luxury properties for sale Romania (page 2)

With a green hill in the background as a theater setting, this mini-park of leisure promises and delivers well-being. On the property there are indoor and outdoor swimming pools with heated water, jacuzzi, wet & dry sauna, deckchairs that invite you to laze around in the afternoon, massage room, a synthetic football field that becomes an ice rink in winter, large and green courtyard, playground, generous terraces. A conference room equipped with video projector is ready to receive corporations for attractive team building sessions. The main building with its long sloping roof houses the spa, 10 guest rooms and the function room with a capacity of 60 people. The restaurant, with a similar capacity, occupies a separate building and the accommodation space is completed by the cabin, called Ursa perhaps in honor of the sky full of stars in this peaceful corner of the world. Built in 2016, close to the Bistrița river and the Colibița lake, the guesthouse is currently only rented in its entirety, in self-catering mode (7 double rooms with private bathroom, living & dining room, terrace, gazebo & grill). The beauty of the natural landscape inspires hiking, cycling through the woods, boating on the lake, carting or horse-drawn sleigh rides. Tourists can visit the nearby trout farm or sheepfold and, depending on the season, participate in agricultural activities in the guesthouse's garden. Extending the range of action throughout Bistrița-Năsăud county, natural reserves, lakes, churches and monasteries, caves and fortresses are popular points of attraction. photo Florin Pepene

The Cantacuzino-Ghica Castle from Deleni is one of Moldova’s most notable castles. The first building of the present-day architectural ensemble was the church erected in 1669, near a boyar’s court, probably the oldest in the principality. After Maria Cantacuzino’s marriage with Constantin Ghica in 1778, the estate entered the possession of the Ghica-Deleni family. The Refurbishment works the new owners commissioned gave the ensemble its current configuration. The inner stone wall and restoration and expansion works were carried out until 1802, and, afterwards, at the beginning of the 20th century, the castle was redesigned by architect Nicolae Ghika-Budesti. The castle has large and bright spaces – rooms, lounges, lobbies – spread across the ground floor, first floor and basement. During the Second World War, for two years, the castle served as a garrison for Soviet troops. Following the nationalization process, the building hosted the cultural house of Deleni. It then became a preventive medical unit, which has not changed to this day.

The castle was built during the 17th century by Gyulay Ferencz, an Austrian general, the only child of Hungarian nobleman Gyulay Ignacz. Ferencz built the mansion on the site of a smaller building. The general’s family ruled the town called Mintia, that was renamed Marosnemeti, a term derived from the Hungarian word nemet, that translates to German. Several descendants of the Gyulay family lived at the castle. Historical documents from 1806 state that the Mintia mansion was owned at that time by Gyulay Istvan, followed by Albert and K.R Gyulay. Countess Gyulay of Mintia, who married Ladislau Kuun of Osdola, later inherited the domain together with her brother, Ludovic. In 1848, the Gyulay family took refuge at Cluj and, after the revolution, Ludovic, Ladislau Kuun, his wife Constance, and their children, Irene and Geza, returned to Mintia. Ludovic was the last heir of the Gyulay family. He wrote over 100 journals about the mansion and about Mintia. All of them are preserved at the Cluj-Napoca history museum. Ludovic Gyulay modified the building in 1834, giving it the shape it has today. Ludovic Gyulay never got married and, therefore, never had any heirs. His fortune was inherited by his brother-in-law, Ladislau Kuun, followed by his son, Geza Kuun. Geza studied Hungarian and German literature at the Universities of Budapest and Gottingen, and was a member and vice president of the Budapest Academy of Sciences. He was part of Vienna’s elite social circles, and became friends with the famous composer Franz Liszt – one of the most prominent pianists of all time. It was then that he also met writer Elena Ghica – daughter of Mihai Ghica, niece of Grigore Ghica the 4th, and the first woman to have climbed the Mont Blanc peak, on June 1st 1860. After 1870, Geza Kunn settled at Mintia and married Vilma Kemeny, the daughter of baron Kemeny of Magyar-Gyeno Monosto. His presence here transformed the town into a gathering place for eminent representatives of the cultural and scientific scenes, which included V. Zakrzewski – professor at the Cracovia University, Al. Szilagyi – secretary of the Historical Society, baron Balazs Orban, A. Szecsen –Imperial Court marchal. The beauty of the mansion located on the bank of Mureș River was also admired by the president of the Archeological Society – Solyon Fekete, the director of the Deva History Museum – Teglas Gabor, and by scientist Samuel Brassay – regarded as Transylvania’s last polymath. The immense library of the Mintia Castle and the salon, decorated with family portraits and precious objects, were visited by prefect George Pogany, subprefect Coloman Barcsay, count Coloman Esterhazy – director of the Transylvania Museum, by Otto von Keller – professor at the University of Prague, Zsolt Beothy – professor at the Budapest University, and by Norwegian scientist Conrad Nielsen. Baron Miklos Josika also traveled from Brănişca to Mintia, either on foot, by car, or on horseback. He also traveled by boat on Mureş River in order to admire the park that surrounded the castle. The rare species of plants and trees that embellished the park were mesmerizing. Count Kuun named the trees after the most important Hungarian writers, many of whom had been his friends. One of the trees, for example, bore the name of Attila, in the memory of Attila Gerando. Amid the rose bushes, the visitor could also discover numerous honorary or mortuary shrines. Geza Kuun died in 1905, on April 10th, and was entombed at Cluj. Legend has it that, although the body of count Geza was inhumed at Cluj, his heart was buried in the cemetery of the Mintia Reformed Church, alongside other members of his family and former owners of the castle. The Mintia domain, that comprises the castle and the park, is classed as a historical monument of national and universal importance, class A.

