41

COME 3 DAYS IN ROMANAȚI

CORABIA:

CORABIA is the port city on the which preserves the romanticism of the old Danube harbors, full of parks and the fragrance of hundreds of lime trees. There were the old fortress of the Dacians over which Emperor Aurelian built a fortress, consecutively rebuilt by Emperors Constantine the Great and Justinian. The old market and river port, the city provides a number of objectives to be visited. The origin of the name of the ancient hamlet of Corabia is supported by an ancient legend that the founding of this settlement is related to the existence of the road of transhumance of the shephrds coming from the mountains during the winter to shelter the flocks in the Danube's meadow. In one autumn, they found the remains of a ship that struck the remains of a pillar of the bridge of Constantine the Great, then wreak on the lands temporarily inhabited by shepherds. They gathered them by using them to build shelters, which in time have multiplied, thus setting up a settlement called Corabia. It is certain that on September 6, 1598, the date of the document by which Michael the Brave strengthened his property over 23 villages bought during Craiova's great ban, refers to the place named Vadul Corabiei ("And again bought reign but my border is known from the top of Magdura of Borduh at the water of the Danube, which is called Vadul Corabiei ... ") Mihai Viteazul's document provided the necessary scientific support to establish the year 1598 as a date of documentary attestation of Corabia. The establishment of the city of Corabia was due to strictly economic necessities due to a petition brought to the ruler of A.I.Cuza in 1859 by 37 merchants in the city of Caracal, who supported the establishment of a port city on the Danube to facilitate the commercialization of cereals. After long steps, the dream of the Romanian merchants was fulfilled in 1871, when Prince Carol promulgated the Law of the founding of Corabia.

The tourist and recreational port of Corabia was arranged by a project that benefited from a grant from European funds worth over 7 million lei. The port stretches over an area of 8,700 meters² and the investment resulted in the execution of some hydro-technical works to allow cruise and passenger ships access, the construction of mooring docks, platforms, connection to the utilities network. The portrait represents the attraction of the city.

The Roman-Byzantine fortress , the town of Corabia, the Celei district (2nd-3rd century, the Roman- Byzantine era) - a historical monument of national importance, of category A, included in the list of historical monuments in . The ancient settlement Sucidava was born on the left bank of the Danube, in the Neolithic age. The most important scientific and archeological findings were in the seventh decade of the nineteenth century by Frenchmen Boissiere and Ch. Baudrysi in the nineteenth century, dating to the legendary August Treboniu Laurian and the student Alexandru Popovici. At the beginning of the XXth century, research was carried out by Grigore G.Tocilescu şi ParvanVasile. Since 1936 archaeological excavation campaigns have been initiated, conducted until 1981 by Dumitru Tudor, between 1982-1995, the researches were continued by Octavian Toropu, and since 1995 until today, prof. Dr. Petre Gherghe, from the University of Craiova. As members of the research teams, they have contributed over time: Expectatus Bujor, Marin Nica, Constantin C. Petolescu, Gheorghe Popilian, Octavian Toropu, Lucian Amon, Liviu Petculescu, Mirela Cojoc, Onoriu Stoica, Vasiliţă Stephen. The "secret fountain" of Sucidava, today restored and integrated into the touring circuit, is the most attractive tourist spot. It is located in the southern part of the fortress and captures, at a depth of 18 m, one of the powerful INSTITUȚIICOME DE 3 DAYSUTILITATE IN ROMANAȚI PUBLICĂ Dumitru Liceanu VADASTRA: first HiertonisitepriestwasE.Marculescu. The Obdersalek. Iosif master, Czech a by joinery oak the and , in painters Grimani N. and Pascali Craiova. The Renaissance painting was painted by C. imposing an one second between thechurchesofOlteniaafterMadona-Duduin is the being size 58, its structure, nr. architectural Cuza-Vodă, str. Corabia, monument ofitskindsofardiscoveredinthenorthDanube. architectural oldest the is and BC century 6th the from Dates visit. to tourists for arranged m, 1.97 skeleton measures whose adult an including found, were tombs burial 6 floor, the under basilica, the Inside west. the Justinian inthesixthcenturyandhadroleofsecuringwatersupplygarrisonduringsiege. springs at the footofplateau, about 14msouthoftheenclosure wall. Itwasbuilt during the Emperor Vadastra has taken in his hands for the first time the over sixdecades sincemaybethelast furrier from It's alive. habit this keep to someone find and relay the over hand to desire: a has still Vadastra from furrier last the USA, the even reached hands his by title of Living human treasure. After the vests made from the Oltenian village Vadastra, was awarded the sheepskin, alsocame the rewards.DumitruLiceanu, deformed by perpetually pushing the needle into the were fingers his which during work, of lifetime a the needle and thread when he was just a kid. After hand his in put first who father, his gold from his bracelet become would that craft the making learned he's He and old years for aslonghecanremember.sheepskin coats 70 than more He's 42 h prs cuc "oy rnt" (1895-1907), Trinity" "Holy church parish The to entrance the and east the to altar the churches: Christian the of typical is basilica Paleobizantine The Milan, 2008;Pleven-Bulgaria2008. Torino- 2007; Germany,June - Nuremberg 2007); (April Regions (December the of Committee Noël Brussels, 2006); de (June Marché Paris Strasbourg, in 2006); headquarters UNESCO the few: his personalexhibitionswementionhereonlya shoemakers". Among became craftsmen,furriers, was noplace to hire young people, and sothey crafts and,becausethere were nofactories,there because there was a lot of work and they learned the the to children of the village. craft his teached who Vadastra, in furrier more like a play. He was the son of the most famous first, skin. At the into sewed and thread and needle "Those were fantastic times 43

