The Dianu Houses are a small architectural jewel of Craiova. Located right in the city center, they have always been some of Craiova's most attractive buildings. Spacious and solid, they amazed the locals when they were finished in 1902. The facades loaded with floral ornaments and balconies in the Art Nouveau style with wrought-iron railings, were enjoyed so much by the local aristocracy that they began to be copied. The Dianu House has a single upper floor and is beautifully decorated with window-frames, with a masonry corner balcony and another forged iron balcony towards A. I. Cuza Street. It has a steep slope roof with a truncated pyramid shaped dome on the corner and another pyramid shaped dome above the alleyway towards A. I. Cuza. On the side towards Panait Moșoiu Street, there is a truncated pyramid shaped dome exactly at the middle of the building. On this side there is another wrought iron balcony and another masonry balcony towards the area called the "Small Crossroad". On the ground floor there were always two or three shops of little importance, visited by those who descended towards the "Small Crossroad". In the summer of 1934, in Craiova it was held the trial of the railwaymen and oil miners who had organized big strikes in the previous year. During the trial, a "defense committee" was set up and the newspaper "Defense of the Railwaymen" appeared. The headquarters of the editorial office were initially in the house of lawyer Costel Dianu (A.I. Cuza Street, no.16) opposite to today’s National Theater. The Dianu House was later the headquarters of the Craiova Committee against the Imperial War of Looting and Conquest, which included Mihail Cruceanu, Eugen Constant, av. Nicu Popilian and av. Costel Dianu. The facade of the house was renovated in 2014, following the City Hall's decision of renovating the aspect of the entire historical center of Craiova Source: vladimirrosulescu-istorie.blogspot.com/2016/05/casa-dianu-aicuza.html Photo: https://www.facebook.com/craiovadeieri/

The Charmed Castle of Craiova is located in the most famous and popular park in the city, the "Nicolae Romanescu" Park. However, the fact that it is in a less visible place, being hidden among the trees, has made it less known to tourists, until a few years ago. The Charmed Castle was built in 1905 with the purpose of concealing the water tower in the park. It was built in a romantic style and was one of the meeting places of the Craioveni. The castle is located near the Suspended Bridge, another popular park sight. It separates two hills and is above a water.

The Carol I High School building in Craiova is an architectural monument of national interest, built at the end of the XIX th century. The edifice is located in the central area of ​​Craiova, near the Oteteleşanu School (the current Elena Cuza National College) and the Church of the Holy Trinity, on Ioan Maiorescu Street, no. 2. The building currently houses the Carol I National College, the second oldest secondary school institution in Romania. The history of this school begins in 1826, when two former students of Gheorghe Lazar and Ion Heliade Rădulescu, professor Stanciu Capataneanu and teacher Grigore Pleşoianu set up the Secondary National School, the second secondary school in the Principalities, after St. Sava College in Bucharest . In the beginning, the Central School functioned in the cells of the Obedeanu Monastery, then at the Madona Dudu Church. In October 1832, it was bought the current land of the College, in the centre of Craiova, with the amount of 300 gold coins donated by Iordache Otetelisanu. It was not until 1842 that the first location was inaugurated, the one immortalized by the painter Theodor Aman in the painting "Hora Unirii la Craiova ". In the big hall of the school, Ion Heliade Radulescu read The Proclamation of Izlaz, while Maiorescu, the head of the institution, climbed into a tree in front of the building and read the same Proclamation to pupils and other inhabitants of Craiova. After the defeat of the Revolution of 1848, for three years, the school closes because it does not have the necessary teachers, and the Turks turn the building into a garrison and a kitchen, heating their food with the furniture and the books in the library. Through the efforts of Professor G.M. Fontanin, who becomes head of the institution for almost 30 years, the school is reopened in 1854. In 1885, by high Royal Decree, the school was named "Carol I" High School. Between 1893 and 1895, was built the current high school building costing more than one million lei. King Carol I himself added at the foundation a metal cylinder containing the official document of the construction that will become a heritage building. The frescoes from the library and the round hall were made by the painter Francis Tribalski, and the new dome building was furnished with luxurious furniture. But this location also became a hospital during the First World War. In 1948, on the occasion of the centenary of the Revolution of 1848, the high school received the name "Nicolae Bălcescu" People's College, but in 1997 it will return to the old name "Carol I", which is preserved until today. Besides, both historical personalities are considered spiritual mentors of the College of Craiova. Over the years, the outstanding results of the students gave international recognition to the "Carol I" National College. The students, guided by outstanding teachers, gained 52 international awards, including 17 gold medals, 22 silver medals and 13 bronze medals. The school library is the most important school library in the country. It was founded in 1836 and bears the name of Mihail Strajan, a high school teacher during 1881-1902. He was the one who supplied the library with books and decorated it with expensive furniture. The Mihail Strajan Library contains heritage books, such as the Bible from Bucharest (1688). The oldest book dates back to 1514. Some heritage books were part of the library of Constantin Cantacuzino. The school also take pride in its butterfly collection (donated by Claudia and Ion Stănoiu and completed by Adrian and Ioana Rusescu), which includes thousands of specimens gathered around the globe. Another important piece from the high school's heritage is the collection of rocks collected by the teachers Dumitru and Ştefania Alexandrescu. One of the high value objects ​​sheltered by the high school is "The Ecorché" by Constantin Brâncuşi, made in collaboration with doctor D. Gerota and located in the biology laboratory. Source: www.cnc.ro; https://www.facebook.com/colegiulnational/ Photo: https://www.facebook.com/colegiulnational/

