Romanian Renaissance architecture (also known as Romanian National Style, Neo-Romanian Style or Neobrancovenesc) appeared at the end of the 19th century as part of Romanian Art Nouveau, as a result of the desire to find a specific Romanian architectural style. These aspirations are mainly the result of the work of architects such as Jon Mincu (1852–1912) i Jona N. Socolescua (1856–1924). The peak of this style is considered to be the interwar period.
This style represented a national reaction to the dominance of French-inspired classicist eclecticism. In addition to foreign influences, a significant contribution was also made by Romanian architects, who reinterpreted tradition, creating an original style at the same time. Ion Mincu and his followers, such as Grigore Cerchez, Kristofi Cerchez, Petre Antonesku or Nikolae Ghica-Budešti, advocated a modern architecture with a Romanian stamp, based on theses like those formulated by A. Odobescu around 1870.
The UNESCO heritage in Romania includes cultural and natural wealth that fascinates with its rich history and unique biodiversity. Often considered the jewel of Southeast Europe, Romania is home to numerous monuments of world cultural heritage, which bear witness to centuries of heritage. From the magnificent Painted monasteries of Moldavia, with centuries-old frescoes, to the ancient fortresses of the Carpathians, guardians of past eras.
The region of Transylvania, immortalized by its medieval architecture, is on the list with the Fortified Church in Biertan. Meanwhile, the Danube Delta, with its unique biodiversity, rounds off this treasure trove of wonders.
Places like the historical center of Sighisoara, where he was born Vlad Cepesh, enrich the cultural heritage. Immerse yourself in Romania's UNESCO-designated heritage, where each site represents a living chapter of history and nature that transcends time.
TISMANA MONASTERY
Tismana is the oldest monastery in the Romanian principality (former Wallachia), a place that has been preserved to this day. He lived in it Nicodemus (1320–1406), patron of Oltenia, writes the historian Florin Mihai.
The first monastery in Wallachia, which still exists today, was built between 1375 and 1378. It is located 40 kilometers from the city of Târgu-Jiu. The foundations were laid by the prince Radu I (1377–1383), while the initiative came from the monk Nikodim (ca. 1320–1406), who was canonized by the Romanian Orthodox Church.
VORONEC MONASTERY
Voronec Monastery is one of the most beautiful monasteries in Bukovina, included in the UNESCO heritage of Romania. Also known as the "Sistine Chapel of the East", the Voronec Monastery impresses with its exceptional frescoes. Since the reign Stephen the Great, and after his death in 1488, the monastery became an important center of religion and culture in the medieval Kingdom of Moldavia.
HOREZU MONASTERY
Hurezi or Horezu Monastery, the most important endowment of the Romanian martyr Konstantin Brankovanu (1688–1714), represents a synthesis of Romanian art of that era. It was built between 1690 and 1693, and the large church of the monastery was completed on September 8, 1693. The monastery is currently the largest religious complex in Romania and has been declared a UNESCO historical monument.
Bran Castle (medieval defensive style)
Bran Castle is undoubtedly the most famous not only in Romania, but also one of the most recognizable castles in Europe and the world. Known as "Dracula's Castle", it is advertised as the home of the novel's title character Bremen Stokera "Dracula", although there is no historical evidence to confirm this legend. It is located on the site of the former fortress of the Teutonic Knights from the early 13th century, and was first mentioned in written documents at the end of the 14th century, in 1377.
The dominant features of Bran Castle are the numerous towers and towers with red roofs, which look impressive, somewhat mysterious, and even frightening as they rise above the dense forest surrounding the castle.
Corvin Castle (Renaissance-Gothic style)
A visit to Transylvania is not complete without visiting one of its most important castles - Corvin Castle. Known both in Romania and around the world, this castle in Hunedoara is a monument of special charm thanks to its diverse construction styles, innovations in military and civilian elements, as well as the turbulent life at court that lasted for more than 400 years. Corvin Castle dominates the city of Hunedoara with its imposing appearance. For those attracted to the Middle Ages, this castle is a unique monument in Romania and one of the most attractive in Europe. Its striking appearance comes from the high towers that are part of its structure. In the 14th century, the castle served as a fortress, until it became the residence of Duke Janko of Hunedoara. Designed in the Gothic-Renaissance style, the castle was built at the end of the Middle Ages and is one of the largest in Europe.
Peleš Castle (neo-renaissance architectural style)
The beautiful Peleš Castle was built in the Neo-Renaissance style between 1873 and 1914. It attracts visitors not only because of its undeniable beauty but also because of its location - Sinaia is one of the most beautiful places in Romania. The castle complex also includes Pelišor Castle and Foišor hunting house.
