Luxury houses with terrace for sale Balotești, Romania

Far from the noise of Bucharest traffic, but at the same time close to civilization, with immediate access to the A3 Motorway, Henri Coanda Airport and Baneasa Shopping Center, there is this oasis of clean air, located on the shores of Lake Snagov. The Snagov area is considered a premium location for the north of Bucharest, with imposing villas, navigable lake, forest, sports clubs and restaurants, with various opportunities for leisure. The villa is located on Snagov Lake, facing the island with Vlad Țepeș Monastery and on the right side Snagov Palace. Built in 2006, on a plot of 3,000 sqm with 90 m opening to the lake, the villa with Mediterranean architectural style, is laid on three levels an consists of 10 rooms with generous areas, out of wich, there are 7 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, gym with sauna and bathroom, children's playground, storage spaces and dressings. On the ground floor it has a living room with dining area with a total area of ​​120sqm, with granite floor and fireplace, with glazed spaces of about 3.5 m high that offers a wonderful view over Snagov Lake. They are separated from the kitchen by a glass wall in which a huge aquarium is arranged. The aquarium is part of the welcoming design of the house and has a role of visual relaxation. The terrace on the ground floor, over 100sqm, covered with Italian stone, makes the transition from the ground floor to the courtyard. The courtyard has quality lawn and abundant vegetation with mature plants. The facilities are multiple and well chosen, starting with the water treatment plant, the drinking water system from 50m depth, electricity generator, intelligent surveillance system, alarm system monitored by a specialized company. Outside, the property has a swimming pool and jacuzzi with an area of ​​about 150 square meters, boat garage and pontoon for 6 other boats, double stone BBQ, a basketball court, up to 10 parking spaces in the yard, terraces and stage specially designed for private events for up to 150 people. The entire property has been designed to meet all the current requirements of a modern family, both in terms of space, facilities and relaxation, without the need for further investment. You will surely fall in love with the lush view, the tranquility of the area, the clean air, and last but not least, the modern facilities.

Close to Snagov Lake, in a predestined area, between Florilor Street and Albăstrelelor Street, is situated Vlahiia Garden, a true oasis of peace and nature.Created as a garden, cultivable and cared for, Vlahiia is arranged as a true nature reservation:animal farm, vegetable gardens, a small orchard, greenhouses and even an artificial lake.In addition to all of these features, 6 unique residential units have been built and integrated in the complex, 5 authentic houses from Maramures, brought from Ţinutul Bârsanei, undoubtedly represent the essence of the entire Garden and the atmosphere recreated on the shores of Snagov Lake is truly unique.The traditional church from Maramureș, together with the archaic museum is getting you back in time to Ţinutul Bârsanei and is completing the enchanting universe of Vlahiia Garden. You can also find a Tuscan-style villa, with pool and garden, made through the extraordinary collaboration between architects Șerban Sturdza and Luciano Bazzari.

Travel through time and space by entering this Tuscan villa with pool, wine cellar and pavillion. Modern comfort is combined with elements of Tuscan architecture and interior design, conceived by the collaboration of two renowned architects, Şerban Sturdza and Luciano Bazzari. Stepping into a completely special universe, we find a villa with carefully thought-out architectural details and a living space that transposes us into a Tuscan universe, full of charm. The interior space decorated with solid wood furniture and glazed ceramics, the terrace with a swimming pool surrounded by vegetation, which transforms the shine of the water into a portal to a universe of well-being, the pavillion decorated with burnt brick and the carefully painted wine cellar are unique elements that make this villa an ideal home for anyone in love with Italian culture. The garden is also landscaped, with shrubs specific to the Mediterranean area, wrought iron and sculptures. Located between Florilor (flowers`) and Albastreleor (cornflowers`) streets, this storytale space brings you together to contemplate the beauty of life, a stone's throw from the Capital.

