Romanian architecture

Romanian architecture is diverse, including medieval, preWW1, interwar, postwar and contemporary 21st century architecture. In Romania, there are also regional differences with regard to architectural styles. Architecture, like the rest of the arts, was highly influenced by the socio-economic context and by the historical situation. For example, during the reign of king Carol I (1866-1914), Romania was in a continuous state of reorganization and modernization. In consequence, most of the architecture was designed by architects trained in Western European academies, particularly the École des Beaux-Arts, and a big part of the downtowns of the Romanian Old Kingdom were built during this period.

Medieval

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  Enisala Fortress, Sarichioi, 10th-11th centuries, unknown architect
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  Densuș Church, Densuș, 13th century, unknown architect
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  Râșnov Fortress, Râșnov, 13th-14th centuries, unknown architect
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  Wooden church erected by Dragoș, Voivode of Moldavia, Putna, 14th century
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  Princely Church of Saint Nicholas, Curtea de Argeș, 1352, unknown architect
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  Saint Nicholas Church of the Bogdana Monastery, Rădăuți, probably since Bogdan I (1360), unknown architect
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  Biserica Neagră, Brașov, 1385, unknown architect
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  Cozia Monastery Church, Călimănești, 1387-1391, unknown architect
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  Saint George Church of the Voroneț Monastery, Suceava County, 1488, unknown architect
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  Saint George Church, Hârlău, 1492, unknown architect
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  Arbore Church, Arbore, 1503, unknown architect
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  Curtea de Argeș Cathedral, Curtea de Argeș, 1517, unknown architect
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  Humor Monastery Church, Mănăstirea Humorului, 1530, unknown architect
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  Church of the Mihai Vodă Monastery, Bucharest, 1589, unknown architect
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  Trei Ierarhi Monastery Church, Iași, 1639, unknown architect

All over Europe, the beginnings of the Middle Ages are marked by the decline of the urban life that characterized the Roman Empire. In Western Europe, the cities that survive are those with political or administrative functions. Unlike how it is in Western Europe, in the Romanian areas, after the end of the Roman structures, urban life completely disappears. Romanian cities develop differently in Wallachia and Moldavia compared to the Western ones, including those from Transylvania, being more of some big villages than cities.

In mediaeval architecture, influences of Western trends can be traced, to a greater or lesser extent, in all the three lands inhabited by Romanians. Such influences are stronger in Transylvania, and weaker in Moldavia, in forms absorbed by local and Byzantine tradition. In Wallachia, Western elements in architecture were even fewer; there, from the 14th-century architecture was based on the local adaptation of the Byzantine model (the Princely Church in Curtea de Arges and the Cozia Monastery).

There are monuments significant for the Transylvanian Gothic style preserved to this day, in spite of all alterations, such as the Black Church in Brașov (14th and 15th centuries) and a number of other cathedrals, as well as the Bran Castle in Brașov County (14th century), the Hunyad Castle in Hunedoara (15th century).

Transylvania also developed fortified towns extensively during the Middle Ages; their urban growth respected principles of functionality (the usual pattern is a central market place with a church, narrow streets with sides linked here and there by archways): the cities of Sighișoara, Sibiu and Brașov are remarkable examples in that sense. Building greatly developed in Moldavia, too. A great number of fortresses were built or rebuilt during the reign of Moldavia's greatest prince, Stephen the Great (1457–1504). Suceava, Neamț, Hotin, Soroca and others were raised and successfully withstood the sieges laid in the course of time by Sultan Mehmet II, the conqueror of Constantinople .

It was during his time that the Moldavian style, of great originality and stylistic unity, developed, by blending Gothic elements with the Byzantine structure specific to the churches. Among such constructions, the monumental church of the Neamț Monastery served, for more than a century, as a model for Moldavian churches and monasteries. The style was continued in the 16th century, during the rule of Stephen the Great's son, Petru Rareș (1527–1538, 1541–1546). The main innovation was the porch and the outwall paintings (the churches of Voroneț, Sucevița, Moldovița monasteries). These churches of Northern Moldavia have become famous worldwide, due to the beauty of their painted elegant shapes that can be seen from afar.

Popular

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  Wooden chuch from Dragomirești, Maramureș County, now in the Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum, Bucharest, 1722, unknown architect
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  Wooden chuch from Ceahlău, Neamț County, now in the Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum, Bucharest, 1773, unknown architect
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  House from Dumbrăveni, Suceava County, now in the Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum, 19th century, unknown architect
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  House from Chiojdu, Buzău County, now in the Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum, 19th century, unknown architect
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  House from Hangu, Neamț County, now in the Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum, 19th century, unknown architect
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  Interior of a peasant house from the Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum

During the middle ages in Romania there were two types of construction that developed in parallel and different in point of both materials and technique. The first is the popular architecture, whose most spectacular achievements were the wooden churches, especially those in the villages of Maramureș, Banat and Apuseni Mountains, where the tradition is still carried out today. In Maramureș, in Surdești village, the 54 m high church tower built during 1721–1724 is among the highest of this kind in Europe. The second consists mainly of monasteries, as well as princely seats or boyar mansions. Most of the old lay edifices were destroyed by time, wars, earthquakes and fires.