The French Street connects Piata Unirii with Calea Victoriei; it appears in documents since 1649 when it was known as Curții Street; over time the name varies - one part of it was Podul cel Mare din Curtea Veche (1763), Podul Curtea Veche (1804) and Uliţa Curții Vechi (1854), the other - Uliţa cea Domnească in 1690 or Işlicarilor & Boiangiilor Street in 1804. Under Constantin Brâncoveanu the street becomes as long as we know it today. The French name comes from the time when the French consul resided on it. The street was also called Carol until 1947 and then 30th December. After the 1989 revolution, it became Iuliu Maniu and since 2007, when a boulevard was named after the politician, it has become French Street again. It is one of the first lit and paved streets in the city, but also the one that entered history as the place where the great fire of 1847 started, when over 2000 buildings disappeared; the fire broke out thanks to the son of a stolnic (local clerk) who played by shooting his father's gun into the thatched attic. On this historic street, at no. 58, in 1938, Schrems Broderie, a weaver, and Karmann I – Carol, a dentist, were operating (it seems that Lev Tolstoi lived at no. 12 in 1854 when accompanying the Russian troops to Wallachia). Today, at no. 58, there is an elegant building with tall glass sheets and wrought iron balustrades that rhythmically punctuate the facade; denticles, short half-columns and other vegetal and geometric elements complete it. The building has two commercial spaces on the ground floor and 14 apartments on the upper floors, with areas between 38-113 sqm. The attic (384 sqm) and the cellar (211 sqm) generously complement the surfaces. Access is allowed by four different stairs leading to the inner courtyard. Only one apartment is currently rented, the building being in need of repair and renovation works. The original corner stoves, paneling on the ceilings and double doors with glass windows are the only ones still fighting the fading today, stubbornly preserving the spirit of past eras. However, the potential is huge considering the positioning one minute away from the Manuc Inn; the building can become a boutique/apart-hotel or apartments for rent/resale, after consolidation. Photo: Tudor Prisecaru