The former Normal School for Boys in Craiova is a monumental building, located on Calea Bucureşti, no. 107. The work of architect Constantin Băicoianu, the edifice was built between 1898-1901 as a building for the Normal School for Boys. Later, the building hosted several educational institutions, currently being the headquarters of the Faculty of Mechanics of the University of Craiova. The building of the former Normal School for Boys is an imposing building of monumental dimensions, disposed on three levels (semi-basement, ground floor and upper floor) on a plane symmetric to the vertical of the central tower (entrance from Calea București). The facades of the building are covered with apparent brick, and the roof of the edifice is made of tile. On the outside, the ornamental stucco and the painted decorations are remarkable. On the facade of the building there is a marble plate that commemorates Ștefan Velovan's activity in Craiova. Ștefan Velovan, considered the greatest Romanian teacher of his time and the one who laid the foundations for pedagogical education, was the promoter of a new trend in didactics and pedagogical methodology ("velovanism"). Source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro/ Photo: http://mecanica.ucv.ro/; www.monumenteoltenia.ro/

The building in which the secondary headquarters of Craiova City Hall are located, on A. I. Cuza Street, at no. 1, dates from 1900-1905 and is on the list of historical monuments. It was built according to the plans of architect Otto Hesselmann. According to archive records, the building was designed from the very beginning to have two purposes. Here, a hotel, but also a bank office, were supposed to operate. To fulfill the first purpose, the Palace Hotel was designed in a manner specific to most of the early 20th century hotels in Bucharest. As in the capital, the hotel was positioned on a street corner, with two main facades and entrances and apartments located right on the corner of the building. The double utility of the building can be seen on the inside. Architects talk about a special concept of "building inside the building" that can be noticed as soon as you enter the building. The ground floor and the first floor have been fitted with a large indoor hall and many counters to serve as bank office. On the second, third and attic floors are the apartments where the guests of the Palace Hotel were accommodated. The most interesting element of interior decoration is the main skylight. Located on the first floor, it functions as a "light garden", according to the specialists. The building also had many beautiful paintings and wainscots, especially in the hotel rooms, but they have deteriorated over time. Five earthquakes have passed over this building, beginning with the one in 1908 and ending with the one fromt the 1990s. They have seriously affected the building’s resistance structure. Despite the fact that the traces of time can be easily observed everywhere in the building, local authorities say that no consolidation work has been done, not even after the earthquake of 1977. Source: https://audiotravelguide.ro/hotel-palace-craiova/ Photo: https://audiotravelguide.ro/hotel-palace-craiova/; www.monumenteoltenia.ro