Romanian Pre-Modern popular architecture was produces using perishable materials and simple techniques. Certain historical, social-economic and geographic factors led to it becoming different depending on regions and eras. In general, a peasant house was made of 2, 3 or 4 rooms, each having a particular purpose. The most important room was the one in which the family spent their everyday life, often also called «cameră a focului» (fire room), because here is the stove. Another chamber is known as «tindă», most often used for passing. A room for keeping food and clothes is placed in different positions, sometimes having separate entry, or even being an independent structure. The 4th room, when it existed, was «camera curată» (the clean room), furnished and decorated in a special way. Used only for guests, it was used for storing valuable goods or the girls' dowry. The porch (prispă) appears quite often in the plan of popular Romanian dwellings. Because of the surrounding forests, popular architecture develops mainly in wood. Mainly oak and fir, rarely beech and birch, were the main building material, many times the only one, which Romanian peasants used for building dwellings. Something that really influenced the exterior of a house was the roof, which was highly influenced both by existing materials and the climate of the region where it was built. At the beginning, it was exclusively made of long rye or wheat straws, or of reed in the swamp regions. Over time, towards the 17th and 18th centuries, the straws are replaced with shingle, very often set with wooden nails. Tiles and metal sheets appear quite late, being more expensive and harder to find materials.

Brâncovenesc (17th and 18th centuries)

Main article: Brâncovenesc architecture

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  Horezu Monastery Church, Horezu, 1693, unknown architect
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  Potlogi Palace, Potlogi, 1698, unknown architect
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  Mogoșoaia Palace, Mogoșoaia, early 18th century, unknown architect
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  New Saint George Church, Bucharest, finished in 1706, unknown architect
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  Scaune Church, Bucharest, 1715, unknown architect

The 17th century, the zenith of the pre-modern Romanian civilisation, brought about a more significant development of outstanding lay constructions (elegant boyard mansions or sumptuous princely palaces in Moldavia and Wallachia, Renaissance-style lordly castles in Transylvania), as well as the expansion of great monasteries. The latter were endowed with schools, art workshops, printing presses, and they were significant cultural centres. To this period belongs the church of the Trei Ierarhi Monastery in Iaşi, raised in 1635–1639, a unique monument due to its lavish decoration with carved geometric motifs, coloured in lapis lazuli and golden foil, all over the facades. The architectural style developed in Wallachia, especially under the reigns of Matei Basarab (1632–1654) and Constantin Brâncoveanu (1688–1714), is of a remarkable stylistic unity. The Brancovan style is characterized by integration of Baroque and Oriental features into the local tradition. Some examples are the Hurezi Monastery in Oltenia or the princely palace of Mogoșoaia, both of which are lavishly decorated, with beautiful stone carvings, stucco work and paintings.

The Phanariote period (1711/1716-1821)

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  Brâncovenesc - Văcărești Monastery, Bucharest, the two reigns of Nicolae Mavrocordat (1715-1716, and 1719-1730)-destroyed in 1985-1987, unknown architect
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  Brâncovenesc - Stavropoleos Monastery Church, Bucharest, 1724, unknown architect
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  Brâncovenesc - Kretzulescu Church, Bucharest, 1720-1722, unknown architect
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  Brâncovenesc - Old St. Eleftherios Church, Bucharest, 1741-1744, unknown architect
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  Brâncovenesc - Fountain in the Batiștei Church, Bucharest, 1758, unknown architect
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  Brâncovenesc - Greceanu Culă, Măldărești, unknown date, unknown architect
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  Baroque - Curchi Monastery, Raionul Orhei, initially built during the reign of Stephen the Great, rebuilt during the 18th century (before 1775), unknown architect
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  Local Traditional - Melik House, Bucharest, 1760, unknown architect
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  Rococo - Drinking fountain of the Golia Monastery, Iași, 1766, unknown architect
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  Neoclassical - Round church of Saint Demetrius, Lețcani, 1795, unknown architect
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  Neoclassical - Palace of the Frumoasa Monastery, Iași, 1818-1819, by Martin Kubelka

The Phanariots were members of the Greek aristocratic families, who lived in the Fener quarter of Istanbul (Turkey). Some members of these families, who had gained great political influence and considerable fortunes during the 17th century, held very important administrative positions in the Ottoman Empire. Starting 1711 in Moldavia and in 1716 in Walachia, some Phanariots were put as rulers by the Ottoman Empire of these two regions. During the 18th century, there was no big break from the Brâncovenesc style, Phanariote architecture being more or less similar with the one before it. Changes and transitions took place quite slowly, noticeable only when comparing the situations between which there are differences of decades, like the beginning vs the late 18th century.