Alexandrescu Manor from Guranda has a history of more than one century, being built at the order of the spouses Mihai and Mathilde Alexandrescu, Mihai being a Wallach boyar who settled down in Moldova at the end of the 19th century, around 1890. Situated at approximately 40 km from Botoșani, the property of the family Alexandrescu was about to become not only residence, but also a source of income, the domain being extended with hundreds of hectares. The main building was buttoned up in 1905, the project being signed by a Venetian architect. The estate borrows obviously from the typical architecture of those times, Neo-Romanian style, the Neo-Romanian style being the most dashing at the turn of the centuries. Notwithstanding, the estate is marked by different decorative effects that offer a special aspect, monumentally – the use of the brick in the decoration of the borders or of the wooden frames in the tracing of small balconies. The heiress of the manor was the only daughter of the Alexandrescu spouses, Yvonne (1890-1974), who had to enter in the big Cantacuzino family, getting married with Ion Cantacuzino (1888-1954), with whom she had a daughter, Claudina (born 1914). After the dispossessions from the year 1948, the manor enters in the property of the communist state, which, since 1949, has set up in the manor from Guranda a hospital unit. In the 2000s, the mansion is taken into family ownership, by his heirs.

The birth certificate of the monumental place that would definitively enter into the city life of Craiova and the country through the name, utility and brilliance of “Minerva Casino”, was signed more than a century ago, when the architect Toma Dobrescu handed over the plans for the new construction to a society in which entrepreneurs and workers were predominantly Italian. The Moorish-style building, completed in 1902, had a restaurant and hotel at its inauguration, later adding, through clever arrangements, the wine cellar and the summer garden. Later, under the care of extraordinary restorers (Vasilescu, Bazavan, Andronescu, Mândreanu, Istrățoiu, Barbu), the famous Moorish hall and beerhouse became the city’s main attraction, Minerva competing and surpassing all other party venues. The motto of that time - All the fine people gathers at Minerva’s made the regular attendance of the place to be an event for the citizens of Craiova. From the very beginning, Minerva brought together on the concert stage the most appreciated fiddlers of the times, such as Cristache Ciolacu or the Buică troupe, Dinicii, Tandinii, the instrumentalists from the Piculeata and Julea family. It must be remembered that artists that created a name for themselves in the country's artistic life made their debut on the Minerva stage. This is where Madelaine and Manu Nedeianu, Iodănescu-Bruno, Ion Vasilescu, Mia Braia, Ioana Radu, Dorina Drăghici, Petre Alexandru and many, many others started. When Giani Spinelli sang, the tables also occupied the entrance hall, many waiting outside, because there was no more room in the hall. It should also be remembered that Minerva was a real citadel of culture, here the artists spending their free time, over a drink, discussing art issues and making plans, giving birth to ideas. Here could be seen Amza Pellea, Gheorghe Cozorici, Constantin Rauțchi, Silvia Popovici, Sanda Toma, Ioana Bulca, Andreea Năstăsescu, Rodica Tapalagă, Ioana Măgură, Vasile Constantinescu, Vasile Nițulescu, Remus Comăneanu, Geo Barton, George Marutza or Costel Rădulescu, Mircea Bohoreanu, Benedict Gănescu, George Apostu, Victor Roman, Ilie Purcaru, Paul Anghel, Ion Caraion, Haralambie Grămescu, Mihai Ungheanu, Adrian Petringereanu, Horia Pătrașcu or Petre Dragu. Ion Voicu or Constantin Piliuță whenever they came to Craiova, Minerva was their host. Minerva hosted important people of the world: General Charles De Gaule, Ciu-En-Lai, Emperor Pahlavi of Iran, President Gomulka of Poland and so many others. The Minerva Garden hosted the first boxing galas in which many champions of the country competed: Anton Osca, Marin Gaspar or Gheorghe Lungu. Minerva remains an exceptional achievement in Craiova's urban planning, impressing in size and architectural exuberance. A monumental construction made in Moorish style, with a rich exterior decoration, with an entrance that stands out for its monumentality. The Maur salon has a huge skylight, with Viennese mirrors on the side that highlight the splendor and grandeur designed by the architect. Today Minerva is in a project state and is patiently and nostalgically waiting for the time to shine again. Consolidated and partially renovated, the building needs a renovation project in order to be used again as a hotel with restaurant, beerhouse and summer garden facilities and to become again the main attraction of a city that has been missing for too long.