Ionel Cococi

He was born on June 1, 1969 in Vadastra, destiny!" Said the master. Ionel Cococi's studio is county. He does his work according to the belief "If located in his Vadastra household, near the town of you know how to respect the clay, he respects you Corabia, . The artist is invited to all major too!" Thus, although he embraced the pottery craft fairs organized both in the country and abroad. only in 2000, after meeting with a teacher Dragos Among the personal exhibitions we mention here Gheorghiu, as part of an international project to only a few: the UNESCO headquarters in Paris (June revive the Neolithic ceramics of Vadastra - he strongly believes that this is his purpose. "We all 2006); Strasbourg, Marché de Noël (December have a very well-designed destiny, but we do not 2006); Brussels, Committee of the Regions (April have to stand and wait for passives, but we must 2007); Nuremberg - Germany, June 2007; Torino - also contribute to its fulfillment. Maybe that was my Milan, 2008; Pleven - 2008. INSTITUȚIICOME DE 3 DAYSUTILITATE IN ROMANAȚI PUBLICĂ that therearepeoplewillingtocarryonthistradition.Great Job! fact the enjoys He shirts. traditional such sewing of art the in women Crafts Popular School and every year she has been preparing 24 young and Arts the at instructor an been has Filip family."Alexandrina 2001, Since the from there, from comes Everything me. near tissues of my motherandgrandmotherputneedleinhandthewar Alexandrina -OlgutaFilip DRAGANESTI-OLT: when shewasalsoayounggirl. period the from these doing lately.is loved she and old years 56 She's many youngwomenhowtocreatetraditionalRomanianshirts,so is alsoaninstructoratthe Arts andCraftsschoolteachesannually who Filip, Alexandrina is ie) shirts: (traditional creations Romanian furniture, byapleasantdecorationmadewiththehelpoffabrics. functionality of the rooms, bytheeconomical arrangement anduseofthe the by characterized is dwelling the of interior The rooms. two and porch development ofanenvironmentmoreusefulbutalsobeautifullife. generally inthe and stitches, decorative motifsinwood, ceramics, fabrics, and metals, has created an artthatisstill found todayinthedecorations of of man'sexistenceonearth. no singlestageofhistoryandthattheGumelnianerarepresentsacontinuity natural size,allofwhichhaveaspecialimpactonthevisitor. visitor, thewayoflifeandmaterialcultureDrăgăneşti-OltGumelnianpopulation. on thebasisofarchaeological excavation reports withinthemuseum. They arethusdeciphered for thegreat offered tothetourists. : BOIAN PLAIN MUSEUM 44 One oftheiportantpersonwhoisproducingauthentic open an with wood of built House Peasant a shelters museum The stone civilizations, great two of intersection the at culture a Gumelnita, It is a unique archeopark in the country that comes to prove that there was The housingoftheshaman,potter, thehunter, thefarmerandalakeforsuppliesareallreconstituted in reconstructed Drăgăneşti-Olt, from BC) III (mil. Gumelniţa settlement Neolithic the presents paper The attraction main the is TraianMuseum Zorzoliu Plain Boian the within Gumelniţa of village Neolithic The "I've been working since I started to know. Since I was very young, TRAIAN ZORZOLIU