Close to Snagov Lake, in a predestined area, between Florilor Street and Albăstrelelor Street, is situated Vlahiia Garden, a true oasis of peace and nature.Created as a garden, cultivable and cared for, Vlahiia is arranged as a true nature reservation:animal farm, vegetable gardens, a small orchard, greenhouses and even an artificial lake.In addition to all of these features, 6 unique residential units have been built and integrated in the complex, 5 authentic houses from Maramures, brought from Tinutul Barsanei, undoubtedly represent the essence of the entire Garden and the atmosphere recreated on the shores of Snagov Lake is truly unique. The traditional church from Maramureș, together with the archaic museum is getting you back in time to Tinutul Bârsanei and is completing the enchanting universe of Vlahiia Garden. You can also find, adjacent to the resort, a Tuscan-style villa, with pool and garden, made through the extraordinary collaboration between architects Serban Sturdza and Luciano Bazzari, with residential purpose, that can be bought sepparety.

Selimbăr wood elements villa in Pipera Selimbăr wood furniture designs and a lovely fireplace is exactly what you need to set the clasic as your lifestyle. Not far from the city, this property is ready to fullfill any family that is looking to have privacy and quiet evenings along the family enjoying the stories and setting memories. Groundfloor area combines the daily activities with the bedrooms area, offering 3 bedrooms plus a lovely terrace in front of the green garden. A warm wooden staircase connects the individual bedrooms on the attic floor with the groundfloor, the wood nuance is also found in the carpentry of the doors but also in the living furniture originaly from Ethan Allen store. On the basement is the perfect temperature for your next winery gallery. The villa has a usable area of 245 square meters, which makes it one of those spacious homes that manage to keep an intimate character and 2 interior parking places. Floor heating is provided by the 2 units installed in the tehnical room. By option, the entertaiment and playground area can be reconversed to interior pool area, as it was initially in the project. Additional, there is available a plot of 470 sq.m that can bought in order to expand the current property. Selimbăr wood elements villa in Pipera Selimbăr wood furniture designs and a lovely fireplace is exactly what you need to set the clasic as your lifestyle. Not far from the city, this property is ready to fullfill any family that is looking to have privacy and quiet evenings along the family enjoying the stories and setting memories. Groundfloor area combines the daily activities with the bedrooms area, offering 3 bedrooms plus a lovely terrace in front of the green garden. A warm wooden staircase connects the individual bedrooms on the attic floor with the groundfloor, the wood nuance is also found in the carpentry of the doors but also in the living furniture originaly from Ethan Allen store. On the basement is the perfect temperature for your next winery gallery. The villa has a usable area of 245 square meters, which makes it one of those spacious homes that manage to keep an intimate character and 2 interior parking places. Floor heating is provided by the 2 units installed in the tehnical room. By option, the entertaiment and playground area can be reconversed to interior pool area, as it was initially in the project. Additional, there is available a plot of 470 sq.m that can bought in order to expand the current property. .

We invite you to a green field, forgotten by the world, apparently outside of civilization and where the sun rises and sets unhindered by concrete or asphalt. The expanse of almost five hectares of land in this area means calm and solitude - the silent flat immovable plain and the forest that borders it are the guarantor. Entering the house, the green leaves the stage and wood enters - the entire lodge of over a thousand square meters is made of wood and is divided into truly generous day and night spaces. The ground floor means a high living room, a spacious kitchen and bedrooms, each with its own dressing room and bathroom. The upper floor has been reserved for a large gym and lounge area. Wood up, wood down, wood upright, horizontal, trunk, log, bar, plank - in any representation, whole or sliced, straight or gnarled, the wood is warm, silent, patient and lively and acts as a building material, decoration, binder between the outside and inside. A stylized hut exploits a hoof making it a native hobbit house, with gnarled trunks guarding the entrance (the windows are the bottoms of barrels ingeniously rotated on an axis). With a bedroom and a bathroom (approx. 40 sqm), the small building assumes the role of a guest room. A playground with a climbing wall, birds and swings provide activities for the little ones, along with the pond and the cattle on the property. The house and the outbuildings (garage, photovoltaic panels), the greenhouses and the vegetable garden, the fruit trees, the glistening water that made its way through the willows, the grass, the sheep stable and the bird area are guarantees of the self-sufficiency of the property. As additional security measures are the protective trench fence and thorny vegetation, the observation posts, the bunker as a shelter in case of calamity and the escape route. The location of the property 30 minutes from Bucharest, in Grădiștea (northeast of Ilfov County) makes it extremely attractive as a weekend refuge, a place of return to nature and peace.

