MONUMENTS OF OLD ARCHITECTURE

From among the old buildings around Craiova we can see today, the Cosuna-Bucovatul Vechi Monastery, certified as the oldest one. It belongs to the category of the monumental religious constructions of Wallachia. Unfortunately, aside from the church, there is no other building we can see today. Most of the buildings were destroyed by the internal or external enemies and set on fire, the other ones were destroyed by natural calamities, as the overflowing of the Jiu and many earthquakes.

The date of its building is differently indicated in many sources. It was built on December 3 1572, according to the rotive in the church porch, An old inventary indicates that the monastery was built in 1483 (the historians B.P. Hasdeu and Nicolae Iorga sustained this idea).

The date of its building is differently indicated in many sources. It was built on December 3, 1572, according to the rotive in the church porch, An old inventary indicates that the monastery was built in 1483 (the historians B.P. Hasdeu and Nicolae Iorga sustained this idea).

There were used rock (for the foundation) and brick (for the socle and walls) from Pelendava, the Roman camp.

From the architectonic point of view, the church is built in the Wallach style (this style is characterized by the synthesis between the folk elements and the Byzantine elements).

The church of the Jitianu Monastery is known as Serban Voievod's (1654-1658) foundation. The church was restored in 1717, 1852, 1910, 1926 and 1958.

During the history of Craiova, there were sheltered many important defense armies of the city in this monastery. Today, inside the civilian building of the monastery there is a rich collection of jewels of the medieval art of Wallachia.

The art of Craiova at the end of the XVIIth century and the beginning of the XVIIIth century is characterized by the Brancovan style, the brilliant synthesis of the Romanian traditional art, the eastern (Byzantine) elements, especially the Venetian ones. The churches characterized by this style were restored in the course of time. Some of them keep many traces of the Brancovan art, such as the wonderfully ornamented woodworks with the Byzantine eagle. Such churches as the Saint Ilie, built in 1720 by the Magistrate Ilie Oteteliseanu and the important merchants of the city (painted by the painter Constantin Lecca between 1840-1841, restored in 1893, the present painting being achieved by Gh. Ioanid and Gh. Tatarescu), the All Saint's Church (1700), the Saint Gh. Vechi Church (1730), the Obedeanu Monastery (1747), the Mantuleasa Church (1786), the Saint Nicolae (1794) - certify the masterlines of the builders of this city.

The revitalization and the prolongation of the Brancovan style during the first decades of the XVIIIth century can be explained by the fact that the Austrians tried without succeeding to replace the traditional orthodoxism of the population by the Catholicism (they built a catholic church during the first years of their rule 1718-1720).

The Saint Dumitru Church is one of the most important constructions; it was founded by Matei Basarab in 1652. The time and people made changes to the church. Constantin Brancoveanu restored the windows frames in the Brancovan style; Constantin Obedeanu restored the church in 1723 and the boyars Argetoianu in 1774. Because of the earthquakes of 1840, the church was destroyed and it was closed by 1889. When the restoration workings began under the architect Andre Lecompte de Navy, who built the present construction from its basis without taking into account the style of the old one. The painting was done in 3 periods by the French painters Emil Menpiot and Bories, and it was finished in 1933.

SECULAR CONSTRUCTIONS

The House of Banat is the oldest construction that we can see today in this town, achieved in 1699 according to the art historians opinion; it is the continuation of another oldest building of the XVth century built by Barbu Craiovescu. Restored by Constantin Brancoveanu, the House of Banat has two levels; there are rooms with brick archways at the ground floor and rooms with balconies at the first level. It was achieved by important talented architects of the ruler, in a folk style.

The divan of Craiova gathered here and during the Austrian rule, it was the residence of the rulers administration. Later, the building was successively the quarter of Murtaza Pasa (1737-1739) the private dwelling of the bishop, the premises of the first school of Craiova (1750), the premises for the tribunal, the premises for the "Fratii Buzesti" Gymnasium (1896-1914) and for the preparatory school for teachers, the peace for the Oltenia Museum (1934-1948) and for the ethnography section (1967).