45

CARACAL:

THE ROMANAȚI MUSEUM park Sr. had had an affair with during itself, the The museum first opened in 1949 with three bald-cypress, the pyramid his own stay in Paris as collections and was subsequently moved in 1990 a student. Greyish oak, the tree of life (Thuja When into a building owned by Iancu Dobruneanu, the the young couple learned the orientalis) and the grandson of Iancu Jianu. As a result of donations, black pine. Art truth, they committed suicide. So acquisitions and archaeological research, the monuments, sports grounds and did their father, who museum now hosts over 20,000 exhibits. ended his own a recreational lake with an island life The Archeology and History Section is in the day after making his Last on the Gologan river possession of pieces of great value, some over complete the Will and Testament, in which he park’s 6,000 years old, on display in eight halls with a total architecture. surface of 400 m. The Iancu Jianu Memorial Section is set up in the home of the outlaw’s parents, built THE PRINCELY CHURCH in the second half of the 18th century. It comprises The Princely Church, under the patronage of the Iancu Jianu’s house, the outbuildings and the lodge. Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple, is the The Plastic Arts Section exhibits works by Ștefan only landmark of the old Princely Court of Mihai Luchian, Gheorghe Petrașcu, pieces by famous Viteazul still intact. It was built on the Protoseni sculptors, icons, wood paintings from the 10th, 17th Hill, out of stone blocks and bricks from the ruins and 19th centuries, as well as embroideries. of the Roman city of Romula. The church is made The Ethnography Section, currently under of masonry walls, it is smaller in size than today’s redecoration, owns a rich collection of folk costumes churches, but has undergone several transformations from Romanați county, tools and household items throughout time. Its shape is fairly unusual for from the Middle Ages, as well as from modern and Țara Românească, but closely related to that of contemporary times monuments such as the churches in Drobeta Turnu Severin and bears an obvious resemblance to the THE CARACAL NATIONAL THEATRE churches south of the Danube. A symbol of the city’s historical rich interior and exterior decoration, part, it is located next to Mihai ALL SAINTS’ CHURCH is impressive, while its name is Viteazul Princely The inscription above the entrance, written in Court and was inscribed on the frontispiece – The Cyrillic alphabet, shows that it was built in 1818, built between 1896 and 1901, National Theatre but there are grounds to believe that the church was – accompanied according to the plans drawn up raised in the 16th-17th century. It is in the shape of by by two epigraphs, one above each Austrian a cross and its very thick walls have small, iron- architect Franz Billek. Its of the side entrances: barred windows, suggesting a fortified building used Comedy and eclectic style featuring elements of by locals as a shelter in times of distress. Although Tragedy. Every year the theatre hosts Baroque modest in size, the church exhibits many elements Revival and Renaissance the National Theatre which make it a unique place of worship: courses, Festival, the Revival places the edifice in the FesTin niches and murals. The nave and prenave are both Theatre and Short Film Youth same European shaped like a dome and supported by arches, as is architectural Festival, the Amateur Theatres’ current the narthex. The interior painting is distinguished by as the Romanian Athenaeum Comedy Festival, the zoomorphic representation of Saint Christopher the standing or the National Theatres of