Early and mid 19th century (1821-1859)

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  Neoclassical - Moruzi House on Calea Victoriei, Bucharest, early 19th century-demolished during the early 1940s after the 1940 earthquake, unknown architect
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  Neoclassical with Gothic Revival window frames - Bucharest Municipal Museum (Suțu Palace), 1833-1835, by Conrad Schwink and Johann Veit
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  Neoclassical - Știrbei Palace on Calea Victoriei, c.1835, by Michel Sanjouand; with a new level with caryatids made in 1882 by Joseph Hartmann
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  Neoclassical - Frumoasa Monastery Church, Iași, 1836, unknown architect
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  Neoclassical - Alexandru Ghica Palace, Bucharest, early 19th century-demolished in 1890, unknown architect
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  Neoclassical - Crețulescu House, Bucharest, c.1840, unknown architect
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  Neoclassical - Former National Theatre on Calea Victoriei, 1849-1852, destroyed by bombardments in 1944, by Anton Heft
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  Gothic Revival - Bosianu House, Bucharest, c.1850, unknown architect

In the first half of the 19th century, urban life grew considerably and there was a Western-oriented modernization policy. During this century, the predominant style was Classicism which lasted for a long time, until the 20th century, although it coexisted in some short periods with other styles. Foreign architects and engineers were invited here since the first decade of the 19th century. Most of the architects that built during the beginning of the century were foreigners because Romanians didn't have yet the instruction needed for designing buildings that were very different compared to the Romanian tradition. Usually using Classicism, they start building together with Romanian artisans, usually prepared in foreign schools or academies. Romanian architects study in Western European schools as well. One example is Alexandru Orăscu, one of the representatives of Neoclassicism in Romania.

Classicism manifested both in religious and secular architecture. A good example of secular architecture is the Știrbei Palace on Calea Victoriei (Bucharest), built around the year 1835, after the plans of French architect Michel Sanjouand. It received a new level in 1882, designed by Austrian architect Joseph Hartmann

The Cuza period (1859-1866)

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  Neoclassical - The old building of the University of Bucharest, Bucharest, 1857-1864, by Alexandru Orăscu
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  Local/Wallachian Gothic Revival - House of Guilds, Bucharest, 1859-1862, by Luigi Lipizer
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  Neoclassical - Tănase Nicolau House, Bucharest, c.1860, unknown architect
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  Neoclassical - Strada C.F.Robescu no. 13, Bucharest, c.1860, unknown architect
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  Local/Wallachian Gothic Revival - Fence of Strada C.F. Robescu no. 9, Bucharest, c.1960, unknown architect
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  Local/Wallachian Gothic Revival - Main Building and Gate of the Army Arsenal, Bucharest, 1860-1861, demolished during the mid or late 1980s, by Luigi Lipizer
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  Local/Wallachian Gothic Revival - Cezar Librecht House, Bucharest, 1860-1865, by Luigi Lipizer
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  Neoclassical - Elena Doamna Asylum, Bucharest, 1862-1865, unknown architect
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  Neoclassical - Eliad House, Bucharest, 1863, unknown architect

During the reign of Alexandru Ioan Cuza between 1859 and 1866, Neoclassicism and a form Gothic Revival (known as Local/Wallachian Gothic Revival) were the dominant styles. Buildings from this period are quite rare, most of the city centres from the Old Kingdom being primarily built between 1866 and 1914, during the reign of king Carol I of Romania, who ruled Romania after the abdication of Cuza.

During the mid and late 19th century, the Gothic Revival style appears in Romania too, as a manifestation of Romanticism. In general, Romanticist artists, not just architects, saw the Middle Ages as a fantastical era. Thus, the adoption of Gothic Revival architecture seems very normal for Romanticists in Western Europe. This isn't the case for Romanticists in Russia and in Romania. However, the Gothic Revival style spread here too, good examples of this style being the Cezar Librecht House and the Niculescu-Dorobanțu Mansion in Bucharest, but also the Palace of Culture in Iași.

The Belle Époque (1877–1916)

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  Beaux-Arts aka Eclectic - Exterior of the Old National Bank of Romania Palace, Bucharest, 1883-1900, by Joseph-Marie Cassien Barnard and Albert Galleron, assisted by Grigore Cerkez and Constantin Băicoianu
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  Beaux-Arts aka Eclectic - Interior of the Old National Bank of Romania Palace, Bucharest, 1883-1900, by Joseph-Marie Cassien Barnard and Albert Galleron, assisted by Grigore Cerkez and Constantin Băicoianu
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  Neoclassical - Romanian Athenaeum on Calea Victoriei, Bucharest, 1886-1895, by Albert Galleron
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  Beaux-Arts aka Eclectic - Central University Library on Calea Victoriei, 1891-1895, by Paul Gottereau
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  Beaux-Arts aka Eclectic - Iași National Theatre, Iași, 1894-1896, by Fellner & Helmer
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  Beaux-Arts aka Eclectic - CEC Palace on Calea Victoriei, 1897-1900, by Paul Gottereau (project) and Ion Socolescu (construction)
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  Beaux-Arts aka Eclectic - Sturdza Palace in the Victory Square, Bucharest, 1898-1901-destroyed by WW2 bombardments, by Iulius Reinicke
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  Beaux-Arts aka Eclectic - Cantacuzino Palace on Calea Victoriei, 1898-1906, by Ion D. Berindey
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  Beaux-Arts aka Eclectic - Constantin Mihail Palace (currently the Craiova Art Museum), 1898-1907, by Paul Gottereau
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  Beaux-Arts aka Eclectic - Interior of the Constantin Mihail Palace, 1898-1907, by Paul Gottereau
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  Romanian Revival - Building of the Public Officials Association in the Victory Square, Bucharest, 1900-destroyed by WW2 bombardments in 1944, by Nicolae Mihăescu
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  Gothic Revival - Palace of Culture, Iași, 1906-1926, by Ion D. Berindei, Filip Xenopol and Grigore Cerchez