Built in 1913 by merchant Ghiţă Popescu, the house on Speranţei street hides between its walls the charm of one of the central and chic streets of the capital. Located between Carol Boulevard and the Italian Street, it appears with this name in the city plans from the end of the nineteenth century. On this street there was the first home of Mihai Eminescu after his arrival in Bucharest in 1877. Ioan Slavici states that it was a spacious room with a wide anteroom in an old eighteenth-century house. From this street, the poet walked down to the editorial office of the conservative newspaper, Timpul, located on Calea Victoriei, writes Alexandru Ofrim in Old Streets of Nowadays Bucharest. And Mihai Eminescu is not the only important figure in the history of this area. The founder of the Romanian neurosurgery school, Dumitru Bagdasar, also lived on Speranţei Street. Unfortunately, the last decades have affected the elegance of the buildings in the area. However, the house of merchant Ghiţă Popescu is the exception. Nationalized after the 1960s, when owned by Dr. Elias Haim, the residence had over time landlords who have cherished it and who invested a lot in its conservation and restoration - a careful work that turned it into an architectural jewel today. The over 400 square meters of the property on Speranţei street, built on SB+GF+F+A, have recently undergone a meticulous renovation process. After a six-month work, under the coordination of the designer Irina Neacsu, the semi-basement has been transformed into what can be considered one of the most beautiful offices in Romania. Numerous pieces of personalized furniture, British accents in an eclectic setting, digitally drawn wallpapers and then printed on paper, the floor heating, are just a few of the elements that give uniqueness and charm to the property. In fact, it is a modern reinterpretation of a building dominated by classic architectural features specific to the beginning of the nineteenth century Bucharest. The modern terrace offers a wide panorama of the Armenian area of the capital, a landscape dominated by inter-war avant-garde, modernist buildings, along the Neo-Romanian and Eclectic style properties. The villa is available for rent as well.

Architectural rebirth with minimalist design and interwar accents. The luxurious villa was built by renovating, consolidating, repartitioning, refurbishing and technically modernizing a small interwar block. The resulting minimalist architectural image brought into the first plan the functionality of the spaces and maximixation of comfort. The aim was to integrate the exterior into the urban fabric of the area and there was a special concern for the sustainability of the construction, through the materials used. The villa is divided into three residential units that can be used together or individually: a duplex apartment comprising the basement, ground floor and first floor and a 3-room apartment, kitchen and two bathrooms, with similar subdivision, on the 2nd floor and attic. The interior staircase has been refurbished keeping an interwar Art Deco design. The interior elevator leads from the ground floor to the attic. The duplex apartment includes, on the ground floor, a large living area, dining room and kitchen with access to a chic and intimate terrace. The laundry room is set up in the basement, along with a room with a flexible function and access to an English courtyard. The first floor consists of three bedrooms and two bathrooms, with access to a terrace from the master bedroom. The two apartments located on the 2nd floor and attic comprise 3 bedrooms, two bathrooms and a kitchen. The remodeling and arrangement of the building was done with special attention paid to the smallest details. This involved, among other things, widening the glazed spaces to create bright rooms and managed to keep a special charm of the property. The exterior has been rebuilt using a combination of brick and corrugated iron. The generous space of the courtyard of the building allows the parking of 3 cars. The property has an additional rented parking space outside the courtyard.

One of the beauties of Little Paris, built in the interwar period, in an era with magical resonances about well-being and happiness, was a father's wedding gift for his daughter. A house built with a lot of love, attention to detail and respect for beauty came to life in the former Mântuleasa slum, a short distance from Izvorul Rece Park and Carol I Boulevard. Mântuleasa slum was founded during the Brâncoveni period outside the city and was to develop around the church of the same name, being incorporated in the hearth of the city in 1752. Personalities such as Mihai Eminescu, Mircea Eliade, Petre Țuțea, Panait Istrati or Mircea Vulcănescu, lived and created in the houses with Parisian perfume in the famous slum. Built at the end of 1927, with a four-level layout, the house was designed for practical, generous spaces that would fully benefit from natural light through tall windows. The Neoclassical style with harmonized elements predominates on the outside and continues elegantly on the inside, with floral friezes on the walls and lacy scaffolding on the ceilings. The current owner, a lover of beauty, took care for three years of total consolidation and restoration, with the preservation of all the original elements, a process by which this architectural jewel was reborn and became more than just a living space. The structure was uncovered and consolidated, the sanitary and electrical installations were changed, the roof was changed and equipped with double glazed windows with laminated wood frames, operated by remote control, the interior doors and windows were made of laminated wood, the bathroom and kitchen floors they were made of painted cement, the other rooms have oak parquet, split air conditioners were installed, two fireplaces were added, one on the ground floor and the other on wood in the attic. It also has a unit for monitoring and coordinating internet connections, telephone, audio sound, fire alarm and video surveillance. Once the wrought iron gate opens and you step inside, an intimate and chic courtyard is revealed to you, decorated with roses and hydrangeas, cool in summer and illuminated with spotlights at night. Approximately 3 cars can be parked in the yard. The charm and elegance of the interwar period awaits you at a short distance from the center of the Bucharest, in a house full of positive energy, which carries on with dignity, the scent of the past.