Iași, on the northern wall. theatrical season of the Municipal Bucharest, Cluj and Timișoara. Its Theatre, as well as a variety of THE CARACAL SYNAGOGUE remarkable size, together with its conferences and The Caracal Synagogue was built in 1902 in the exhibitions. vicinity of the former Jewish neighbourhood to serve as a place of worship for Sephardic Jews (who came CONSTANTIN POROINEANU PARK as a result of the immigration flow from Spain and In 1908, the great philanthropist bequeathed his entire the Mediterranean and arrived in Ţara Româneasca fortune to the Constantin Poroineanu bequeathed around 1496). The builging, which is drawn back municipality. Designed by French the park by will form the street line, was erected in local neoclassical to the Municipality landscape artists Pinard and architectural style. While the exterior is modest, the Rédont, of the Urban Commune of Caracal, the interior is richly decorated, with painted walls and park is modelled after Cișmigiu following a terrible high-quality furnishings. The Jewish community in tragedy: his Park in Bucharest. The 25,5 ha are son, Caracal was first documented over two centuries who had been sent to Paris to covered by decorative ago and contributed to the development of the local plant sections, study, had married the daughter of urban environment, but it currently has no more the highlights being the pagoda tree a Frenchwoman representatives in the city. The Jewish Cenetery is whom Poroineanu (Ginkgo biloba) – as old as the also a part of the city’s cultural heritage. INSTITUȚIICOME DE 3 DAYSUTILITATE IN ROMANAȚI PUBLICĂ was removed ontheoutskirts,which,ascitywas was Dacian local people butintime, thelocal population to built Romans defend thenewconqueredterritory. the AD 105-106 to back dates by thegroundcamp with surge protection which along whichunfoldNecropolisSud0 such astheterritorialdefence. Flavia and Claudia XI Legio I Comangenorum–on military missions Cohors - area the in sent century duringthewarstoconquerDacia. future city dates back to thebeginning of the 2nd of Malva? according tosomeresearchers,wouldbearthename a strong rural Dacian settlement in here which, of antiquity. a Latinnamewhichremindsofthegreatmetropolis Dacia Malvensis,istheonlygreatcityofwith Romula, the capital of Dacia Inferior and later called : 46 The first settlers lived together with theGeto- with together lived settlers first The The presence of thesemilitary units issustained Current paththatoverlapsaformerRomanroad During thistime several Roman legionswere The Roman presence on theterritory of the By thearrivalofRomanstherehadbeen the hunting lodges ofthe former communist regime. Olt County and has 30 beds and it used to be one of Cottage and belongstotheForestryDepartment of built twocottages:onecottageiscalledBulvanul by alarge lowlandforest.Inthisforesttherewere Governors. centre andtheresidenceofDaciaInferior that the city became an important tax and customs now also is It erected. were buildings large first the and belt fortified a by surrounded was city life. The Romula experienced a real development of urban wasused later inthetitleofDaciaMalvensis. it Therefore, Romula. named officially memory oftheinhabitantsevenaftercitywas taken over bythe new foundedone preserving the among the inhabitants of the Roman settlement was existed ontheareawherelaterRomulaarose. called Malva, theoldnameofDaciansettlement of thename, the landissupposedtohavebeen award official the Until Rome). little (the Romula most likelyto receivethenameof developing, was The communeofDobrosloveniissurrounded Raised to the rank of the capital of the province The Daciannamethathadastrongresonance 47