More buildings are built during the second half of the 19th century and the first decades of the 20th, as the creation of the new modern Romanian state, after the Unification of Moldavia and Wallachia in 1859, needed new administrative, social-economic and cultural institutions. This way, during a relatively short period, some administrative palaces had to be built, not just the governmental ones, but also smaller communal palaces in different cities, and also private homes. Many of them were built in the Classicist style, like the Romanian Athenaeum on Calea Victoriei (Bucharest).

Towards the end of the century, many administrative buildings and private homes are built in a style known as «Beaux-Arts» or «Eclectic», brought from France through French architects who came here for work in Romania, schooled in France. The National Bank of Romania Palace on Strada Lipscani, built between 1883 and 1885 is a good example of this style, decorated not just with columns (mainly Ionic), but also with allegorical statues placed in niches, that depict Agriculture, Industry, Commerce and Justice. Because of the popularity of this style, it changed the way Bucharest looks, making it similar in some way with Paris, which led to Bucharest being seen as "Little Paris". Eclecticism was very popular not just in Bucharest and Iași, the two biggest cities, but also in smaller ones like Craiova, Caracal, Râmnicu Vâlcea, Pitești, Ploiești, Buzău, Botoșani, Piatra Neamț etc. This style was used not only for administrative palaces and big houses of wealthy people, but also for middle class homes.

Industrialization brought some engineering feats such as the King Carol I Bridge (later renamed Anghel Saligny Bridge). Built between 1890 and 1895 in over the Danube, when it was completed it then became the longest bridge in Europe and the third in the world.

Residential architecture

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  Beaux-Arts aka Eclectic - Ioan Pascu/Leonid Berkowitz House, Bucharest, 1881, by Alexandru Săvulescu
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  Beaux Arts aka Eclectic - Ionel Pleșia House, Craiova, 1890-1892, by Paul Louis Albert Galeron
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  Beaux-Arts aka Eclectic - Leon Lobel House, Bucharest, 1894, unknown architect
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  Beaux-Arts aka Eclectic - Mitilineu House, Bucharest, 1898, unknown architect
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  Rococo Revival - Strada General H. M. Berthelot no. 41, Bucharest, c.1900, unknown architect
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  Beaux-Arts aka Eclectic - Strada Silvestru no. 13, Bucharest, c.1900, unknown architect
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  Beaux-Arts aka Eclectic - Calea Unirii no. 73, Craiova, c.1900, unknown architect
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  Beaux-Arts aka Eclectic - House of architect Leonida Negrescu, Bucharest, c.1900 (before 1906), unknown architect
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  Beaux-Arts aka Eclectic - Strada Arthur Verona no. 15, Bucharest, c.1900, unknown architect
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  Gothic Revival - Hermann I.Rieber House (left) and carriage factory (right), Bucharest, 1903, by Siegfrid Kofczinsky
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  Gothic Revival - Niculescu-Dorobanțu Mansion, Bucharest, 1911, by Grigore Cerkez
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  Beaux-Arts aka Eclectic - Assan House, Bucharest, 1914, by Ion D. Berindey
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  Beaux-Arts aka Eclectic - Dimitrie Manole House, Bucharest, 1915, by Edmond van Saanen Algi

Besides administrative buildings and the residences of wealthy people, many city-houses with a street facade and a garden were also built, belonging to middle class individuals, like doctors or workers. Most of these houses have two or three window on the street facade, and the door and other windows on the garden facade. The terrain of these proprieties were divided usually equally into garden and house surface. Above the entrance, some of them have monograms and/or cartouches with the year when they were erected.

Demolitions

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  Saint John the Great Monastery, where is now the CEC Palace, Bucharest, built in the mid-17th century, modified in the late 17th century during the reign of Constantin Brâncoveanu, demolished in 1874
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  Sărindar Monastery Church, where is now the National Military Club, Bucharest, built in the mid-17th century by Matei Basarab, modified in the mid 19th century in a Gothic Revival style, demolished in 1896

During the reign of Carol I, due to the need for new headquarters for state institutions, some heritage buildings were demolished. This was mainly because back then, the idea of historic monument didn't exist. Thus, landmarks that were a few centuries old were turned down too make space for new buildings. In downtown Bucharest, multiple monasteries, churches and inns from the late Romanian Middle Ages or the Early Modern Period were demolished.