Puţureanu Inn is a heritage building located in the old historical centre of Craiova, in the Old Square (Elca Square), near major monuments and tourist attractions - the former Central School of Girls (today the Oltenia Museum), Madona Dudu Church, Hurezi Inn , The Swineherd's Fountain, the St. Dumitru Cathedral and the Bania House. The edifice, erected by merchant Niţă D. Puţureanu, is a wonderful building with an architecture specific to 19th-century mansions, that unfortunately reached an advanced stage of degradation. Puţureanu Inn was set up and built by merchant Niţă D. Puţureanu, born in 1845 in a modest peasants family from Puţuri village-Dolj. Alcohol and tobacco business, lending, renting properties that they buy over time, turn him into one of the representatives of the great bourgeoisie of Craiova. At his death (in February 1910), the inn and the outbuildings remain in the care and administration of his son Mihail, lawyer, clerk and librarian at Dolj Bar. Despite the competition represented by the newer and more spacious hotels, offering luxurious facilities,like Minerva Hotel and Geblescu Hotel (Hotel New York), set up at the beginning of the 20th century, the inn was still in use until the First World War. After 1918, for 30 years, Mihail Putureanu rented his father's shops to various merchants and the inn's rooms to new tenants. In the spring of 1945, Red Army officers will occupy several apartments of the inn. The building was nationalized in 1950, following the Decree no. 92 regarding the nationalization of some buildings. In 1996, by court order, the former owners acquired the ownership of the building. Source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro/hanul-putureanu-craiova/ Photo: www.facebook.com/Craiova-veche-in-imagini-259281224357, artmarkhistoricalestate.ro

It is located in the northwest part of Filiaşi, in the immediate vicinity of the cemetery. There are also tourist signs that guide visitors to this monument. The mausoleum was erected between 1865 and 1868 by Dimitrie Filișanu, a great politician and philanthropist of the past, and is called the "Sistine Chapel of Oltenia". The historical ensemble consists of a mausoleum, surrounded by an enclosure wall. The construction is the work of a great Italian architect who drew inspiration in erecting the mausoleum from a French model. Inside are three massive walnut sarcophagi, richly decorated with sculptures. The remains of the Filișanu family are in the crypts below the sarcophagi, which have only a decorative purpose. On one of them is the family crest. One reason why the Filișanu Family Mausoleum deserves attention is the fact that it is reminiscent of the boyar Dimitrie Filișanu, a great politician of the past, who was very much involved in the Revolution of 1848 and the Union of the Principalities in 1859. Source: www.turismland.ro; www.impact-tour.eu Photo: audiotravelguide.ro: www.impact-tour.eu

The monument was erected in the memory of Petre Ivanovici (September 4, 1898, Băileşti - February 1, 1936, Cornereva), one of the most famous Romanian aviators of the interwar period. He was a flight instructor at the Romanian Aeronautics Training Center (military) in Tecuci and at the ARPA Civil Flight School. He participated in several aerial acrobatics demonstrations, being one of the first members of the Red Devils (Dracii Rosii) club. Source: audiotravelguide.ro

The sculptural ensemble is located on the Danube's waterfront, on the positions held by the former "Stephen the Great" artillery battalion in the spring of 1877. It is an original creation of the sculptor Bucur Pavel and was unveiled on August 21,1980. Consisting of two distinct elements, the pedestal and the statuary group, the monument impresses mainly by the total height (15 m) and the surface of the bas-reliefs (25 sqm). The pedestal, made of travertine and of parallelepipedic shape, shows ample bas-reliefs with scenes of the Romanian army crossing the Danube in 1877; at the top of it are embedded the years of the centennial of independence: "1877-1977". The statuary group is carved in white stone and symbolically depicts three soldiers, belonging to the main weapons involved in this war, namely: an artilleryman holding a flag, a mountain ranger with a gun at his feet, and an infantryman sounding the trumpet for the attack. Source: danube-bike.eu

Considered to be the first public monument built in Craiova, it was inaugurated on December 8, 1918. It is located in the courtyard of the Holy Trinity Church - founded by Dumitrana Ştirbei (wife of the great stolnic Constantin Ştirbei, former caimacan of Craiova in 1741) - on the other side of the Carol I National College. The monument was made by the French sculptor Jean Lecomte du Nouy in 1907, and was cast in Varbedienne bronze. The monument shows the ruler standing, wearing a royal cloak on his shoulders, and several decorations on his chest. In his right hand, the ruler holds a parchment saying, "We have entrusted you with the defense of our country and our destiny." At his feet there is a young man holding a sickle in one hand and a wheat sheaf in the other hand. There is also an eagle with its wings spread out. There are a few bas-reliefs on the statue's base, representing Romania, a book listing the important documents in the history of the country, in which the ruler took part, a map representing the Danube plain, from Drobeta Turnu Severin to Braila and other elements. Lord Barbu Dimitrie Ştirbei was born in Craiova in August 1799 and died in Nizza, on 12 April 1869. He reigned between Jan. 1949 - 29 Oct 1853 and Oct. 5 1854 - 25 January 1856. He faced the weight of maintaining the Russian-Turkish armies and the power of the extraordinary commissioners. He obtained their retreat in 1851.He built the Theater in Bucharest, reopened many schools, closed during the 1848 Revolution, and improved the text of the Organic Regulation for Peasants. In 1853 he retired to Vienna due to the Russian occupation and returned on the throne in 1854, under Austrian occupation, having many restrictions. After the Congress of Paris (1856) his reign was no longer prolonged. Source: memorielocala.aman.ro