Construction began after the king Charles I from Romania visited the region and was fascinated by its beauty. The castle was originally intended as a hunting and summer residence. During the communist regime, the castle was confiscated in 1947 and served as a museum for a short time. After the revolution in 1989, Peleš was reopened to tourists.
Pelišor Castle (art nouveau style)
Pelišor Castle stands out for its unique design in the Romanian and European context. It was designed by a Czech architect, and the queen Marija asked for the addition of Byzantine and Celtic elements, creating a completely unique look. Built at the beginning of the 20th century, it has 99 rooms, less than the 160 of Peleš Castle, but the number is impressive, considering the size of the building.
Sturdza Castle (Neo-Gothic style)
Built on the site of a 600-year-old Moldavian settlement, Dvorac George Sturdze, built at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, is today a real architectural gem in the neo-Gothic style. It is located in the northeast of Romania, and its facade is decorated with coats of arms and towers guarding the castle park. During communism, much of the castle's art collection disappeared, but the building still exudes historical significance.
Dvorac Jidvei (French Renaissance style)
Jidvei Castle, located in the very center of Romania, is a beautiful building in the style of the French Renaissance. Built in the 16th century, the castle has been restored several times over the following centuries, adding baroque elements, creating an eclectic mix of styles and decor. Its picturesque appearance, together with its surroundings and spectacular views of the surrounding area, make Jidvei Castle one of the most romantic and magical castles in Romania. The recognizable round towers of the castle are one of the main features of the aforementioned French architectural style. Today, Jidvei Castle is known for the impressive vineyards and wineries in this region.
Julija Hašdeu Castle (spiritist temple style)
Julia Hašdeu Castle has, without a doubt, one of the most touching stories and bears witness to the pain a father had to endure after the loss of his only daughter. Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu, a famous Romanian writer and philologist, was the father of a brilliant Julius, the first Romanian woman admitted to the Sorbonne in Paris, who died of tuberculosis at the age of 19. It is said that, after her death, BP Hašdeu decided to build a castle in her honor, and the plans for the construction were dictated by Julia herself during numerous sessions organized by the writer. The castle is full of symbolism, and one of the rooms was specially designed to allow Juliet's spirit to return and communicate with her beloved father.
Fagaraš Fortress (medieval defensive style)
Located in central Romania, Fagaras Fortress is an excellent example of medieval defensive architecture. Built in the 14th century, it was built on the site of an earlier wooden building. A few centuries later, after its expansion, it was considered one of the largest buildings in the Transylvanian region.
As a typical example of medieval defensive architecture, the Fagaras fortress has a moat, a bridge over it that was the only entrance to the castle, as well as several towers.
Although it was a fortress, Fagaras Fortress was quite luxurious for its time, as it served as the residence of several notables, such as the Prince of Transylvania Gabriel Betlen, Đorđe I Rakocija and their families. Today, the castle is a popular tourist attraction, as visitors can tour both its interior and exterior, where there are beautiful halls, an inner courtyard and restored underground passages.
Cantakuzino castle (in neo-Romanesque style)
Cantacuzino Castle was built in 1911 in the neo-Romanesque style and belonged to the Cantacuzino family until its nationalization in 1948. During the communist period, the original furniture from the castle was removed, and part of the interior walls were repainted. After the fall of the communist regime in 1989, the castle was returned to the Cantacuzino family, who sold it in 2004.
Today, the Cantacuzino Castle is a museum, and its great hall preserves the coats of arms of families connected to the Cantacuzino family, as well as various portraits of members of that family.
Rašnov Fortress (style of medieval defense)
Another Romanian castle that was part of the defense system of Transylvania against the Ottomans and Tatars is the Rašnov fortress. Built between 1211 and 1225, as a refuge, among other things, it was used by Mihajlo the Brave 1600 and the Wallachian refugees during the movement under the leadership Tudor Vladimirescua 1821. years.
The fortress was partially destroyed over the years - in 1718 in a fire and in 1802 in an earthquake, but it was rebuilt between 1955 and 1966. Due to the lack of water inside the fortress, legend says that during the siege, the inhabitants forced two Turkish prisoners to dig a well for 17 years. Even today, visitors can see verses from the Koran written on the walls of the well. As for the fate of the two captives, it is not known exactly what happened to them - some say they were released after the construction of the well was completed, while others claim they were executed. Legend also says that at the bottom of the well there is a 300-year-old treasure.