BRÂNCOVENI MONASTERY

The date of the foundation of Brâncoveni monastery The scrutiny of the works was Rad Golescu, is unknown to us. The village appears in documents committed by the ruler of Hurezi. as the estate of the Craioveşti boyars, since 1494, Significant destruction caused between 1721 and the princely court in Brâncoveni is mentioned and 1727 the Austrian troops occupied here and the in a charter of the prince Neagoe Basarab on 3 May Turkish-Austrian wars of 1769-1774 and 1787. The 1518, which reinforces the possession of the maiden earthquake of 1838 crashed the large church turrets Neacşa, Matei Basarab's paternal grandmother, (the one on the pronaos was not restored) and the but the monastery is mentioned for the first time last level of the belfry tower, the egumen house was only in 1582, August 31 (7091), dedicated to damaged (the floor of which will be demolished in the "Assumption of the Virgin". Mihnea Voievod 1847), the cells and the church of the sickness; the -Turcitul strengthens the monastery's estates great church was restored in 1842 during the abbot donated by the lady Calea, daughter of Neacsa, but Theodosie Trapezuntios, when the old painting was does not specify the founder. But in a document replaced by the current one (as the pen painted in the dated April 30, 1641, Matthew Basarab mentions thickness of the entrance door indicates). that the monastery "was made and raised from its The monastery was abolished in 1873, and in 1885 foundation by my grandparents and the parents of a shelter of elders was installed here in a building my reign." This, together with his grandson, Preda attached to the enclosure. Brâncoveanu, the grandfather of Prince Constantin In 1899, the bell tower floor was restored. Brâncoveanu, restored and enlarged the settlement The Historic Monuments Committee initiated in "with walls around and above the gate with a strong 1913 the restoration of the large church, which was tower" and probably the statehood, between 1632 covered with olans instead of shingles. The other and 1640, as we are from written by Constantin buildings remained in ruins. Brâncoveanu in 1699, when he rebuilt the great The rehabilitation process of the ensemble was church of the monastery: "After the Lord God gave resumed in 1957, after the monastery had been the deceased Matthew Voevod with the reign of reactivated, with nuns in 1940, by Bishop Vartolomeu this land ... his reign with the late lady of my reign Stanescu. Archaeological research was carried out Preda biv vel vornic Brâncoveanul, and expose the and the preliminary restoration project for the two holy church, embellishing it inside with adornments churches and cell bodies was elaborated. Interrupted and those that come to the outside with cells, a bell with the abolition of the monastery by the Communist tower, and others as they see themselves." The last regime in 1959, the works continued under the aegis constructive stage is due to Constantin Brâncoveanu, of the Historical Monuments Department during who revived the monastery (the monastery of the 1973-1977. The monastery was re-activated after monks) and rebuilt the church in 1699 (painted 1980 with a community of nuns and extensive works in 1704) - "... the foundations began to begin ... of restoration of buildings and monastic domain were which began on June 9, le 7207 1699) were made," undertaken. Between 1985 and 1988, the Egumen conceived as a necropolis for his ancestors. house and the gate tower were restored. INSTITUȚIICOME DE 3 DAYSUTILITATE IN ROMANAȚI PUBLICĂ him knownallovertheworld. made has rich, him made hasn't it if even that, craft four his brotherMichael,willreturnhometopracticethe his that hopes also children whonowliveinFranceandItaly, andalso He invitation. every to he makesdemonstrationsatmuseums,andresponds street, the organizedon camps summer in teaches he summer the In Romana. in home, potter's the at right of studentswhocometolearnthesecretsthiscraft legacy isingoodhands.Stefanteachestodayaclass spouses' Truscaceramics. of exponents other invited withGrigoreCiungulescuandIonRaducanu, they startparticipatinginfairsandexhibitions,being 1970, In pots. pottery with supply descendants their them in touch with the Village Museum, which today they werediscoveredbyanethnologistwhoputs guided, they went to sell them in Obor Square, where decorated withthehornneedle.In1961,beingwell started workingtogethermorespecialpots,delicately spouses Truscathe '58, - '57 In wheel. potter's the to dance, whowastobecomeherhusbandandpartner the Teodorafairs. 17, TruscaMarin at to At met also she but wheel potter's age the to only not father her followed early an From us." encouraged father our we werecompetingmakingbirds,animals,and four or three of age we startedtoplaywithclay, itwaslikeplasticine, the "From ones. little the of childhood the shadowed never hardships parents' the six brothersinafamilyofpotters,Munteanu,where her with up grew She potters. 200 almost were there in 1929Oboga,thevillagewhich,attime, Bals, Olt county, on the border with Oboga), was born potter from Romana (a village located close to the city Agrippina, thepseudonymchosenby Teodora Trusca, artist, memberofthe Academy of Traditional Arts. popular Teodoraa work, Trusca, of years 70 over in in fairs. To thistruephenomenonhascontributed, known andsought widely became it ethnologists, of yearsand,beingstudiedandappreciatedby Trusca Stefan OBOGA 48 The pottery from Romana dates back hundreds The potteryfromRomanadatesbackhundreds 49

