Museum of Oltenia. During the period 1916-1918, during the German occupation in Craiova, the institutions that had their headquarters in the Administrative Palace were evacuated, as the German Railways Directorate was set up here. At the departure of the Germans from Oltenia, the furniture and the building were devastated, and the patrimony of the Regional Museum was severely affected by the German occupation robbery. On December 12, 1922, the Craiova Scientific Society (director professor Marin Demetrescu) was set up in the Prefecture's office, which aimed at endowing the capital of Oltenia with a Museum of Natural History. In 1934, the collections of the Regional Museum were moved to the basement of the Prefecture, in the halls facing Calea Unirii. In September of the same year, the festive hall of the Administrative Palace hosted the Congress of Numismatics and Archaeology in Craiova. In 1935, due to the works, a crack appeared in the dome of the honor stairs. The consolidation was done under the direct supervision of Petre Antonescu, the architect of the original project. Starting with February 24, 1945, the building will host the Regional People’s Council (until 1968), the Dolj County Committee of the Romanian Communist Party (PCR) and the Dolj County Council (until 1989), and since 1989 it has housed the Prefecture and the Dolj County Council . The earthquake in 1977 affected the Administrative Palace building, which has later undergone extensive repair works. Since 1989, the Administrative Palace of Craiova houses the Prefecture and Dolj County Council. Source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro

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

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

The school’s origins go back to 1833, as Lazaro-Otetelisanu's girls' boarding school, a name which it taks from its founders, being the first school for girls in the Romanian Principalities. The establishment of this boarding school is related to the extensive development of national education in the capital of Oltenia following the adoption of the Organic Regulation. It was founded before the other similar institutions in the Romanian Principalities. The initiative of "this school, for a better education of boyar girls", sprang into the "enlightened mind of Overseer Iordache Otetelișanu, great patriot and fond of the national culture". With ”his funds, but also with the material support of the Cupbearer Constantin Lazaro", who donated to the school the houses inherited from his wife, Zoiţa Pârşcoveanca, he founded "Lazaro-Otetelisanu Boarding School for Girls" in 1833. Students admitted to this school had to know how "to read and write" in a foreign language. As a matter of fact, since 1860, the girls’ boarding school came under the care of the state and was put under the control and supervision of a committee, a fact that was decided by the Parliament's vote of August 4, 1860. At that time, the school operated with six classes: four lower ones and two upper ones. From a study programme dated 1861, it is found that the following subjects were taught in the school: Romanian language, religion, history, geography, drawing, calligraphy, crafting, physical sciences, natural sciences, cosmography. The name of the school is changed again in 1883 when it becomes a "Pedagogical Institute for Girls", "because of the goal pursued by the school authority to create graduates who whould become schoolmasters." From 1891, it is added ”to the institute an application school (primary school) which was operating apart from it, on the basis of a special program under the ministerial orders." Since becoming a state school after 1860, the tendency was to develop the secondary education for girls, as well as to prepare valuable elements for primary education. Starting with 1959, the institution takes the name Middle School no. 3, until 1966, when it became a mixed school, allowing, for the first time, boys in its school rooms. Between 1966-1976, the school was named "Highschool no. 3 "and then, in the period from 1977 to 1989, it was named "High School of Philology-History ". In 1990 the school returned to the traditional name of "Elena Cuza High School" and since 1998 it is named "Elena Cuza National College". Throughout its existence, the school had as main objective for its students the learning of a foreign language, especially until 1944 and between 1970-1975 when all disciplines were taught in French. The specificity of the school was preserved even in recent years, with regular classes of philology-bilingual foreign language (French, English, German and Spanish). Also, in recent years, foreign lecturers have taught at those classes, native speakers of that language, who have come following various European programs initiated by the school. Source: elenacuza.ro Photo: www.facebook.com

"Cornetti" School was the first musical education institution in Craiova, inaugurated in the fall of 1911 by bringing into the spot light the generous donation made by the family of Elefterie Crăciun-Cornetti and Elena, born Zissi. The story begins at the turn of two centuries, with two determined people who had a nice thought in mind: to build a music school in the town of Craiova. Elena and Elefterie Cornetti, nostalgic about the patronage of the arts from the golden times, recalling the inaugural magnitude and significance of some ancient rulers' donations, have left their entire estate to the City Hall for it to establish an institution of musical education, as the ones which, at that time, were only in Bucharest and Iasi. In the fall of 1911, the School of Music "Elefterie and Elena Cornetti, born Zissi" opens its gates in a festive ceremony. Starting with only six classes and several hearty teachers, the School expanded over time its range of activities, including plastic arts, theatre, choreography, photography and cinematography. The number of classes and the number of the students has been steadily increasing, so that today more than 400 students complete their artistic education in the "Cornetti" School. The "Cornetti" School initiates and conducts educational programs in long-term education, traditional culture and folk arts, consistently aiming to: - foster creativity and talent; - cultivate the traditional values, the authenticity of the contemporary folk art, as well as of the unprofessional performing arts: vocal and instrumental music, choreography (classical dance and folk dance), theatre (acting), visual arts (graphics, painting, film); - develop cultural exchanges at county, national and international level; - ensure the conservation, valorization and transmission of the moral, artistic and technical values of the local community, as well as those of the national and world cultural heritage.

Spațiu de retuș cultural

The building of the University of Craiova, originally built to serve as the Palace of Justice, is an architectural monument of national interest and one of the most representative buildings in the city. Designed in 1890 by the architect Ion Socolescu, the building is an illustration of Neoclassicism in architecture. It is located downtown, on Alexandru Ioan Cuza Street, no. 13. The building was built between 1894 and 1912. From the very beginning, were visible both from the outside and the inside, arechitectural elements borrowed from classicism, such as the triangular pediment and the peristyle of the three-door main entrance, surrounded by four composite columns (with corinthian and ionic elements). The palace was surrounded by a fence with a wrought iron grid fixed on a concrete foundation, with pillars from place to place. Between the building and the fence, on all sides of the building, is a green space. The initial form of the Palace of Justice building was a quadrangle crossed in the middle by a central structure that corresponded to the main entrance, dominated by a classic pediment, from where you can admire a group of statues picturing "The Blindfolded Justice", removed after 1948. After the change of the building's destination, the word "UNIVERSITY", written in capital letters, was placed under its pediment. In 1912 there was a partial inauguration of the building, and another one took place in 1914, when the palace already had 4 levels. Later, the edifice was extended, repaired and modernized successively, reaching 5 and 6 levels. The projects concerning the additions from the interwar period, through which a wing of the building was built, were drawn by the architect Iancu Atanasescu. The plans for the expansion of the building that was completed in the 1970s (1972-1975) were conceived by the architect Petre Falcon. The Palace of Justice was built to serve as the headquarters of various courts of justice in Craiova. Between 1941 and 1944, the palace was occupied by German troops. With the departure of the Germans, the courts of law (the Court of First Instance and the Court of Appeal) returned to this place until 1951. In 1948, the first higher education institution in Craiova ( The Agronomic Institute) has been established here. At the same time, the western side of the palace was occupied by local administrative institutions (The County Seat). Between 1951-1958, the eastern wing of the building sheltered the second higher education institute, the Institute of Machinery and Electrical Devices (The Technical Institute). For a short time, between 1958-1959, the Palace of Justice became the home of the regional, district and city courts, the prosecutor's office and the bar. Staring with 1966, the imposing building has been in use and has become the property of the newly established University of Craiova. Source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro Photo: https://www.facebook.com/ucvro/