The monument of the First World War heroes, the work of the sculptor Dumitru Măţăoanu, was inaugurated on November 7, 1923, when the property titles were distributed to the veterans of 1916-1918 Campaign and to the war widows. The Monument is represented by a soldier from the First World War. Source: audiotravelguide.ro

The "Eugeniu Carada" Monument in Craiova is a public monument located in the square known as " The Fountain of Romanescu" (near the Students Cultural House at the crossroads of Aries, C.D. Fortunescu and Eugeniu Carada streets). The 1936 work of art of the sculptor Mihai Onofrei is a tribute paid to the great economist, politician and journalist of Craiova, Eugeniu Carada.

The Monument of Buzesti Brothers, work of art of the sculptor Boris Caragea, is located in the corner of the Garden of Roses or the Garden of Bania, near the Bania House, in front of the Buzeşti Brothers National College. The work of art represents Preda, Stroe and Radu Buzescu. On the statue's socket is engraved: "Preda, Stroe and Radu Buzescu, captains in the army of Michael the Brave (1593-1601). Honor and eternal gratitude to our heroes who fought fearlessly for freedom, unity and independence, laying the foundation for the construction of socialist Romania. " Source: memorielocala.aman.ro

The Monument of Tudor Vladimirescu is a monument of local public interest, the work of art of the French Romanian sculptor, Margareta Cosăceanu-Lavrillier. The bronze sculpture, donated to Craiova by the artist, was inaugurated in 1960. The monument is located in the square in front of the Faculty of Agronomy, oriented towards the Mihai Bravu Garden and the Glogoveanu House - the former headquarters of the Craiova Court, where the leader of the Revolution of 1821 lived. On the base of the statue is an inscription: "Tudor Vladimirescu 1780-1821". Source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro Photo: audiotravelguide.ro

The "Museum of the Romanian Book and Exile" constitutes a unique, large-scale project, whose well-defined purpose is the reunification of Romanian culture with the cultural patrimony produced outside the country, from the post-war Romanian exile up to the present day. Its holdings include nearly 40 collections of immense value in terms of their content: The "Academician Basarab Nicolescu" Collection; The "Leonid Mămăligă" Collection; The "Neuilly Circle" Archive Collection; The "Hyperion Association" Archive Collection; The "Mircea Milcovitch and Maria Mesterou" Collection; The "Andrei Șerban" Collection; The "Paul Barbăneagră" Collection; The "Corneliu Șerban Popa" Collection; The "Vintilă Horia" Collection; The "Cicerone Poghirc" Collection; The "Andrei Codrescu" Collection; The "Carmen Firan and Andrei Sângeorzan" Donation; The "Victor Cupșa" Collection; The "Constantza Buzdugan" Donation; The "Bujor Nedelcovici" Collection; The "Cezar Vasiliu" Collection; The "Valeriu Veliman" Donation; The "Mircea Eliade" Collection; The "Emil Cioran" Collection; The "Ileana and Romulus Vulpescu" Collection; The "Șerban Viorel and Rodica Stănoiu" Donation; The "Academician Dan Berindei" Collection; The "Academician Dinu C. Giurescu" Collection; The "Academician Ștefan Ștefănescu" Donation; The "Romanian Institute/Romanian Library in Freiburg" Donation; The "George Banu" Collection; The "Dumitru Milcoveanu" Collection; The "Octav Calleya" Collection; The "Horia-Dinu Nicolaescu" Donation; The "Nicolas Adam" Collection; The "Ion Deaconescu" Donation; The "Aurora Cornu" Collection; The "Miron Kiropol" Collection; The "Grigore Arbore" Collection; The "Theodor Damian" Collection; The "George Roca" Collection; The "Romanian-American Academy of Arts and Sciences" Collection; The "Romanian Exile Memory at the National Romanian Television" Collection. The project emerged from the need to create an overview of Romanian spiritual creations, made beyond the country's borders during the communist regime. The uniqueness of the Museum's holdings lies within a formidable, remarkable diversity, easily noticeable, especially in terms of the fields represented, ranging from the humanities and social sciences, theology and music, to performing and visual arts, as well as the types of materials that make up each individual collection. When visiting a multitude of museum exhibits, one can observe handwritten dedications in highly valuable books, original manuscripts and documents from the libraries of the personalities represented in the Museum, thousands of pages of correspondence from famous exiled writers, presented for the first time to the Romanian public, as well as unique pieces of visual art in painting, sculpture, drawing, or engraving. The archives held in the museum's collection serve as a robust testimony, a documentary fresco of the cultural, scientific, and artistic activities undertaken by personalities of the Romanian exile. They also represent an invaluable research tool for all those concerned with the creations and memories of cultural figures who settled around the globe during the era dominated by Romanian communism. The museum's efforts, therefore, aim to popularize the works signed by prominent names of the Romanian exile which, up to now, have circulated for almost half a century solely outside the country's borders, with only a small portion being published and translated into Romanian.