A slow but strongly modernization process of the city happened after 1780. The roads were arranged with bridges of beams and a network of drinking water fountains was developed.

The most important wells were:

- the Jianu well (the Iancu Jianu street) built around 1800 by the boyar Hagi Stan Jianu.

- the Purcarului well, built by the pigs merchants Pavel Teodor and Chir Miron Bulucbasa in 1818.

- the Popova well (Romanesti district), known under the name of the Basarabescu's well. It exists from the beginning of the XVIIth century, according to a document from 1613. It was restored in 1651 by Matei Basarab and by Alexandru Ipsilanti during the second half of the XVIIIth century.

Besides all these wells, there are others in the Chiriac and Mantuleasa market, unfortunately the others were silted (the Buzescu's well, 7 wells, Valea Fetii, Obedeanu etc.).

There was a certain trial of systematization of the city after 1800; the main streets were paved with artificial basalt, gritstone from Yvoir or porphyry brought from Switzerland, France, and there were planted trees on their sides.

In 1854 was introduced the public lighting by lamps with rape oil, then from 1858, there were used lamps with kerosene, and in 1887, at the Thodorini Theatre the first electric bulbs were used. From 1896 there is a power station in Craiova (with AEG equipment). Craiova was the first city from Romania that was supplied with electric power from motors with internal combustion.

The sanitation services were introduced in 1896 and there were built many objectives of public use to improve the city life. There were built many edifices of public use and private buildings, many parks and gardens, there were erected monuments. New edifices were built in various styles: Renaissance, baroque, classical, neoclassical, romantic by French, Italian, German or Romanian maters.

The architectural fine arts were dominated by the features of the European eclecticism, especially the French academism. A

The Jean Mihail Palace (today's Art Museum of Craiova) is an illustration of this style; it was achieved between 1899-1907 by the French architect Paul Gottereau at the request of Constantin Mihail - one of the richest persons of Romania at that time. The palace was meant to be private dwelling. For its construction there were used best quality materials. The expensive moulding partly gilded, the lighting apertures, the Venetian glasses, the painted ceilings, the candelabrums of crystal of Murano, the columns, the stairs of marble of Carrara, the walls hung with tapestry from Lyon, the panelings, the furniture style granted the rooms an elegant aspect and refined taste. The palace was covered with slate and it was endowed with electric power installation and central heating from the very beginning. Constantin Mihail died in 1908 and the palace was inherited by his younger son, Jean Mihail.

The Vorvoreanu's House - the present premises of the Metropolitan Church of Oltenia is a palace with monumental aspect, achieved according to the plans of the architect D. Maimarolu; it presents a late influence of the French Renaissance, characterized by mansard roof, by a multitude of ornaments and mouldings, richly decorated interiors.

The achievements of the past Palace of Justice (today's central premises of the University) was planned in 1890 by the architect Ion Socolescu. The edifice is an illustration of the neoclassical style in the architecture.

Another important building is the edifice of the past Trade Bank, today's premises of the Town Hall of Craiova. Planned by the architect Ion Mincu, it was finished in 1916 by his student Constantin Iotzu. The building has a richly decorated interior with mouldings, colored glass windows, Venetian mosaics, and lattice works of wrought iron.

The past Administrative Palace, today's premises of the Prefecture and of the County Council is an interesting vigorous building with folk architectural features. Work of the architect Petre Antonescu this building was achieved between 1912-1913.

After the first world war the endeavor of affirmation of the national elements in art continued. During this period, there was built the so called White House in Craiova (near the English Park - achieved in the style of a London Square), according to the plans of the architect Constantin Iotzu.

From among the contemporary achievements, we have to recall the edifice of the National Theatre inaugurated in 1973. It was achieved by the architect Al. Iotzu (the son of Constantin Iotzu) who presented its own work in an interview in the "Contemporanul" magazine (15.11.1972).