Art Nouveau

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  Romulus Porescu House, Bucharest, 1905, by Dimitrie Maimarolu
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  Constanța Casino, Constanța, 1905-1910, by Daniel Renard and Petre Antonescu
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  Former Al. Assan shop on Strada Lipscani, Bucharest, before 1906, unknown architect
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  Mix of Beaux Arts and Art Nouveau - Mița the Cyclist House, Bucharest, 1910, by Nicolae C. Mihăescu
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  Mix of Beaux Arts and Art Nouveau - Strada Vasile Lascăr no. 61, Bucharest, unknown date, unknown architect
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  Relief on the Fanny and Isac Popper House, Bucharest, 1914, by Alfred Popper
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  Piața Mihail Kogălniceanu no. 7, Bucharest, unknown date, unknown architect
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  Strada Mircea Vodă no. 48, Bucharest, unknown date, demolished during the mid or late 1980s, unknown architect

Art Nouveau appears in Romania during the same years as it does in Western Europe (early 1890s until the outbreak of World War I in 1914), but here few are the buildings in this style, the Beaux Arts being predominant. The most famous of them is the Constanța Casino. Most of the Romanian examples of Art Nouveau architecture are actually mixes of Beaux Arts and Art Nouveau, like the Romulus Porescu House or house no. 61 on Strada Vasile Lascăr, both in Bucharest.

The national or Romanian Revival style

Main article: Romanian Revival architecture

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  Central Girls' School, Bucharest, 1890, by Ion Mincu
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  Cantacuzino Tomb in the Bellu Cemetery, Bucharest, c.1900, by Ion Mincu
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  Former Pallace Hotel, Craiova, 1900-1905, by Otto Hesselmann-Carada
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  Nicolae Minovici House, today the Nicolae Minovici Folk Art Museum, Bucharest, 1906-1907, by Cristofi Cerchez
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  A. Mincu House, Bucharest, 1910, by Arghir Culina
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  E. Constantinescu/Alexandru Cătuneanu House, Bucharest, 1913-1915, by Paul Smărăndescu
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  C.N. Câmpeanu/Alfred E. Gheorghiu House, Bucharest, c.1923, by Constantin Nănescu

During the 1890s and 1900s, the Romanian Revival style appears and is developed. Ion Mincu, who studied at the École des Beaux-Arts from where in 1884 receives his architect diploma, is the first Romanian architect who, rejecting the Beaux-Arts style, promotes traditional Romanian architecture. During his 30 year career, studying the old Brâncovenesc monuments, he built using this style, with works like the Lahovari House, the Kiseleff Roadside Buffet or the Central Girls' School in Bucharest. Although thought in foreign schools and academies, other Romanian architects, like Petre Antonescu or Cristofi Cerchez, start building in this style. Romanian Revival buildings are erected both before and after WW1, the 1920s being probably the peak of popularity.

Between the wars - Romanian Revival, Moorish, Art Deco and Modernism (1918–1940)

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  Romanian Revival architecture - Cezar Golici House, Bucharest, 1928, by Virginia Andreescu Haret
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  Art Deco - Telephones Company Building on Calea Victoriei, Bucharest, 1929-1934, by Walter Froy, Louis S. Weeks and Edmond van Saanen Algi
• Athenee Palace Hilton on Calea Victoriei (Bucharest), 1939 (after remodelling of the 1911-1914 building from Art Nouveau to Art Deco in 1935), by Duiliu Marcu[68]
  Athenee Palace Hilton on Calea Victoriei (Bucharest), 1939 (after remodelling of the 1911-1914 building from Art Nouveau to Art Deco in 1935), by Duiliu Marcu
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  Stripped Classicism - Bucharest University Rectorate and Law Faculty, 1933-1935, by Petre Antonescu
• Bauhaus Modernism - Strada C.A. Rosetti no. 43, Bucharest, 1933, by Marcel Locar
  Bauhaus Modernism - Strada C.A. Rosetti no. 43, Bucharest, 1933, by Marcel Locar
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  Moorish - Otto Gagel House, Bucharest, 1930s, unknown architect
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  Style upgradation - Strada Planetlor no. 25A (Bucharest), street facade: 1930s, the rest of the house: c.1900, unknown architects
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  Demolitions - Alexandru Marghiloman House, Bucharest, demolished in the 1920s and replaced with the ARO Building on Bulevardul Gheorghe Magheru

The interwar period and the WW2 one was dominated by two styles: Romanian Revival and Modernism (under the forms of Art Deco, Stripped Classicism and later Bauhaus). Before becoming mainstream, Modernism was in a conflict with the adepts of the Romanian Revival style. They blamed Modernists for lacking a National spirit. However, this opposition will fade away over time, as Modernism became the dominant style.

Another style of the interwar period was Stripped Classicism (Template:Lang-ro), very similar with the Mussolini-era Italian Rationalism. Buildings in this style are quite rare, most of them being institutions, like the Victoria Palace or the Carol I National Defence University, both in Bucharest. During the 1930s, the Moorish style was popular for houses, using Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance elements, and big plane surfaces.

Many impressive villas that show these styles can be found in the Aviatorilor neighborhood in Bucharest, due to the fact that this area was empty before 1911. Another district with similar opulent villas is Cotroceni.

During the Belle Époque and the interwar period, it was very important for people to be have houses fashionable with the preferences and the styles of the time. Because of this, some houses from the reign of Carol I were modernized, due to the fact that styles like Gothic Revival, Neoclassicism, Beaux-Arts or Art Nouveau were considered very "passé", "dated" or "out of fashion". This didn't happed often, and examples of 19th century buildings whose facades were changed with something Art Deco or Modern are relatively rare. They are relatively easy to spot, due to their proportions and sizes being the same as the rest of the Belle Époque houses.