Luxurious residence with superb architectural elements, located in the Armenească historical area, at the confluence of Logofat Luca Stroici and Speranței streets, where Mihai Eminescu's first home was located after his arrival in Bucharest. In the Bucharest of the seventeenth century, the Armenească suburb was formed from craft workshops, stalls and alehouses, all beautifully built around the Armenească Church, bringing into the capital the goods, the eatables and the culture of the ethnicity that gave the name of the area. Our house belonged to Ecaterina Procopie Dumitrescu, doctor’s daughter and wife of the mayor Procopie Ioan Dumitrescu, former lawyer, liberal Romanian politician and mayor of Bucharest in the period of April 1901 - November 1902 and February 1910 - January 1911. Between 1877 - 1878, while Romania was involved in the War of Independence, the capital did not have a mayor, his place being taken by his deputy, in the person of the same Procopie I. Dumitrescu. He studied law in Paris and since 1870 he entered the magistracy, where he stayed only six years, devoting himself to the political career afterwards. At the beginning of his career he was the prefect of the Capital Police, in 1876 - 1877. For his activity he was decorated Commander of the National Order Steaua României. The house has 21 rooms, an interior summer terrace and has a courtyard of approximately 500 sqm. Besides the specific fragrance of the area, the exterior appearance of the mansion is blended with the refinement of the interior architectural elements, impeccably restrained. Starting from the walls carved with massive wood and silk wallpaper, from the monumental doors and windows, to the stained glass windows, everything takes us in the brilliant times of Bucharest during the Belle Époque. The garden around the house, flooded in greenery, with an artesian fountain and gazebo, invites at relaxation, close but at the same time away from the agitation of the metropolis. Photo: Cristina Budușan

Residence is an understatement. Rather, it is about a large-scale residential concept, surrounded by positive energy, built in the heart of Codril Vlăsiei, a short distance from the future A0 - ring highway, Henri Coandă International Airport and Băneasa Shopping City. Hidden from the hectic life and pollution of the city, in an area where you can hear the chirping of wild birds from the window, this unique property has a plot of 14,000 square meters, a privilege that few residential properties enjoy in the immediate vicinity of the Capital. Generous rooms, solid wood floors, stained glass windows, woodwork and classic, timeless finishes are just a few of the attributes of the home that looks like something out of a modern fairy tale. The indoor pool and fireplace welcome frosty days, and the seemingly endless garden, which together with the tree-lined lake and relaxing walks through the private forest, emphasize the true definition of luxury. The property has photovoltaic panels with a power of 17 kw and a prosumer function, an internal elevator and a covered garage for 3 cars. It is a rare purchase opportunity with a beautiful story behind it, where the owner over time joined several parcels of land, including a piece of oak forest, which is now an integral part of the property. In addition to practical compartmentalization and tasteful finishes, the house can be lived in by two families by separating the areas. Being at the first sale since the construction, the owner confesses that it is hard to part with it, sharing the following story: Many times when I was preparing for the launch of the project I asked myself, what should my house look like? I browsed dozens of sites with famous projects, photos of famous houses, medieval villas and historical monuments. Neither seemed to be the expression of my expectation. I always told myself that I wanted it to reflect the situation of my childhood home, where no one could look in unless invited but, on the other hand, it had its back to the garden and the forest. And at the same time, to have a wide opening to the forest, to be separate but also connected to a service area. Well, if they could let the forest penetrate inside, that would be even better. And if I can get the vegetation to spread, symbolically, into the house, it would be wonderful to be able to light a fire that doesn't screen my view of the garden and the oak trees. From the beginning, I imagined a house with large windows, the size of a football goal, with wide doors, with openings through which nature and the forest could pass and embrace it from all sides. When I first stepped into the clearing with waist-deep grass, surrounded by tall oaks, I said to myself: This is the place for my house! Photo: Dan Călin