Savaršin Castle (neoclassicism style)
Savaršin Castle is a neoclassical country house located on a private property of 6,5 hectares in Savaršin Park. It used to belong to the king Michael I of Romania and was the official residence of the royal family.
The castle is surrounded by a beautiful arboretum with exceptional natural specimens of plants, flowers and birds. The current building dates from the late 19th century, but an earlier royal building existed on the same site for at least three centuries, belonging mainly to Hungarian noble families. The history of the castle is quite stormy, as it suffered both the communist regime and a devastating fire.
Mogošoja Palace (Branken style)
In the vicinity of Bucharest, only 10 kilometers away, there is the Mogosoaja Palace, built between the 17th and 18th centuries. The palace represents the wealth and importance of some of the biggest families in Romania.
Surrounded by extensive gardens, the palace exudes a romantic and charming elegance, which is different from other castles in the country, as most of them depict the restless and turbulent medieval times. Over time, the palace served as an important place for political meetings and discussions on national issues. The exterior of the palace is dominated by pillars and arches, which are the trademark of the Brankovian style.
Palace of Culture in Iasi (Neo-Gothic style)
Undoubtedly magical and enchanting, the Palace of Culture in Iasi could easily be part of a fairy tale, but it stands proud in this city. The neo-Gothic palace was built at the beginning of the 20th century and was the administrative and judicial center until 1955. The Palace of Culture has an impressive 298 rooms - all spacious and quite grand. The interior is an example of imaginative and artistic decorative style. One of the halls is dedicated to portraits of Romanian dukes. Today, the palace houses several museums, including the Museum of Science and Technology, the Museum of Art, and the Museum of Ethnography.
Kotroceni Palace (classic Venetian and national romantic style)
Kotroceni Palace is a royal residence in Bucharest, which today serves as the seat of the Presidency of Romania. It is located in the sixth sector, at Bulevar Geniului no. 1–3. Part of the palace has been open to the public since December 27, 1991, when the Kotroceni National Museum was opened.
Museum of the Romanian Peasant (Neo-Romanian style of architecture)
Located in the very center of Bucharest, the Museum of the Romanian Peasant is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture of Romania. His collection has over 100.000 items. It was founded in 1906, under the management Aleksandra Cigare-Samurkaš, and it was reopened on February 5, 1990. One of the most famous settings of the museum - the original work of Cigare-Samurkaš - is the "house within a house". The house, which originally belonged to a peasant Antoni Mogoš from the village of Ceauru in the Gorj district, is shown in an unusual way: objects that would normally be inside are shown differently, often outside the house, while auxiliary buildings are suggested by fragments.
Palata Brukental (Baroque style)
One of the most famous Romanian museums outside of Bucharest is Brukental Palace. The founder of this museum was Samuel of Brukental, the Habsburg governor of Transylvania between 1778 and 1787. He began collecting the first works of art for his collection in Vienna around 1754.
Baron von Bruckenthal ordered the opening of the palace as a public museum in the city of Sibiu, making him one of the great figures of the Enlightenment of that century. The palace became a public museum in 1817, known as the Bruckenthal Museum, and was one of the first institutions of its kind in Europe.
Today's main facade of the museum, in the strict Baroque style, was built later, which is why the palace dominates the other buildings in the main square of Sibiu. In the middle of the facade there is a stone frame of the portal, supported by columns above which rises the entablature, decorated with the gilded coat of arms of the Bruckenthal family and other decorative elements characteristic of the Baroque: urns, rosettes and wreaths.
Cantacuzino Palace - George Enesco Museum (Romanian Art Nouveau style)
Kantakuzino Palace is located in Bucharest. It was built according to the architect's project Jonah D. Berindeja in the Beau-Arts style, with several rooms in the Rococo style. It was built between 1901 and 1902 for Georgija Grigore Kantakuzina, the then mayor of Bucharest and former prime minister. Since 1956, the palace has housed a museum of the famous Romanian composer Georga Enescoa. The museum houses a rich collection dedicated to the artist.
Kreculescu Palace (Romanian Art Nouveau style)
Kreculescu Palace is located near Cismigiu Gardens in Bucharest. It was built for the Kreculescu family between 1902 and 1904, according to a project by a Romanian architect. Petra Antonescua. The palace was originally built for Elenu Kreculesku, daughter Konstantin Kreculesku i Maria Filipeska. While Elena was staying in Paris, Whitebeard lived in this house for a long time. From 1972 to 2011, the palace was the seat of the UNESCO European Center for Higher Education (UNESCO-CEPES).
This text was created in cooperation with the Embassy of Romania in Montenegro, as part of the "Europe for us" project.