Built between 1898 and 1907 in the middle of a city caught in the fever of the innovations of the early twentieth century, the Mihail Palace stands out by the execution details that have the distinction of a meticulously crafted jewellery. Thus, it reflects the exigencies and social status of one of the richest men of that time, and the ambition and the spirit of competition which helped him make a fortune. So, as Gh. Grigore Cantacuzino, nicknamed the "Nabob", in Bucharest and the royal advisor Vălimărescu, across the street, assigned the building of their houses to the famous architect Albert Galleron who had also made the projects of other important buildings in the Kingdom - the Romanian Athenaeum, Constantin Mihail could accept nothing less for himself. He contracted another famous name at the time, Paul Gottereau - the architect of the Royal Court and the creator of the Royal Palace, of the Palace of the "Carol I" University Foundation, the CEC Palace etc. Reflecting on the prevailing trend of the time, that of an eclecticism which successfully combined the rigor of the French academicism with late Baroque elements, the plan of the construction has many similarities with the plan of the Cheverny Palace in the Loire Valley, recognized as an example of architectural balance and elegance. The exterior details and the ornaments on the facade, the window frames and the ironwork of the balconies, prepare the viewer's eye for the exquisite grandeur hidden inside. In the hall of honour, in the reception lounges and in the music room, in the living rooms, but also in all other areas not necessarily having a specific destination for social events, the building materials were of the highest quality: Carrara marble, Murano crystal and Venetian mirrors, decorative ironwork, Lyon silk, gilded mouldings, furniture and art objects, generally purchased from Vienna with the aid of the rich Dumba family, with which Constantin Mihail was closely related. But not only these standards of luxury are impressive. We should also mention the skylights and the large windows, designed to provide the space with as much natural light as possible, and also the technical equipment used to provide comfort all around the house, all exceptional for that period of time, including electricity and the "Roman type" heating system with pipes inserted in the walls and floors. The Palace has 29 rooms (plus annexes) of which the most spectacular is the Hall of Mirrors Inaugurated in 1909 by the two sons, Nicolae and Jean - as Constantin Mihail had died the year before, the Palace began its representation mission, which was intended from the beginning. Jean Mihail was a cultivated man and a person with broad views. He had studied law in Paris, wanting to devote to a political career. Being a prominent member of the high society and part of the restrictive circle at the Royal Court, he hosts the royal family in his palace in 1913, at the inauguration of the monument "That's the music that I love", called so after the remark of Charles I when hearing the cannon shots that marked the start of the War of Independence in 1877. The monument was destroyed immediately after the communists come to power. Two years later, King Ferdinand and Princess Mary are welcomed at the palace together with General Averescu, who were coming to visit the Military Hospital in Craiova. In 1936, Jean Mihail, the last descendant of the family, dies, leaving his entire fortune to the Romanian state, by will. And it really was an impressive fortune considering that, during the economic crisis of 1929-1933, he guaranteed with it the loans contracted by the Romanian state from the foreign banks. His gesture reflects a high civic sense and a patriotism of the noblest kind – and this is why the building remained in the public consciousness as the Jean Mihail Palace. At the beginning of World War II, when Romania generously housed Polish refugees, the Polish President Ignacy Moscicki with his family and Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły - the chief commander of the Polish armed forces, were housed at the palace. Furthermore, here, in 1940, Romania and Bulgaria signed the Treaty of Craiova by which the Quadrilateral is ceded to Bulgaria. The palace was first opened to the public between the 24th and the 31st of October 1943, during the "Week of Oltenia" event under the patronage of the Royal Cultural Foundation and during which some of the works of Constantin Brancusi were exposed for the first time in Craiova, (Head of a boy, Head of a girl and The Kiss). From 1945 to 1950, the palace became the headquarters of ARLUS (Romanian Association for Tightening the Relations with the Soviet Union), and then of the Regional Committee of the RMP in Oltenia, whose secretary was Nicolae Ceausescu (probably out of sentimental reasons he later decided, after having become the General Secretary of the Communist Party and the President of the Romanian Socialist Republic, to preserve and restore the building after it had been severely damaged during the earthquake of 1977). Since 1954, following the decision of setting up an art collection, the building was transferred in the patrimony of the City People's Council heritage and became the headquarters of the Art Museum of Craiova. Part of the "Alexander and Aristia Aman” Pinacoteca was moved here, including, besides the library, furniture and paintings belonging to the Dutch, Flemish, Italian and French schools from the XVII-XIX century, paintings and graphics by Theodor Aman, Romanian and foreign decorative art. Its patrimony was extended during the interwar period through purchases made by the city and due to the donations from the great noble families of Craiova: Mihail, Romanescu, Cornetti, Glogoveanu etc. The acquisitions continued in the post-war period and transfers have been made from the National Museum of Art and the central state funds. Currently, the patrimony of the Museum consists of over 8,000 works of European and Romanian art. The collection includes the most important names of the Romanian painting and sculpture: Theodor Aman, Nicolae Grigorescu, Nicolae Tonitza, Ștefan Luchian, Gheorghe Petrașcu, Theodor Pallady, Eustațiu Stoenescu, Ion Țuculescu, Gheorge Anghel, Dimitrie Paciurea. The most valuable works of art from those held by the museum are six pieces from the works of the titan of the universal modern art, Constantin Brancusi: Vitellius, Head of a girl, Head of a boy, Torso Fragment (or Thigh), Miss Pogany and The Kiss.