What is peace of mind if not the synergy between forest, lake and 8000 square meters of land? Quitude here means sun and air filtered by the crown of secular oaks, noises that once caught between the branches of willows become gentle sounds, a horizon line where the lake water waves imperceptibly and abundant vegetation that overwhelms the senses. The property is designed for a large family with children, guests, ponies, boats and cars. Regardless of age, status or mode of transport, each category is pampered in constructions made of wood that befriends the surrounding lush nature. A double laced wrought iron staircase offers a majestic entrance to the villa; inside, a generous living room and a carefully designed kitchen are ready to serve the occupants of the ten bedrooms full of light and optimism, just as well as the indoor pool, tennis court, wine cellar, sauna, salt mine and gym. The spaces are large and have harmonious proportions making the living light, comfortable - relaxed and distinguished. Outside, the green spaces are carefully manicured and intertwined without aggressive contrasts - secular trees with ornamental shrubs, hedges with weeping willows, ivy with geraniums. The playground is in the forest, in a clearing outlined around a tree in which a small towered wooden castle is perched (it can be reached by valiantly riding the ladder that embraces the tree trunk). Intimacy acquires on this property an extended meaning; guests have two self-catering cottages, and the staff can benefit from private accommodation. The pony too has its special place and is willing to offer joy to future owners if they want it. As a more agile means of transport, the boats share a garage, with the pontoon at hand for utilitarian trips or adrenaline-fuelled water sports (for those who prefer land underfoot there are jogging and cycling). Reverie lovers will quickly discover the sunbeds and the pier or any of the secular oaks - a rare treat indeed, a stone's throw from Bucharest and its hectic life.

The boyar house, now a historical monument, located in a charming zone of Bucharest, was built in 1894, according to J.E. D’Alfonce de Saint Omer’s project, a famous French architect, at the request of the Costa-Foru family, family which, for several generations, gave prominent personalities to the Romanian society, in the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century. The house still transmits the nostalgia of past times to the passersby, through the typical French architecture, beautifully framed in the alley which invites you to a walk on the way to the Mitropolie. From 1894 to 1935, Maria Costa-Foru, the niece of the banker Christophi Zerlenti, and Constantin Gh. Costa-Foru, son of the first rector of the University of Bucharest, the minister of justice during the reign of Alexandru I. Cuza, lived there together with their children. The noble style of the house fits perfectly in the late XX century French genre of “particulier hotel”, defined by the theme of the colossal piano noble windows of the living room, accentuated by the decorative wrought iron elements. The inside of the house dates back in the 1900’s, with changes in the late 1930's. The dominant style is eclectic French on the upper floors, and the restructuring of the lower floors shows Moorish-Florentine influences. The main feature is represented by the generous and elegant space, very well natural lighted, the rooftops decorated with stucco, Italian style floors made by tiles with optical motifs and venetian battuto, door frames with carved pediments, the main staircase decked with white marble, the stair ramp decorated with wrought iron elements, which represent Maria Costa-Foru’s intials. Fireplaces ordered and made in Vienna can be found in all the large living rooms, one of them being made of black marble, as well as very valuable tile stoves, with a unique character. The heating system is completed by steel radiators, connected to the boiler. This architectural jewel, in which you still can find the air of the pre-war period, invites you to contemplate it in peace. You will certainly be impressed of its space and light, characteristics that bring it closer to the great universal architecture. Photo: Gabriel Ghizdavu