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.

When the passion for restoring and for harnessing the value of what is authentic and antique meets the the more than a century old legacy left over the years by the former Swabians, then everything can turn into an absolutely unique experience. The Swabian House or Schwabenhaus is a place you should not miss if you arrive in the west of the country. Either because you want to make a stop for resting your mind but also to indulge your soul, or because you want to taste some of the dishes for which the people of Timisoara come here regularly, or even just to see what an old Swabian building looks like. Moreover, when it comes to a house restored with great care and skill and happily enriched with collections of art and handcraft objects, which today turn it into a small museum with so many interesting things to see. The property is located in Șandra, in the middle of the Banat Plain, 34 km from Timișoara, 32 km from the border with Serbia and 36 km from the border with Hungary. Șandra has been first time documented in 1833 under the name of Alexandria after the bishop of Zagreb who owned large areas of land here. The bishop is the one who signed the agreement by which a number of 140 families, no less than 700 German settlers remained here and practically established the settlement that would bear his name. Today, Schwabenhaus practically refers to a land with an area of 4,316 square meters with completely renovated old buildings which received a new life becoming a tourist destination. New amenities, which offer all the comfort and facilities you can think of are waiting here. Thus, immediately upon entering the courtyard we find the main building, which offers 9 rooms and a large space in the attic where conferences or events can be organized. Also, here, in the salon that marks the main entrance, there is probably one of the largest collections of cuckoo clocks in Europe, with extremely valuable samples. Next to it, we find a restaurant on two levels, arranged in accordance with the spirit of the place, maintaining its charm, and enriched with valuable and charming collections of musical objects and handicrafts products. The beautifully arranged courtyard leads us to the third building, which has a mixed function. Most part of the ground floor comprises a bar that immediately invites you to enjoy a pint of house beer, either in the classic Bavarian interior or on the romantic terrace overlooking the inner courtyard. Apart from this, in the same building, there are 5 bedrooms, and an administrative area, with an office, a laundry room and a technical room. The last building is newly built, but it integrates perfectly into the landscape, being designed after the plans of the former Swabian huts. The building has a wine cellar on the ground floor and an open terrace upstairs with a beautiful view of the entire complex. The courtyard is landscaped with stone, plants and shrubs, and you can notice the great attention and the care to the smallest details and the passion for perfection. The ultimate place to relax will of course be the swimming pool, located in the sunny area of the courtyard and with easy access to the bar, but also to the accommodation areas. “Schwabenhaus” means a place where nothing has been left to chance, where the so-called German rigor can be seen in every detail of the property, starting from the quality of the renovation to the particulars of the decoration. It is a place where history seeks a new beginning.

The historic streets in the center of the capital were also targeted in the modernization process of Bucharest in the interwar period, areas that, at that time, were opening up to the new economic and commercial domains. The urban block-villas would meet the required functionality needs- the building that can be found on 24-26 Polona Street, built in 1927-1928, is one of such type. The modern building, individually compartmentalized on each floor, has undergone a restoration, rehabilitation and reconversion process, becoming an ultramodern and multifunctional construction.

