luxury property for sale Domnești, Romania

Sinaia is the Romanian city with the largest number of buildings classified as historical monuments per inhabitant. Not incidentally, the way the city looks today is the result of the work and signature of some of the most important Romanian architects: Ion Mincu, Toma Socolescu, Paul Smărăndescu, Duiliu Marcu or Grigore Cerchez, to name just a few of them. The Anastasie Simu House, or the Retezat Villa, as it is now known, is designed and built in the German Renaissance style of the early twentieth century by Czech architect Karel Liman. He was a good friend of King Carol I, for whom he designed the Pelișor Castle and the Honor Lobby of the Peleș Castle, all of them having in common elements specific for this artistic style. Chief Architect of the Royal House of Romania between 1894-1929, Karel Liman was born in the Czech Republic in 1855, in a family of carpenters. Inheriting the passion for woodworking from his father and grandfather, Liman follows the courses of the Fine Arts Faculty in Prague and then the Bauakademie in Munich. Established in Vienna around 1880, Liman gains experience through the collaboration with the Fellner&Hellmer Architecture Workshop in the capital of Habsburgs. He contributed to the projection plans of the Albert Rothschild Palace in Vienna, conducted under the guidance of architect Gabriel-Hippolyte Destailleur and of the Hunting House of Prince Christian de Hohenlohe-Ohringen in Javorina, Slovakia. Recommended by Destailleur to André Lecomte du Noüy, a French architect also established in Romania, Liman is employed by the Architecture Service of the Ministry of Cults and Public Instruction at the Commission for Historical Monuments in Romania, where he participated at the restoration of churches „Saint Nicholas” and „The Three Hierarchs” in Iași and the Episcopal Church in Curtea de Argeș. In the service of the Royal House, besides Pelişor Castle and the complex project for the rearrangement of Peleş, Liman also signs other projects such as the „Princess's Nest” (1894), the extension of the Cotroceni Palace, the house of Prince Carol in Bucharest, King Ferdinand’s cottage in Lăpuşna, the rearrangement of the Bran Castle and several other buildings in Sinaia: The Economat Villa, The Guard House, The Royal Stables or The Retezat Villa. After the architect's death, the house was bought by academician Anastasie Simu (1854-1935), a P.h.D in Political and Administrative Sciences, a great art lover and passionate collector, the first Romanian to build a private museum in Bucharest in 1910. In 1927, Simu donated to the Romanian state over 1.200 works: paintings, graphics, sculptures and decorative arts gathered over the years. A part of the collection is exhibited today at the National Art Museum of Romania, and another at The Simu Collection at Bucharest Pinacoteca. The architecture of the house, typical for the German Renaissance, impresses both on the outside and on the inside. The façade is predominantly of stone, dotted with corner bossages and vividly colored ceramic decorations. The interior is exuberant, highlighting the richness of wooden decorations, the coffered painted ceilings, and especially the beautiful stained glass, perfectly preserved to this day. The location in Sinaia is an ideal one, being close enough to the city centre so that it can be reached by a few minutes’ walk, but at the same time, isolated enough to offer privacy and detachment for a mountain holiday. The villa is renovated and functional, currently offering accommodation in 8 rooms, 2 apartments and 1 studio, rated with 8.8/10 on one of the most important online booking platforms. The future destination remains commercial, a hotel/boarding house or it can become a permanent personal residence or a holiday one with a lot of charm and full of history.

The history of the villa is closely connected to the development of tourism-related activities in Sinaia in the second half of the 19th century. Its first owner, the Austrian Jóseph Ungarth, who had been prince Dimitrie Ghica’s valet, became in 1870 the first “hotel-keeper” of the Podul Neagului town (Sinaia was only declared a city on December 1st 1874). After managing Sinaia’s first hotel, Ungarth started his own business and built the Carola villa in 1896. As a hotel owner and a highly-skilled restoration expert, after quitting Caraiman hotel, the Austrian Josef Ungarth was in charge of Villa Carola. Luxury and comfort were the key words for those who came to Villa Carola, as the Austrian knew how to make each stay as pleasant as possible. Thus, the villa garden was being taken care of by a gardener, there was a carriage that took guests wherever they wanted to go, and a horse was put at the disposal of those who wanted to learn how to ride. The small hotel bears the name of Jóseph Ungarth’s daughter, Carola, who, years later, would become Constantin Noica’s mother-in-law. In 1934, the great philosopher married Wendy Muston, the daughter of Walter and Carola Muston. He had known Wendy since her childhood, and had courted her whilst he was enlisted at Sinaia (1931-1932). A chic and select place, the hotel also became the secret meeting place for Elena Lupescu and Carol, the crown prince. The two had met in February 1925, and the Carola villa, which was then Elena Lupescu’s residence, served as their refuge. The hotel has a long history – in 1927, one of its guests was the young Yehudi Menuhin, the future great conductor and violinist. When he was eleven years old, he spent two months at the Carola villa, during which he visited the Luminiș villa in order to take violin lessons from George Enescu.