Because of this perception of pre-WW1 architecture as "dated", some impressive buildings from that time were demolished. One of the best examples is the Marghiloman House, that stood where is now the ARO Building on Bulevardul Gheorghe Magheru in Bucharest. This is also due to the fact that the idea of historic monument didn't exist at that time.

Art Deco

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  Interior of Calea Victoriei no. 100, Bucharest, 1929, by Nicolae Nenciulescu
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  Society of Civil Servants Building, Bucharest, 1932-1934, by Radu Culcer and I.D.Roșu
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  Main entrance of the North Station, Bucharest, 1935, by Victor Gh. Ștephănescu
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  Door of the former Albina (the Bee) Bank Building, Bucharest, 1935, unknown architect
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  Astra Factories, Brașov, 1937, unknown architect
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  Strada Plantelor no. 11, Bucharest, unknown date, unknown architect
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  Central Social Insurance Company Building, Bucharest, unknown date, by Ion Ionescu
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  Telephone Exchange, Ploiești, unknown date, by Constantin Nanescu
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  Piața Sfântul Ștefan no. 1, Bucharest, unknown date, unknown architect
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  Bulevardul Dacia no. 89, Bucharest, unknown date, unknown architect
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  Floor at the entrance of Bulevardul Hristo Botev no. 26, Bucharest, unknown date, unknown architect
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  Stairs of Strada Ștefan Mihăileanu no. 28 C, Bucharest, unknown date, unknown architect

Art Deco was a type of modernism which appeared in France as a style of luxury and modernity, highly associated with the Roaring 20s. It was present in Romania during all the interwar period, creating a "luxurious and exuberant architecture, representative for the capitalist success", according to Ana Maria Zahariade. This style was used for administrative buildings, small apartment blocks of a few levels, and houses.

Moorish style

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  Strada George Enescu no. 14, Bucharest, 1930s, unknown architect
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  Strada Doctor Niculae D. Staicovici no. 24, Bucharest, 1930s, unknown architect
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  Strada Alecu Russo no. 21, Bucharest, 1937, by George Damian

A style characteristic of the 1930s was the Moorish (Template:Lang-ro), aka Moorish-Florentine (Template:Lang-ro), which eclectically uses Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance elements in civic architecture, inspired by the Moorish cities in Spain, where Jewish populations were slaughtered during the Spanish Inquisition. It is also defined by big plane surfaces on the facades, with abrasive textures. Due to being popular during the 1930s, when Modernism was picking up popularity, it is also characterized by simplicity. Houses tend to have small windows and big rooms, giving them a mystical vibe. They also have big monumental fireplaces, similar with the ones in Hogwarts from the Harry Potter series. Approximatively 90% of Moorish-style buildings were erected by Jews (mainly Sephardic Rite Jews and Spanish Rite Jews). During WW2, general Ion Antonescu, who had far-right and antisemitic views, outlaws the style. Because of this, buildings in this style created after 1941 are very rare or highly simplified.

One of the most impressive examples of Moorish architecture is the Otto Gagel House on Strada Doctor Lister in Cotroceni (Bucharest), which shows the characteristics of the style. Otto Gagel was the most famous bread and biscuit producer before WW1 and during the interwar period. He was also a provider of the Romanian Royal family, and had factories on the Arsenal Hill, which were demolished in the 1980s by the Nicolae Ceaușescu regime to make space for the Civic Centre.

Bauhaus Modernism

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  Jacob Valter Engineer House, Bucharest, 1933, by Alfred Popper
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  Vâlcovici Villa, Bucharest, 1933, by Henrieta Delavrancea-Gibory
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  Popper Sanatorium, Predeal, 1934, by Marcel Iancu
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  Bellona Hotel, Eforie, 1934-1940, by George Matei Cantacuzino
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  Obor Covered Market Hall, Bucharest, 1937-1942, by Horia Creangă and Haralamb Georgescu, 1942-1946, by Haralamb Georgescu
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  Central Social Insurance Company Building, Cluj, unknown date by Ion Ionescu

During the 1930s and 1940s, Bauhaus Modernist ideas appear in Romanian architecture under the form of late Art Deco, very popular among young architects and the progressive bourgeoisie. Reinforced concrete apartment blocks and houses were built, made up of basic shapes, with horizontal or corner windows, usually with no symmetry. A typology of apartment blocks are the symmetrical U-shaped ones with courtyards. Important architects that built without decorating their buildings, similar with the International Style, include Horia Creangă, Duiliu Marcu, Octav Doicescu and Grigore Ionescu. Chronologically, the first architect that adopted without restraints Modernism was Marcel Iancu, who also designed some Cubist villas.

When Modernism entered the mainstream in the interwar period, the conservatives were initially horrified by the basic shapes, the simple lines, the lack of ornamentation and the austere look of the new buildings. Horia Creangă, the creator of some of the most iconic interwar Modernist buildings was nicknamed the "aristocrat of simple lines". Marcel Iancu wrote the reaction of some people towards the Fuchs Villa, the first Modernist house in Bucharest:

The neighbours don't understand why, instead of the old windows, the new house has a window that goes from an edge of the wall to another, like a mortuary display case. The attic eye, usually on the roof, is here in three examples, like some first class cabins of a transatlantic ship, and the garage seems to be the subsidiary of the central crematorium.