The house at 9 Verde Street (today Gheorghe Manu street) was built between 1911 and 1923, initiated by Tațiana Niculescu-Dorobanțu. One of the four daughters of Ion C. Brătianu, Tațiana (1870-1940) married in 1900 Ilie I. Niculescu-Dorobanțu (1873-1943), liberal political figure and prefect of Ilfov. Through their properties will also feature the Darvari manor, close to Bucharest. The plans designed by architect Grigore Cerchez (Cerkez) specified „a building with 2, 3 and 4 levels, massive walls, covered with tiles”, occupying 668,29 square meters. In a letter from 9th of May 1910 addressed to her sister Măriuţa Pillat, then in Paris, Tațiana confessed: „I believe we will have a truly beautiful mansion, Louis XII style, with carved stone and exposed brique”. On 25 September 1913, Taţiana was in France, writing to Sabina Cantacuzino: „The castles on Loire I am not even mentioning, I am amazed by so much beauty and very proud to realize that, without possible comparation to these, my house is very beautiful. Unfortunately, the narrow street makes the palace look crammed.” To furnish the interior, Tațiana chose Romanian traditional art objects and pieces from Antique shops in Paris and Munich. From Spain she brought furniture and tapestries. She wanted everything to be perfect and told her close friends: „I will show you this room only when it is completely furnished.” The imposing building bears the allure of a Gothic cathedral, with exquisite constructive and decorative elements: the exposed brick façade, in several shades of red, the towers’ silhouettes, the entrance portal, the imposing windows, with carved stone elements in Neo-gothic fashion, the cornices, gargoyles, stained glass windows and pointed arches that mark the exterior and interior. In his will, Ilie I. Niculescu-Dorobanțu donated the building to the Ion C. Brătianu Establishment, provided that it became the museum „Ilie, Tațiana and Ion Niculescu-Dorobanțu”. Between 1948-1957, the house hosted the canteen of the employees of the Minister of Industry. In 1956, following the pressures of the Direction of Historic Monuments, that considered the building „one of the most valuable in the Capital from an architectural point of view”, it was classified as part of the heritage of the Ministry of Culture and Education, undergoing consolidation works. Starting 1958, it hosted the Technical school of choreography, with 300 students. Today, more than one century after its construction, the impressive Gothic Revival residence maintains its mysterious allure, fascinating the passers-by with its imposing dimensions and unique construction details, crafted by one of the most important Romanian architects. Sources: Simina Stan, „Reședința Ilie I. Niculescu-Dorobanțu, monument istoric”, în Revista Arhitectura, iulie 2015 Narcis Dorin Ion, ”Memoria unui oraș – București”, ed. Institutul Cultural Român, București, 2012

Created in eclectic fashion with strong neoclassical features, this house was built during the late 19th century, with a commercial destination, according to the nature of the area. The particular style of buildings with dual use – commercial premises on the ground floor and residence upstairs – was brought by Jews, once they settled in Lipscani, the commercial neighbourhood of Bucharest. The building is distinguished by its neoclassical elements: cornice, pillars, triangular frontons and window frames. Before its nationalisation in the communist regime, the property belonged to Nicolae Dinischiotu, vice-minister of National Economy during the reign of King Michael I, the last King of Romania. The building has 3 sides with commercial premises on the ground floor: one on I.C. Brătianu boulevard, the other on Sfânta Vineri street and the third one on Elias Jacques street. The latter bears the name of one of the richest Romanians: the industrialist, banker and landlord Jacques Manachem Elias was born in 1844 in Bucharest, in a Jewish family. A great philanthropist, he bequeathed his whole fortune to the Romanian Academy. He was adviser to King Carol I of Romania. The building has 60 rooms, a courtyard of 60 sqm and a 175 sqm land on the side of I.C. Brătianu boulevard. The property belongs to the architectural assembly „Elias Jacques Street”, listed in the National Register of Historic Monuments 2010, Bucharest. Between 1990-1992, the house was consolidated and renovated, preserving the original architecture. The generous surface and the downtown location create a real potential for any commercial or touristic business. Sources: adevarul.ro Merg in Cartierul Evreiesc, Florin Leonard Slovineanu Photo: Gabriel Ghizdavu