The history of the Predeal Resort is undeniably linked to the Romanian Principalities’ modernization process; the city became well-known when the railway line was drawn up by means of the Convention between Romania and Austria-Hungary, dated 31st of May 1874. The Predeal Station, located on the railway line connecting Ploiești and Brașov, was to become the turning point in the settlement’s development, and set off the first steps towards a prosperous period in terms of industry and tourism. The villa, built in the second half of the 1920s in Cioplea, the city’s area known for sports and tourism-related activities, was one of the first recreational buildings constructed in the area, and subsequently became the winter residence of Professor Teodor Vasilescu. It later on became the property of the Ploiești school committee (1937), which was the last owner before the communists came to power. Built in a traditional style, similar to that of front porch houses in the Wallachian region, the “Ceaușescu” villa got this nickname because it was used by Nicolae Ceaușescu between 1950 and 1958, when the residence was administered by the Ministry of Armed Forces. At that time, Nicolae Ceaușescu, an army major general, had the functions of Deputy Minister at the Ministry of National Defense, and Head of the Army’s Superior Political Department. This villa thus became Ceaușescu’s first protocol residence in Predeal before he took full control of the country. After 1965, the protocol villa’s supervision was transferred from the Ministry of Defence, and started being managed by the Recreation Department, in the same year when Ceaușescu became general secretary of the Communist Party.

When you hear ”Saxon house” the first thing that comes to your mind might be Prince Charles and his property in Viscri. An important unit of the local heritage, the Saxon houses are much more than that. More than 200 villages and many cities in Transylvania bear the mark of the Germanic civilization. And the Saxon house in Codlea, built between 1905-1907, makes no exception. The high gates, which shield the property from any indiscretion, allow for an impressive house to meet the curious eyes with its large windows, wooden beams and poles in sight, with the air of a miniature fortress. With a usable area of 450 sqm, the property is completely restored and the current owner paid a special attention to the preservation of the original architectural details. The oak carpentry has been refurbished, but for a better thermal comfort, another row of laminated wood windows has been added. The wooden doors and door frames are also modern additions, high quality replicas of the original elements. Two rows of parallel beams pass, at a height of 3.5 meters, the ceiling of the house. The attic, an open space of 130 sqm, has its own bathroom and is protected by a recently rebuilt roof with double-glazed tiles. The garage with automated access and separate central heating on each level are just some discreet elements of modernity in a context that preserves the charm of a traditional Saxon dwelling. And the property benefits from a real bonus: in the same yard there is a completely separate house with an area of more than 200 sqm, disposed on two levels. Built in 1973, this home is fully modernized and equipped. The land on which the property is located is also impressive. Spread over an area of 1826 square meters, it is composed of two distinct parts: a pretty cobbled courtyard, confined by ornamental plants, and a terraced garden with fruit trees. The areas are separated by massive walls that enhance the appearance of the typical fortified Saxon properties. In addition, the location, a keyword on the real estate market, is a special one. The property is in the downtown of Codlea, 15 kilometers away from Brasov and only 5 kilometers from the future Ghimbav airport. From the yard of the Saxon House you can admire the Postăvaru massif, and the proximity of the DN1 national road makes it an excellent choice for those who appreciate mobility.

This interwar building, design in Neo-Romanian style, is located in Sibiu, in the immediate vicinity of the 15th century medieval fortified enclosure. The ensemble is classified in the List of Historical Monuments in Romania by order no. 2030/2014 with code SB-II-a-B-21084, and includes: the main residence (SB-II-m-B-21084.01), the first annex (SB-II-m-B-21084.02) and the second annex (SB-II-m-B-21084.03). According to cartographic sources, around 1875 there was another building on the place of the current one. In 1909, the plot was owned by Henrik Baumann, in 1929 the ownership right was registered for Luiza and Friedrich Baumann. The inscription on the portico’s floor and on the façade indicates its year of construction as 1929, the project being signed by architect Alfred Cernea, as the concrete slab on the façade indicates. Most likely, the project was commissioned by Dr. Liviu Turcu. The present building is emblematic for its Neo-Romanian style. The characteristic features are: massive volumetry, highlighting the central body, loggia with short and thick columns, carved wooden structures inspired by the vernacular architecture, trilobed arches, openings with semi-circular closure and rich decorations with Oriental motifs. The central side of the façade is taller than the other parts, which is also highlighted at the roof. The central area of the ground floor contains a window with semi-circular closure, framed by two embedded Corinthian columns. The floor of the central part is the richest ornamented part of the façade, elevated by the balcony, supported on four massive consoles, decorated with arabesque panels. The loggia opens through three tall trilobate arcades. The façade surfaces around the arches are decorated in an exuberant style with spindles, flowers and arabesques. The main façade of the building offers a panoramic view of the entire garden, at the center of which is an ornamental pool. The access to the yard is made through an alley flanked by tall trees. Designed as an urban villa-style residence with a park around the central building, it initially hosted the Dr. Bolintineanu Sanatorium, and in November 1936 it became Dr. Antal's For Births and Female Diseases Clinic. The building was nationalized in 1948 with this function, soon becoming the headquarters of Sibiu General Sanitary Inspectorate, then a kindergarten, a function preserved until the 1990s. In 2000 the villa and the parcel were returned to the heir family. Today, the imposing building keeps almost intact its original design, projected by architect Cernea, with the valuable decorative elements of the façades. The two annexes were also preserved, realized in a unitary architectural design, the fence near the street along with the main gate, the alley lined by trees, the rampant, the staircase and the basin in front of the main building. Inside, valuable items have been preserved, such as decorative paintings of the ceiling and the original carpentry. Other main attractions add up to the exquisite architectural details, such as: the generous yard of over 5000 sqm and the proximity to The Big Square in Sibiu, located at only 200 m. An outstanding witness of the only national architecture program in Romania, located in a central area of Sibiu, this splendid interwar villa is silently and hopefully waiting for its new owner.

