Alexandru Ghica Palace, Căciulați

Summary

A neoclassical palace with a church and park, built for Prince Alexandru Dimitrie Ghica about 30 km north of Bucharest. Owned by the Romanian Academy since the 1940s-50s, it served as a writers' retreat but still awaits full restoration and is only occasionally used for filming and events.

Legal status

Donated by the Blaremberg, Mavrocordat and Filipescu heirs to the Romanian Academy (taken over 1951); classified a monument in 1945 ↗

History

Dimitrie Ghica bought the Căciulați estate in 1807 and Alexandru Dimitrie Ghica, ruler of Wallachia, built the palace in 1830-1834 in neoclassical style, with the Dormition church and a park. After he left the country in 1859 it passed to relatives; Profira Ghica partly restored it in 1890 and Irina Mavrocordat refurnished it in 1924. Following family disputes the Blaremberg, Mavrocordat and Filipescu heirs donated it to the Romanian Academy. It was classified a monument by royal decree in 1945, housed a Securitate office and a youth organisation from 1949, and from 1951 became an Academy creative retreat. It deteriorated, with the fountain and other buildings now ruined; excavations in 1983 found three skeletons and over a decade later more than 300 were found, whose origin is disputed.

Listed components

• Palat — 1830 (IF-II-m-B-15268.01)
• Biserica „Adormirea Maicii Domnului” — 1832 (IF-II-m-B-15268.02)
• Capelă — 1832 (IF-II-m-B-15268.03)
• Parc — înc. sec. XIX (IF-II-m-B-15268.04)

Sources & links