Somewhere in the heart of Bucharest, on a small street in the Capitalelor area, a 19th century villa surprises by preserving, on a small scale, the spirit of a Renaissance palace. The interiors are dominated by solid pieces of furniture and heavy textiles, be it the velvets upholstering the canvases or the flowing draperies and exquisite carpets. Wood dresses, in delicate robes of pale grey, the interior window surrounds, the joinery of the double glazed doors and the panelled walls, in line with the rest of the complex woodwork. In counterpoint are the furniture and impressive staircase, which retain the natural warmth of natural wood, discreetly lacquered but carved with visible craftsmanship. It is obvious that the painstaking restoration process has preserved and highlighted many of the original decorative elements - stuccowork, woodwork, etc. On the other hand, the interior design manages spectacularly to avoid shrinking in time, living in the present through an interesting mix of new and old in terms of fine arts and functional-decorative - classic paintings coexist wonderfully with contemporary ones, just as the light fittings and kitchen retain their modern character. The space is laid out over four levels, which allows for a good sharing of areas. On the basement level there is a guest bedroom, a hobby room, a gym with a bathroom, as well as a wine cellar, a laundry room and a technical room. The ground floor has common areas - a living room and a dining room, complemented by an office, a kitchen and a bathroom. Three further bedrooms and a bathroom are fitted upstairs; the attic has yet to find its purpose, awaiting a plan, an idea. Part of the Louis Blanc subdivision, the villa offers the future owner a rare opportunity to live in the city's super premium area without the compromises classically associated with it - limited space, old construction, etc. The photos present only an interior design solution.

Historic house with neo-Romanian style architecture, located between the Căderea Bastiliei and Calea Dorobantilor, built in 1911 according to the plans of the engineer Athanasie Bolintineanu, to serve as his residence. Athanasie Bolintineanu was a descendant by alliance of the famous Bolintineanu family, represented by the poet and diplomat Dimitrie Bolintineanu. As chief engineer of Bucharest City Hall, Athanasie Bolintineanu coordinated the development of boulevards Elisabeta, Carol I and the construction of the Capital City Hall headquarters in front of Cișmigiu Park. He laid the foundations of the first cement factory in Romania, then called the Bolintineanu Brothers Factory. The house of engineer Bolintineanu is represented by an imposing building with ample elements of neo-Romanian architecture, concentrated both on the facades of the house and on the interior in the most important rooms, built on a plot of 1,725 square meters and arranged on a basement, semi-basement, upper ground floor and attic. Its massive presence is given especially by the ratio between full and empty, very well emphasized by the windows of the rooms on the ground floor placed on either side of the gazebo that occupies the central position. The gazebo is decorated with circular medallions, grouped in the free space left by three columns, decorated in turn with floral capitals. The covered terrace in the south-west corner of the house also has a pronounced decorative character, with wooden pillars carved with motifs inspired by folk architecture. The other sides of the house have a much more sober architecture, the only decorative elements being the stone plinth, the wooden lintel inlaid with folk motifs and the borders of the openings on the ground floor. The building benefits from four access ways, two of which are on the main facade and one each on the east and west sides. In addition to the distinctive architectural style, another important element of attraction of this property is the potential for future development by extending the building to the rear, with the possibility of it being converted into an apartment complex that combines the current historical style with the modern one. , in a privileged area of Bucharest. Photo: Gabriel Ghizdavu

The Interwar Cotroceni, a synonym for luxury in terms of residential, kept its seductive power untainted. And the Neo-Romanian villa is still an example of good taste. Built in 1929 and located close to the BNR Arenas, the spectacular home has all the attributes of a luxury property. Generous surfaces, furniture chosen by the owner and his team of designers, a fitness room, a massage room, and a food elevator - are just a few of the elitist traits inside the building. The exterior is just as spectacular. The villa, built in Neo-Romanian style with Byzantine accents, is surrounded by secular sycamores, which are declared natural monuments. The terrace is arranged in accordance with the architectural features of the building, and the garage of the residence can accommodate two cars. The villa is up for sale along the entire furniture, all the facilities and decorations, from LED TVs and fitness machines to decorative and art objects from the nineteenth or twentieth century. The property was completely renovated in 2017. Photo: Reptilianul