"the new building from Craiova is conceived so as so it can adjust the stage and the house to the production of the play in one of the 3 modalities (Elisabethan, Italian and in the arena); among the massive buildings around it, the theatre has its own personality characterized by the long horizontal line, continued with a pavement and the park - in contrast with the milieu; it is an edifice with modulated edges, creating inlets and prominence and the smooth surfaces represent emphases on this sculptural work covered with white-yellowish travertine... The theatre is endowed with a very long stage (over 40m depth)."

The sumptuous edifice is a pride of Craiova and of the Romanian theatre (roughly speaking).

Of course, the list of the most important architectural monuments of Craiova can continue, but we invite you now to discover...

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE MONUMENTS

One of the most important attractive points in Craiova is the People's Park. The park is unique in Romania and it represents one of the most interesting achievements of this kind in Europe.

Nicolae Romanescu had the initiative of this urban work. The project, masterpiece of the French architect E. Redont was awarded the Gold Medal at the International Exhibition in Paris, in 1900.

The workings lasted 3 years. There were used bold methods of construction unknown at that time, these were planted distinguished species of trees, there was achieved a rich romantic environment by its pictutesqueness and its poetical atmosphere (the suspended bridge, the castle in ruin, bridges over the river, stone imitations, shelters, kiosks, bridge parapets imitating trees, the island for swans, the landing place).

The total area of this park counts over 96 hectares of plantations (brush, lawns, trees, shrubs), a water surface of 4 hectares, a race course counting over 20 hectares, roads, alleys and paths counting 35 km. There is a zoo where people can see various species of native birds and animals, but not only...

The Botanic Garden was arranged at the request of the botanist Al. Buia from Craiova to serve as study material for the students of the faculties of agronomy and horticulture and also as pleasure zone.

The garden counts over 17 hectares and it is divided into different sectors: ornamental (about 4.5 hectares), systematic, economic, and the flora of the globe.

The Meadow of Jiu River is another important vegetal zone, lied on over 60 hectares on the left bank of this river.

DICTIONARY: ACADEMISM

A kind of artistic vision, dominated by the concordance with the rules of the academically art teaching based on the study of the classical art.

DICTIONARY: THE BRANCOVAN STYLE

The denomination was given to the art of Wallachia at the end of the XVIIth century and the beginning of the XVIIIth century, from the name of the ruler Constantin Brancoveanu (1688-1714) who, by his patronage of art, contributed to the creation of a new climate auspicious for the development of arts.

The mark of the Brancovan style is carried by all genes from the architecture to the silver ware and embroidery.

This style is characterized by the intensification of certain structure and decor elements that entered the art tradition of Wallachia long time ago and that were gathered in an unitary vision under Matei Basarab (1632-1654). To all these, there was added an important formal decorative rush, came from various channels, mostly mediated, rarely direct (Transylvania, Dalmatia).

The residential program (the palace, the house in town, the manor in the country) has an important role. It is made of ensemble in which properly so called dwelling represents the main element; the long fronts are endowed (provided with towers and closed balconies). The wine cellars with arched calottes have a monumental aspect and the rooms are covered with arches with penetrations.

The decor richly sculptured (simple columns or cable mouldings with neocorintuan capitals, door frames, consoles with heraldic insignia) is characterized by the refined relief of polychrome stucco of eastern origin, by the figurative painting.

The garden in the west style that rounded these ensembles where the chapel of the court was present all the time.

The princely model was taken over by the dwellings of the important boyars and the stately houses where the ruler and his family have lived were built in the precincts of the big monasteries.

The churches were preceded by ample porches with archways supported by rock columns, characterized by the same decor as those of the civilian architecture. The frames of portals and windows are richly decorated with relief from vegetal, anthropomorphic, and zoomorphic decors.

Information from the works:

History of Craiova - "Scrisul Romanesc" Publishing House, 1977

Craiova - 500 years - Original Album

The Art Museum of Craiova - Paul Rezeanu. "Scrisul Romanesc" Publishing House

History of the National Theatre of Craiova - "Scrisul Romanesc" Publishing House