The Administrative Palace of Craiova, located at 19 Calea Unirii, is one of the most representative buildings in the city. Built in the first part of the 20th century according to the plans of architect Petre Antonescu, in the neo-Romanian style promoted by Ion Mincu, the edifice today houses two of the most important institutions of the county: the Prefecture and the Dolj County Council. The Administrative Palace was built at the beginning of the 20th century, most probably between 1912-1913 (the starting year of the construction differs from source to source, from 1907/1909/1910/1912). It is said that Prime Minister Ion I. C. Bratianu, present at Craiova at the liberal meeting of June 24, 1909, would have been present at the placement of the act at the foundation of the building. The constructor appointed by Antonescu for building the Administrative Palace was Giovanni Battista Peressutti. From an aesthetic point of view, the façade decoration is distinguished by the numerous original elements, but which reinterpret the elements of the old Romanian architecture: the roof with green enameled tile, decorative elements of zinc sheet and skylights, the loggias, balconies and bay windows on the side façades of the floor, the console crevasses, the trilobal springs from the windows, the window frames, the columns, friezes and stone sinks, the decorative brackets or rainwater gutters, modeled with the twisted rope motif. Starting with April 1, 1915, the Prefectural Palace hosted at the ground floor the Dolj County Antiquities and Ethnography Museum, set up at the initiative of history professor Ştefan Ciuceanu, and from 1928 it became the Regional Museum of Oltenia. During the period 1916-1918, during the German occupation in Craiova, the institutions that had their headquarters in the Administrative Palace were evacuated, as the German Railways Directorate was set up here. At the departure of the Germans from Oltenia, the furniture and the building were devastated, and the patrimony of the Regional Museum was severely affected by the German occupation robbery. On December 12, 1922, the Craiova Scientific Society (director professor Marin Demetrescu) was set up in the Prefecture's office, which aimed at endowing the capital of Oltenia with a Museum of Natural History. In 1934, the collections of the Regional Museum were moved to the basement of the Prefecture, in the halls facing Calea Unirii. In September of the same year, the festive hall of the Administrative Palace hosted the Congress of Numismatics and Archaeology in Craiova. In 1935, due to the works, a crack appeared in the dome of the honor stairs. The consolidation was done under the direct supervision of Petre Antonescu, the architect of the original project. Starting with February 24, 1945, the building will host the Regional People’s Council (until 1968), the Dolj County Committee of the Romanian Communist Party (PCR) and the Dolj County Council (until 1989), and since 1989 it has housed the Prefecture and the Dolj County Council . The earthquake in 1977 affected the Administrative Palace building, which has later undergone extensive repair works. Since 1989, the Administrative Palace of Craiova houses the Prefecture and Dolj County Council. Source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro

The Palace of the Bank of Commerce, a monumental building that houses the Craiova City Hall, is one of the most famous buildings in the city. The Bank of Commerce was designed by architect Ion Mincu in 1906 and completed in 1916 by his student, Constantin Iotzu. The building has a rich interior decorated with stuccoes, stained glass, Venetian mosaics and wrought iron grilles. On December 12, 1897 (according to other sources in 1899), the banker and liberal politician from Craiova, Constantin Neamţu, set up in Craiova the Bank of Commerce, in the form of a family business. The banking company quickly became one of the most important and successful banks with Romanian capital in the country, opening branches in several important cities. At the time of its inauguration, the Bank of Commerce was one of the most beautiful buildings in the city and even in the country, impressing both by its exterior and its interior, richly decorated with stained glass, chandeliers and mosaics. Built on 3 levels, the building had a basement (treasury bank thesaurus, various warehouses, archive, homeowner's residence, central heating, own power plant and mechanical workshop), ground floor (a vestibule, a large hall, offices and administration offices) and an upper floor (a vestibule from which, through a gallery, one can reach the hall where various offices, the boardroom and the director's office are located). During the period 1916-1918, during the German occupation in Craiova, in the new building the German general headquarters were installed. When the Germans left Oltenia, the building was devastated, as it happened with several other occupied buildings. After 1948, several institutions were operating in the building, including the Academy of Historical Sciences, Archaeology and Ethnography, the Municipal Committee of the Romanian Communist Party (PCR) and the Municipal People's Council. After the 1977 earthquake, the building benefited from current repair works. Since 1989, the former headquarters of the Bank of Commerce is the headquarters of the City Hall and the Local Municipal Council of Craiova. In 2000, a feasibility study was carried out to consolidate the building, with the intention to request funds from the World Bank. However, the proceedings were stopped due to disputes over the ownership of the building, which is why no administration has since tried to start rehabilitation works. Source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro Photo: imagoromaniae.ro; www.monumenteoltenia.ro

The school’s origins go back to 1833, as Lazaro-Otetelisanu's girls' boarding school, a name which it taks from its founders, being the first school for girls in the Romanian Principalities. The establishment of this boarding school is related to the extensive development of national education in the capital of Oltenia following the adoption of the Organic Regulation. It was founded before the other similar institutions in the Romanian Principalities. The initiative of "this school, for a better education of boyar girls", sprang into the "enlightened mind of Overseer Iordache Otetelișanu, great patriot and fond of the national culture". With ”his funds, but also with the material support of the Cupbearer Constantin Lazaro", who donated to the school the houses inherited from his wife, Zoiţa Pârşcoveanca, he founded "Lazaro-Otetelisanu Boarding School for Girls" in 1833. Students admitted to this school had to know how "to read and write" in a foreign language. As a matter of fact, since 1860, the girls’ boarding school came under the care of the state and was put under the control and supervision of a committee, a fact that was decided by the Parliament's vote of August 4, 1860. At that time, the school operated with six classes: four lower ones and two upper ones. From a study programme dated 1861, it is found that the following subjects were taught in the school: Romanian language, religion, history, geography, drawing, calligraphy, crafting, physical sciences, natural sciences, cosmography. The name of the school is changed again in 1883 when it becomes a "Pedagogical Institute for Girls", "because of the goal pursued by the school authority to create graduates who whould become schoolmasters." From 1891, it is added ”to the institute an application school (primary school) which was operating apart from it, on the basis of a special program under the ministerial orders." Since becoming a state school after 1860, the tendency was to develop the secondary education for girls, as well as to prepare valuable elements for primary education. Starting with 1959, the institution takes the name Middle School no. 3, until 1966, when it became a mixed school, allowing, for the first time, boys in its school rooms. Between 1966-1976, the school was named "Highschool no. 3 "and then, in the period from 1977 to 1989, it was named "High School of Philology-History ". In 1990 the school returned to the traditional name of "Elena Cuza High School" and since 1998 it is named "Elena Cuza National College". Throughout its existence, the school had as main objective for its students the learning of a foreign language, especially until 1944 and between 1970-1975 when all disciplines were taught in French. The specificity of the school was preserved even in recent years, with regular classes of philology-bilingual foreign language (French, English, German and Spanish). Also, in recent years, foreign lecturers have taught at those classes, native speakers of that language, who have come following various European programs initiated by the school. Source: elenacuza.ro Photo: www.facebook.com