Located nearby the elegant Carol I Park, in one of the most distinguished areas of the capital, this restored villa has a fairy-tale-like name- the house with pomegranates- inspired by the Art Nouveau paintings embellishing the cornice. The pomegranate is a symbol of virtue and wisdom, but also a sign of the importance of the family who once lived here. The refined peacock tail-shaped awning from the entrance, which, in time, became a symbol for the 19th-century Bucharest, catches the passerby’s eye unappealably. The property, located on a 212 square-meter land, is composed of two buildings that are connected. The first construction was built between 1870 and 1880 and was at that time one of the most stylish buildings in “Little Paris.” This building was initiated by a certain Sophie Steinfeld, member of the Steinfeld family, the owner of the property. The construction was part of the former Uranus District, one of the bohemian neighborhoods in Bucharest. The building received an extension in 1910-1920.In 2004 the property was purchased by an architect, directly from the heirs of Steinfeld family, and was extensively consolidated and restored to become today’s architectural gem. The property is located in a protected area, so that the restoration works took place in strict conditions. The structural walls have been consolidated and belt binding was used for the ground floor part, as well as fiber reinforced plaster. The two buildings are connected via a greenhouse that links the upper high floor to the old building’s attic. The attic’s volume is minimally modified in such a way that the facade’s fragility isn’t affected. The interior and exterior ornamentations have been largely recovered. Reproductions of old era paintings were used where the original painting on the cornice could not be recovered. There are several charming trees in the garden- an eight-meter birch, two magnolias and a pine tree. An 80 square-meter greenery oasis in the middle of the city. Photo: Tudor Prisecaru

Built by Italian stonemasons following the plans of three architects (George Sterian, H. Rick and Nicolae Ghica-Budești), the casino was erected in 1892-1894, thus being the first casino in Romania. It was quickly followed by casinos in Vatra Dornei (1898), Constanța (1910) and Sinaia (1912), all part of King Carol I's strategy to develop Romanian resorts after the model of more famous ones abroad (Slănic-Moldova was compared at the time to Karlovy Vary and Vichy, its mineral springs being awarded at international exhibitions in Paris, Frankfurt, Vienna). Although it is not an example of pure Art Nouveau, the casino in Slănic-Moldova manages to combine this dynamic and functional style with principles from other currents with surprising results. The decorative stone elements and the door and window frames come from the secular Neo-Romanian, but the towers are of Eastern religious architecture. Other elements are reminiscent of Neo-Renaissance correspondences - for example the symmetry of the composition and the painted decorative panels. The construction is arranged horizontally on UG + GF + 1F following the rules of perfect symmetry - a main building guarded by two towers connected to two other lower-rise buildings with covered corridors that function as terraces; the long row finishes with two pavilions that resume through the round roofs the idea of the main towers. Seen from a distance, the casino resembles a castle perched on a hillside, a slightly romantic, peaceful profile, with a discreet poetry enveloping it at dusk. In autumn, the forest in the distance lends it a bit of its leave’s auburne, winter dresses it all in white. However, from the front, it is obviously a building dedicated to community life - the platform with arched columns and a monumental stone staircase leaves no room for doubt, just as its location with the beautiful central park at the foot does not deny this either. After decades of listening to the sound of dice, spinning roulette and French Les jeux sont faits, rien ne va plus, witnessing the making of fortunes and the dissolution of marriages, the casino became a good citizen in 1948, functioning as a House of Culture, then performance hall, city library, art gallery and other public functions. The cinema functioned in the original hall with 350 seats, which today amazes us with its two colors - the white of the walls decorated with ton sur ton woodwork and the amber of the velvety chairs and curtains. The hall is still a jewel with its shell-based lodges, lacy arches and a chandelier, unfortunately not the original one, mounted on a rich ceiling decorated with a glass skylight captive in metal embroidery. Over time, the building has received two more terraces, a brasserie and a boarding house since 1960, and has undergone renovation and restoration work in the 1980s and 1994s and 1994s. Outside, street lamps guard the building in the typical Art Nouveau language - black wrought iron with gold accents and white glass bulbs like flower buds. Thanks to the spectacular architectural project and restoration works, the casino appears today vibrant, lively, dynamic, bold and not old or lethargic like, unfortunately, many other historical monuments of the time. Today, the casino is looking for its visionary owner who will exploit its tourist potential and give it back that joie de vivre that positioned it at the beginning of the 19th century as a symbol of Slănic-Moldova and beyond. Area attractions: - Nemira ski slope - mountain trails and hikes - Three hundred steps, Uzului Valley, Nemira Mare, etc. - salt mine from Târgu Ocna - Măgura Ocnei monastery - Valea Uzului dam Photo: Tudor Prisecaru