luxury property for sale Bățanii Mici, Romania

Captured in a photograph with the sun behind it, illuminating and hiding it from view at the same time, the Nagy mansion seems to have the power to transport its guest back to the 19th century, just as Gil, played by Owen Wilson, returned to the 1920s in the film Midnight in Paris, directed by Woody Allen in 2011. The idea of traveling back in time is often used in the description of properties and therefore subject to demonetization; in the case of the Nagy mansion, it stands in certain rooms where the past comes to life through a special stove, through pieces of solid wood furniture carefully crafted and polished by time such as the two sumptuous original Saxon beds. The mansion, built in 1802 by the Hungarian noble family Nagy, today completely renovated and brought up to modern living standards, preserves original architectural details, despite its troubled history - in 1992, when the property was reacquired, it no longer had doors or windows; after the nationalization in 1949 it was used by the local IAS including to house day laborers. The story goes that Szotyori Nagy Tamásné, mistress of the manor in the middle of the 19th century, was a fearless woman who not only went to the front to look for her hero son, but offered shelter to the persecuted and, after the revolution was crushed, sent parcels to those incarcerated. In 1884, during the election campaign, in the building that later became a granary, the owner of the place hosted the well-known writer Jókai Mór. Today, the entrance through the wide gate shows a circle of flowers whose role, in addition to the decorative one, is to guide today's horse-drawn carriages to the entrance of the building. With a decent exterior and a small portico the mansion consists of a spacious ground floor and a generous attic dominated by the protective red roof over them; the two windows placed above the entrance, on the left and right are known as the queen's eyes, belonging to the most desirable room in the building. The mansion functions today as a guesthouse and has 3 rooms with matrimonial beds and 4 double rooms, all with their own bathroom. The dining room can accommodate 70 people and the old cellar is now a wine cellar, keeping visible both parts of the original foundation wall and the old roof tiles reused as flooring. The sauna, the salt room and other ways to spend quality time complete the generous offer of the outside – walks through the silence of wheat fields and potato crops or visiting the Balvanyos baths, the Cheile Varghisului nature reserve, the birch forest in Reci, the Kalnoky castle and the Zabola domain (Covasna being also known as the Land of Manors). The town of Coșeni is 13km from Prejmer, 19km from Harman and 28km from the center of Brașov. photo Florin Pepene

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.

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.

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

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.

In a gentle valley, between Copșa Mare and Sighișoara, there is a Saxon settlement created by worthy people who built decent houses, nicely aligned with the main street. Proud, with a pitched roof and stuck together by opaque gates firmly fixed in the masonry, they can be seen from above like those Dutch ceramic houses brought as souvenirs from some Nordic holiday. Between these houses there is a beautifully renovated compound, a handful of buildings surrounding an inner courtyard with short grass and slight bumps reminiscent of childhood weed. The tile roof in a myriad of shades - brick, chocolate, orange, scarlet - is proof of the attention paid to the use of building materials specific to the area, patiently identified and carefully installed to the delight of the eye and the soul. On the street, the façade has a restrained color scheme, but the houses in the courtyard have whitewashed walls to let the sky be reflected in the shutters; however, the houses are modestly elegant, as befits Saxon dwellings. The interior is bright and the cellar, composed of rooms that communicate with each other, takes your breath away - vaulted, made of brick, it is more than generous and full of potential. The property consists of three distinct residential buildings situated on a 3756 sqm plot of land. The main house, built in 1884 and recently completely renovated with great taste and a passion for authenticity, has a footprint of 344 sqm and a total floor area of 527 sqm. The ground floor is fully furnished and equipped with careful attention to preserving and enhancing the building's character. The cellar is spectacular and invites the imagination to consider various uses: a noble wine cellar, a spa area reminiscent of top hotels, or a special relaxation zone. The second building has a footprint of 356 sqm, is entirely on the ground floor, and is currently a blank canvas, allowing the future owner the opportunity to transform it according to their preferences and the intended use of the property. Additionally, there is a separate annex building of 43 sqm currently used as a laundry facility. The area lends itself to rural tourism, as the fortified churches of Copșa Mare, Biertan and Mediaș (whose picturesque center combines Gothic with Renaissance, Neoclassical, Baroque and Secession styles), the tuberoses of Hoghilag (festival in August), Via Transilvanica, the famous Viscri and the beautiful fortress Rupea as well as the medieval fortress Sighișoara and the Bethlen Criș castle are just some of the sights that attract more and more tourists to the area.