The 1930s represented a key decade of transformation of Bucharest. The period of popularity of Bauhaus Modernism intersects with intense modernizations of Bucharest from the interwar period, thus certain areas having a high density of tall Modernist buildings. Some good examples of this are the Gheorghe Magheru Boulevard and some parts of Calea Victoriei in Bucharest.

During World War II, architectural activity was very low. Some buildings that were started before the war, like the Victoria Palace in Bucharest, continued being built also during the war.

The first "Blockhouses"

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  ARO Building, Bucharest, 1929-1931, by Horia Creangă et al.
• "Gold" small apartment block, Bucharest, 1934-1936, by Marcel Iancu[84]
  "Gold" small apartment block, Bucharest, 1934-1936, by Marcel Iancu
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  Malaxa-Burileanu Building, Bucharest, 1935-1937, by Horia Creangă
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  Dragomir-Niculescu Building on Calea Victoriei, Bucharest, 1936, by State Baloșin

This term of American origin refers to the buildings with multiple levels, built during the 1920s and 1930s, in various parts of the central area of Bucharest. The buildings of the Nicolae Bălcescu Boulevard in Bucharest are mostly of this type, good examples of Romanian Modernism. Due to the fact that there were no seismic precautions during the intrwar period, these blocks are dangerous when it comes to earthquakes. Because of this, today some of them have red circle stickers, highlighting the risk of crash.

The Communist period (1948-1989)

Socialist realism (1947-c.1958)

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  Scînteia House, Bucharest, 1948-1955, by Horia Maicu, Nicolae Bădescu, Marcel Locar, Mircea Alifanti et al.
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  National Opera (Opera House and Ballet Theatre), Bucharest, 1952-1953, by Octav Doicescu, Paraschiva Iubu, Nicolae Cucu and Dan Slavici
• Building in the Palace/Revolution Square, Bucharest, 1952-1954, by Richard Bordenache[89]
  Building in the Palace/Revolution Square, Bucharest, 1952-1954, by Richard Bordenache
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  Masca Theatre (formerly the "Brotherhood Between Nations" cinema), Bucharest, 1954-1958, by N. Porumbescu, D. Bacalu and T. Stănescu
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  Colonels' Quarter, Bucharest, 1954-1962, unknown architects

From 1948, the new Communist regime - so-called people's democracy - began to have a big control over all aspects of life, including architecture, dictating a uniform bureaucratic vision of urbanism and architectural design. This is when interwar Bauhaus-like Modernism ends in Romania, being replaced by Socialist Realism, the style that characterizes 1930s' Moscow architecture. Due to the fact that Romania had to recover after the war, examples of Socialist Realist architecture are relatively rare. The style is more or less easy to spot, by its use of Neoclassical elements and proportions, but in a simplified way (not to be confused with Stripped Classicism, which was much more minimalistic). Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej was premier of the Socialist Republic of Romania from 1947 until 1965. He began the country's policies of industrialization, with infrastructure development for heavy industry, and construction for mass resettlement to new industrial and agricultural centers away from Bucharest and other principal cities.

Postwar Modernism (1960-1977)

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  Palace Hall, Bucharest, 1957-1960, by Horia Maicu, Tiberiu Ricci, Ignace Șerban and Romeo Balea
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  Strada Polonă no. 1-5, Bucharest, 1960s, unknown architects
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  Apartment building no. 6, Strada Liviu Rebreanu no. 2, Bucharest, 1960s, unknown architects
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  Mamaia Summer Theatre, Mamaia, inaugurated in 1963, unknown architects
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  Hotels in Mamaia, 1960s, unknown architects
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  ROMEXPO Bucharest International Fair (EREN Pavilion), Bucharest, 1963, by Ascacio Damian, Mircea Enescu and Vera Hariton
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  Intercontinental Hotel, Bucharest, 1968-1970, by Dinu Hariton, Gheorghe Nădrag, Ion Moscu and Romeo Balea

Prior to the mid-1970s, Bucharest, as most other cities, was developed by expanding the city, especially towards the south, east, and west. High density dormitory neighbourhoods were built at the outskirts of the city.

The Systematizations (1977-1990)

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  Palace of Parliament, Bucharest, started in 1984, by Anca Petrescu
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  The reshaping of Piața Unirii, Bucharest, 1986, unknown architect
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  Apartment blocks on Bulevardul Unirii, Bucharest, the 1980s, unknown architect
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  Map of Bucharest centre, highlighting with red the spaces demolished during the Ceaușescu period, on display during an exhibition in the Bucharest City Hall in June 2021
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  Map of the Uranus area of Bucharest, highlighting with red the spaces occupied by building erected during the Ceaușescu period, on display during an exhibition in the Bucharest City Hall in June 2021. Today, the area shown is largely occupied by the Palace of Parliament, its garden and the Izvor Park

Nationalism, characterizing the last stage of Romanian communism, did not extend to contemporary Romanian architecture. Romanian Systematization was the program of urban planning carried out under the communist regime of Nicolae Ceauşescu (r. 1965–1989), after his 1971 visit to North Korea and China. It forced projects, designed with an architecture of pre-fab technology, that resulted in the construction of high density dormitory neighborhoods, with huge housing blocks of numerous eight to ten-story buildings housing flats, that leveled core district cityscapes. The fast urban growth respected neither traditional rural values nor a positive ethic of urbanism.