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 town of Şomcuta Mare is located in the south-western part of Maramureș County, connected to the European road E58, Baia Mare - Cluj Napoca, at a distance of 25 km from Baia Mare. The popular tradition says that the name of Șomcuta Mare springs from the cornel shrubs that were found in abundance in these places, that once gave the name of the forest near Văleni village – Corneasa. Regarding this forest, it is said that it stretched over the borders of Şomcuta Mare and that, in the middle of it, there used to be a fountain, around which the community developed. From the first history records, it is shown that Șomcuta Mare had a predominantly Romanian population. This is proven by all the evidence that has been preserved in this regard about the Chioar Domain – where Șomcuta Mare was a part of. One of the historical monuments in Șomcuta Mare, this imposing building was built by the Austro-Hungarian State, between 1880 and 1890, to function as the Chiorean Commercial Bank, the first bank in the area. Currently, the building is connected to all utilities and services: gas, electricity, water supply and drainage. A few years ago, more precisely in 2003, the building had its roof and windows replaced, thus carrying out an important renovation process. Arranged on the following floor system: lower ground + ground floor + first floor + attic, this building provides that investment that you have always been looking for: its positioning and layout represent potential for various developments. It can bring many further exciting opportunities, starting from the industrial production ones to commercial ones. The building can function efficiently as a hotel, restaurant, kindergarten, school or nursing home. It accommodates 37 rooms and 5 bathrooms, with a pragmatic planning. Photo: Florin Pepene

The year of construction isn’t precisely noted, most likely being somewhere between 1913-1914. Situated on a highland at 600 m altitude and integrated in the picturesque landscape, the Stirbey Palace was designed by architect Nicolae Ghika-Budești and built with Italian craftsmen. Architect Ghika-Budești was a promoter of old Romanian architecture, with a personal style, a synthesis between Wallachian and Moldavian architecture. Specific for his constructions are the use of face brick, enamelled ceramic, the insertion of neo-gothic frames at doors and windows, the tower of monasterial inspiration, the horseshoe bow, the saw teeth decoration and the geometric motifs. The Palace from Dărmănești, with a surface of 4500 sqm, is disposed on four levels – basement, ground floor and two other floors, with a semicircular terrace. The annexes occupy approximately 1500 sqm. Water basins were built near the palace, and the buildings had a water supply system that is still preserved, the oldest in Bacău County, where water is brought from the mountain from a distance of nearly 8 km. Following the early death of Prince George, who lost his life due to typhus during the First World War, Elisabeta will spend most of her time at Dărmănești with her two daughters, Sanda and Marina. „She used to arrive here in May, with her daughters, governesses, chauffeurs and maids; she had an entire team brought from abroad, which included butlers and chefs as well. Until September she received here visits from relatives and friends.” The Royal visitors at The Dărmănești Palace include Queen Elisabeth of Romania and Queen Marie of Romania, photographed in national costumes in the garden and inside the residence. Queen Marie invokes Elisabeta Știrbey in her notes: Elisabeta is a beautiful and mild woman, born Băleanu. She has good taste, she likes beautiful things and is a real country life loving woman. Queen Marie records some other details about the residence, with the occasion of her August 1926 visit: Dărmănești is everything I expected it to be. A house with a beautiful position and a splendid garden, designed with perfect taste and concept. It has something that I have never seen before which is fantastic, enormous flower beds, almost like fields of garden mistletoe, hundreds and hundreds of flowers in huge groups, absolutely gorgeous and also its home is full of flowers arranged in large vases, pots and cans. Nothing can be more spectacular [...] The house is also beautiful and well designed.” The rehabilitation and restoration started in 2014 and the process took three years and sought to restore and preserve as many original items as possible. The solid wood stairway was kept – every square inch was cleaned and restored. The original solid oak carpentry was saved as well. To meet the current comfort requirements, the glass was replaced with a double-glazed window, but the original oak wood frame was preserved. The total of over 1000 windows have been refurbished one by one. It was possible to preserve and restore the Italian-style steel shutters (unique elements in the country), which had the role of protection in case of a siege. These were cleaned and painted. The façade is the original one as well – the bricks were refurbished to preserve the particular style of architect Nicolae Ghika-Budești. The space was furnished with French and Florentine furniture, the paintings exhibited in the palace include valuable works of art from the 17th century, signed by Italian, Flemish and Romanian artists. Due to this great effort, we can today savour a unique piece of jewellery of the Romanian built heritage, ready to start a new journey as a 40 rooms hotel with events, cuisine and spa facilities or as a most exquisite private retreat.

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.