Located right at the feet of Ciucaș Massif and surrounded by the stunning landscapes of the Balaban, Babeș and Zăganului mountains, the small depression of Cheia offers an exquisite painting of meadows, shady forests and clear waters. Initially developed as a small settlement around Cheia Monastery, Cheia Mountain Resort gradually increased due to the expansion of logging. The name Cheia and Cheița actually reflect the narrow aspect of the steep-walled valleys. In the middle of the resort, on the bank of Teleajen river is situated the Villa with Birch Trees, with its large garden, in terraces, decorated with statues of Roman inspiration, from the 19th century. The building is composed of 3 distinct units, with different height regimes, built in a traditional stylistic manner, specific to the mountain area. The interiors are richly decorated with art and collectibles, from hunting trophies and popular objects, to traditional ceramics and works of art. The construction was completed in the late 1970s, with improvements done up to 1990. The Villa with Birch Trees can function both as a residence or a multi-family holiday house, as well as a tourist accommodation unit, following a conversion project. The property is located in the heart of the many birch forests with mountain flowers that unfold during the spring an idyllic landscape, while in autumn, in the mountain valleys, the spruce trees portray marvelous autumnal paintings through their rusty crowns. The main tourist attractions in Cheia and its surroundings are: Cheia Monastery, built between 1835-1839 by two shepherds from Săliștea Sibiului; The Mine Flowers Museum, which houses a valuable collection of 170 pieces with a wide variety of shapes and colors; The Francisc Rainer Museum of Anthropology, the former holiday home of the great scientist, founder of Romanian anthropology, the Suzana Monastery, founded by Suzana Arsicu in 1770, along with the numerous mountain trails in the Ciucaș Mountains. A fairytale house, in a dream location... would be the perfect description for the Villa with Birch Trees. Recently, a 429 sqm plot of land was added to the property in addition to the beautiful existing garden of 1,416 sq m. Sources: Maria Rodica Niculescu, Masivul Ciucaș: ghid turistic, Munții Noștri Collection, Bucharest: Sport-Tourism Publishing, 1986 tvr.ro, Cheia, o stațiune cu potențial turistic editiadedimineata.ro, Descoperă România. Stațiunea Cheia, locul perfect pentru iubitorii de natură

One of the most beautiful manors of Oltenia, Romano Mansion in Pleșoiu was built between 1920 and 1925 after the plans of Grigore Cerchez. Although erected in the interwar period, the manor has a long and intense history going all the way back to Tudor Vladimirescu’s times and also all the way to Russia where it get its name. The brothers Romanov, because they are the ones that started this story, were seven brothers from Russia that were hired mercenaries in Tudor’s Army. A few of them stayed forever in Oltenia: two of them killed during the Battle from Drăgășani and one of them settling at Pleșoiu where he started a family that over the years will build this magnificent beauty we admire even today. Taken by the communists in 1949, the manor became a students camp, then a farm, then a school, while in the last years of the communist times it was considered to be the “private retreat of Emil Barbulescu, the nephew of Nicolae Ceausescu himself and a very important figure of the Olt county of those times. The manor was given back to the heirs of the Romano family in 1998 and since then it went through some renovations and repairs. The manor is spectacular, with rich decorations as we would expect from a very exuberant neoromanian style of Grigore Cerchez: the high tower with beautiful design, the round smaller tower on the opposite corner, de façade decorations, the monumental pillars marking the main entrance and the tri-lobes arches being only a few of the elements that are really eye-catching. The manor itself, the main building, has a 313 sqm footprint nd a total built area of 429 sqm, while additionally we will find two more buildings that offer usable space: a second home, as old as the manor, with a total built area of 128 sqm and a more recent construction with a total built area of 339 sqm. The gate is a monument in itself, with two high and very imposing towers, that make the entry to the property resemble the access in an old citadel or in a cathedral. The domain is a lot bigger, has a total of 8.57 ha and comprises a lot more elements : a 1 ha pond with fish, a big size pool (more than 400 sqm) , more small annex buildings but also a big one, with more than 300 sqm footprint, that can be transformed at will by its future owners. With such a rich history that it can become a screenplay for an adventure movie, with an unmatched architectural beauty and with such a large domain, the Romano Mansion is a valuable asset that can be transformed in a beautiful hotel, an events center or a clinic. However it can also be used as it once was, as the main residence with a lot of character, with an important historical and architectural value.