CALUIU MONASTERY

In one day, Mihai Viteazul stopped in a shady Neither the houses for visitors were forgotten, built spot, hidden among the hills of Oltetului Valley. in the southern side. In the middle of the premises is When the voeivode dismounted, his horse strucked the church, little, only 15 meters long and 6 wide, but the earth with his hoof and from that place a fountain with walls whose thickness reaches nearly one meter. gushed. People called Caluitetul the water which The stteple, high and narrow, has 12 windows. welled among the hills. The legend sais that near the At the beginning of the XVIIth century, it was spring, the voeivode and his advisors decided to build added a porch to the church, which was to house a monastery. the graves of the founders. On the paintings on the That would be the way Caluiu Monastery walls of the porch appear Radu Buzescu with his appeared, defended by old walls, in which today wife, Maria, on the southern side, and Matei Basarab live ten monks. The first data coming about the with Ms Elina, on the north. On the paintings in the monastery of the XVI century, during the reign of western part of pronaos appears lady Stanca, Mihai Neagoe Basarab when brothers Vlad Banul, Dumitru Viteazu's wife, and Buzesti brothers: Preda, Radu, Parcalabu and Balica Sapatru, Buzesti ancestors Stroe, with their wives. Near the entrance in pronaos, started building the place of worship. southwest and northwest, are the portraits of Mihai Because of the fighting with the Turkish and the Viteazul and his brother, Petru Cercel. They hold in wandering to Transylvania of Buzesti family, the their hands a cross and a handkerchief. monastery was "in desolation " long time. In 1588, From the valuable items donated to the monastery the construction of the monastery is resumed by over time, there are preserved only the icons of the brave Buzesti captains, Radu, Preda and Stroe, big reredos, the triptych from 1825, and church bells chancellor of the big army of Mihai Viteazul. donated in 1588 by Radu Buzescu. At that time, the The craftsmen were brought especially from monastery was going through a phase of restoration. Transylvania, which is why, in many document Another legend says that the name of the sources, the foundation is mentioned as " deutch monastery comes from some Greek monks who have work" and they finished the building on 8 June taken at some time the control of the place of worship. 1588. The monastery was then surrounded by thick Delighted with the construction of the oltenian hills, defensive walls, and for the monks were built seven Greeks envinced their satisfaction always repeating cells on the right side of the entrance in the convent, the word "kalos" (beautiful). But specialists say that westward (as the cellars were), and seven on the the name Caluiu Monastery has an pecenego-Cumana eastern side. Inside the monastery there were a hall, a origin, only that they can not specify the meaning of bakery and two large bread ovens. the word. INSTITUȚIICOME DE 3 DAYSUTILITATE IN ROMANAȚI PUBLICĂ ar i te Otni Rsu Wrd Festival World Restu" & "Oltenii - the in - Creation Fair Popular Contemporary Bucharest (1986), Contemporary Popular Creators of Days School fromSlatinaforthirtyyears. a being the of class the of teacher PopularCrafts and Arts setting, organized an in woodworking Moreover, Brasov. hegladlyconveyedthesecretsof from Purcarea, Nicolae creator thepopular is mentor important most His competitions. through thecountryatvariousfairs,festivalsand learned fromthefolkcreatorswithwhomhewent mostly but Crafts and of Arts School Professional the attended he where Pitesti, in specialized He realization. their of way traditional the and decor respecting asmuchpossibletheshapes, for woodandsomeofthecraftsfamily, love taught He years. 40 nearly for woodworking Tanase Gheorghe haspracticedartistic Tanase Gheorghe &Stan Alexandru CORBU 50 atcpto i fis fsias n contests: and festivals fairs, in Participation out ofthecountry, Slatina,2011. promotion oftraditionalartsinOltCountyand 2006; Bucharest, Diploma ofexcellenceforthepreservationand Gusti", "Dimitrie Village of Museum National - Excellence 2005, of Diploma 2006; Slatina, County, Olt in arts traditional of of Diploma 2005; and promotionpreservation for the excellence Fair, Crafts Poplar Craft at creation its of value and quality the for tradition, of perpetuation the for Prize Grand and Diploma Laureate 1981; - Festival National Romaniei" a Museum, Sibiu (1991-2004and2012). Astra - Romania in Creators Popular of Fair The (2005); Arges de Curtea - Fair Crafts Gusti Village, (1977-2013); Bucharest (1997-1998); The Popular editions 36 Dimitrie of Museum National - Fair Fair Populari / Days Craiova the within - Craftsmen Folk of Fair The (1994-2013); Prizes, awards: First prize - stage of the "Cantare