The idea of placing in Craiova a statue of the great voivode, who has held a high local title (Ban of Craiova) before being a ruler, dates from the beginning of the 20th century. In 1913 an initiative committee was set up in order to erect a monument dedicated to Michael the Brave, in Craiova. In 1927, the "Friends of Science" Society („Prietenii Ştiinţei“) proposed to place the statue in the Unirii Square. In 1933 they addressed the City Hall of the capital the request to move the statue of Michael the Brave to Craiova, if a larger one was to be erected in Bucharest. The sculptor D. Pavelescu-Dimo made a sketch for a magnificent monument dedicated to the great voivode, but it never materialized. Unfortunately, the inhabitants of Craiova had to wait a long time to see the statue in its current place, because, for many years and for various reasons, it was located in the yard of the Museum of Art. The statue was brought to Craiova in 1974, but it laid dismantled somewhere in the backyard of the Museum of Art until 1990. In 1990, the statue was erected in downtown, in Unirii Square, near the Prefecture building, facing west. Between 2004-2008, on the occasion of the downtown rehabilitation, it was moved to the large park between the Prefecture and the Holy Trinity Historical Church, facing east, and with great artesian fountains in front.

The statue of Alexandru Ioan Cuza was executed in 1912 by the Italian sculptor Raffaello Romanelli. The sculptor cast in bronze two copies of the statue of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza (1859-1866), one for the city of Iasi, the other one being brought to Craiova in 1912. Located in 1935 in front of the Minerva Hotel, it will be inaugurated in 1939. One year later, it was moved downtown, on the north side of the English Park Garden, in front of the Town Hall. The statue represents the ruler standing up straight, holding his sword with both hands, a symbol of ​​determination and dignity.

The bronze statue, work of art of the sculptor Mircea Spataru, was placed in front of the high school building named after Carol I, in December 2007. Photo: audiotravelguide.ro

The building of the University of Craiova, originally built to serve as the Palace of Justice, is an architectural monument of national interest and one of the most representative buildings in the city. Designed in 1890 by the architect Ion Socolescu, the building is an illustration of Neoclassicism in architecture. It is located downtown, on Alexandru Ioan Cuza Street, no. 13. The building was built between 1894 and 1912. From the very beginning, were visible both from the outside and the inside, arechitectural elements borrowed from classicism, such as the triangular pediment and the peristyle of the three-door main entrance, surrounded by four composite columns (with corinthian and ionic elements). The palace was surrounded by a fence with a wrought iron grid fixed on a concrete foundation, with pillars from place to place. Between the building and the fence, on all sides of the building, is a green space. The initial form of the Palace of Justice building was a quadrangle crossed in the middle by a central structure that corresponded to the main entrance, dominated by a classic pediment, from where you can admire a group of statues picturing "The Blindfolded Justice", removed after 1948. After the change of the building's destination, the word "UNIVERSITY", written in capital letters, was placed under its pediment. In 1912 there was a partial inauguration of the building, and another one took place in 1914, when the palace already had 4 levels. Later, the edifice was extended, repaired and modernized successively, reaching 5 and 6 levels. The projects concerning the additions from the interwar period, through which a wing of the building was built, were drawn by the architect Iancu Atanasescu. The plans for the expansion of the building that was completed in the 1970s (1972-1975) were conceived by the architect Petre Falcon. The Palace of Justice was built to serve as the headquarters of various courts of justice in Craiova. Between 1941 and 1944, the palace was occupied by German troops. With the departure of the Germans, the courts of law (the Court of First Instance and the Court of Appeal) returned to this place until 1951. In 1948, the first higher education institution in Craiova ( The Agronomic Institute) has been established here. At the same time, the western side of the palace was occupied by local administrative institutions (The County Seat). Between 1951-1958, the eastern wing of the building sheltered the second higher education institute, the Institute of Machinery and Electrical Devices (The Technical Institute). For a short time, between 1958-1959, the Palace of Justice became the home of the regional, district and city courts, the prosecutor's office and the bar. Staring with 1966, the imposing building has been in use and has become the property of the newly established University of Craiova. Source: www.monumenteoltenia.ro Photo: https://www.facebook.com/ucvro/