Traditional urban central areas and rural towns were destroyed in a process sarcastically dubbed Ceaușima. They were replaced by conglomerates of blocks of flats and industrial projects. His 'Food Complex' buildings (Circ al foamei), dubbed Hunger circuses, were identical large domed buildings intended as produce markets and food hypermarkets. Ceauşescu also imposed the erection of monumental public buildings, of a dull and eclectic classical solemnity.

The dominant example of the intrusion of Ceaușima egotism into the traditional urban fabric is the Centrul Civic (civic center) in the capital, with its grandiose and huge government palace built by Nicolae Ceauşescu, the 'Palace of the People' now post-revolution renamed the Palace of the Parliament. The civic district's construction necessitated the demolition of much of southern Bucharest beyond the Dâmboviţa River, with 18th and 19th century neighborhoods and their significant architectural masterpieces destroyed. The dominating government Palace is the world's largest civilian building with an administrative function, most expensive administrative building, and heaviest building. It and other edifices in the Centrul Civic are modern concrete buildings behind neoclassical quasi-fascist marble façades.

Contemporary (1989–present)

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  Charles de Gaulle Plaza, Bucharest, 2000-2006, by Vladimir Arsene et al.
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  Tower blocks near Văcărești Nature Park, Bucharest, 2006-2010, by Călin Negoescu, Cristina Găleată, Ștefan Cătălin, Cristian Craiveanu, Alexandru Cutelecu
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  Cathedral Plaza Bucharest, Bucharest, 2007-2011, by Vladimir Arsene, Cristina Ștefan, Onar Gerelioglu et al.
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  Strada Dimitrie Racoviță no. 4A, Bucharest, 2017, by Corina Dîndărean
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  OTOTO Amzei, Bucharest, 2021, unknown interior designer

The Romanian Revolution of 1989 ousted Nicolae Ceaușescu and Communist rule. The post-revolution Romanian culture has, in architecture and planning, been developing new concepts and plans for the country's needs of functionality and national aesthetics in an international context. Many modern 21st century buildings are mostly made of glass and steel. Another a trend is to add modern wings and façades to historic buildings (for example the Headquarters of the Union of Romanian Architects building).

Examples of post-1989 architecture include: Bucharest Financial Plaza, Arena Națională, City Gate Towers, Bucharest Tower Center. Modern high rise residential buildings include the Asmita Gardens.

Heritage today

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  Demolitions - late-19th century and early-20th century houses in from of the Școala Centrală National College on Strada Icoanei, Bucharest, demolished in late November 2021 after decades of continuous decay, to make space for an apartment building
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  Mutilations - Calea Călărașilor no. 75, Bucharest, a small interwar Art Deco apartment building, where each owner painted the exterior of their apartment how they wanted, thermally insulated or not, thus destroying its facade
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  Ruins - Solacolu Inn on Calea Moșilor, Bucharest, a building valuable through its age, from the 1940s and modified during the reign of Alexandru Ioan Cuza (1859-1866), left in a state of ruin, because of the indifference and lack of action of the local authorities, of the inhabitants and of the local community
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  Decay - Calea Dudești no. 125, Bucharest, a Belle Époque mansion, left to crumble, because of the indifference and lack of action of the local authorities, of the inhabitants and of the local community
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  Facadism - Strada Olteni no. 1, Bucharest, one of the few buildings that remained in the area behind Unirea Shopping Center after the massive demolitions from the mid and late-1980s, with its interior and height changed. The only original element remains the facade
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  Modifications - Cesianu House, the former German legation/embassy on Calea Victoriei, Bucharest, renovated and changed thought the adding of new structures during the late 2010s-early 2020s
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  Reconversions - Strada Arthur Verona no. 15, Bucharest. Together with the Dimitrie Sturdza House, they form the Cărturești Verona bookshop, thus being put in value with the change of their initial residential function
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  Good preservations - Hermann I.Rieber carriage factory, Bucharest, a gem of the Belle Époque, that despite not being renovated in recent years, is still in a good conditions
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  Good renovations and restorations - Mița the Cyclist House, Bucharest, a Belle Époque house from the 1900s, in a state of decay before the mid-2010s, restaured and brought to its former glory

See also

• Wooden churches of Maramureș
• List of Romanian architects
• List of buildings in Bucharest

References

• Celac, Mariana; Carabela, Octavian; Marcu-Lapadat, Marius (2017). Bucharest Architecture - an annotated guide. Order of Architects of Romania. ISBN 978-973-0-23884-6.
• Lăzărescu, Cezar; Cristea, Gabriel; Lăzărescu, Elena (1972). Arhitectura Românească în Imagini (in Romanian). Editura Meridiane.

External links

• Romanian Architecture Gallery