Debate Reignites Over Rebuilding Bucharest's Demolished Vacaresti Monastery
The urban planning commission in Bucharest, headed by Dr. Florin Biciusca from the Institute of Architecture "Ion Mincu," has proposed a feasibility study to reconstruct the Vacaresti Monastery, an 18th-century structure that was demolished in the 1980s during Ceausescu's regime to make way for a civic center, part of a project that destroyed 450 hectares in downtown Bucharest. Recent cultural discussions have called for the site's restoration, which has become a wasteland. Architect Radu Dragan advocates for rebuilding the monastery in its original form, while Biciusca highlights the difficulties of replicating the structure. This conversation arises after ongoing discussions about a National Cathedral have remained unresolved since 1995.
Key facts
- Vacaresti Monastery was built in the early 18th century by the Mavrocordat family in Wallachia.
- The monastery was demolished in the 1980s under Ceausescu's regime for a new civic center.
- The site covers over 18,000 square meters and featured grand frescoes.
- It was used as a political prison after the 1848 revolution.
- 450 hectares of downtown Bucharest were razed, with only 150 hectares replaced by new architecture.
- A feasibility study for reconstruction was requested in mid-June 2000, coordinated by Dr. Florin Biciusca.
- Architect Radu Dragan advocates for exact reconstruction using original blueprints.
- Pope John Paul II blessed the site for a National Cathedral in Unirii Square in 1999.
Entities
Artists
- Augustin Ioan
- Florin Biciusca
- Radu Dragan
- Anca Petrescu
- G.M. Cantacuzino
- Pope John Paul II
Institutions
- 22
- Dilema
- Union of Romanian Architects
- Commission for Historical Monuments
- Institute of Architecture "Ion Mincu"
- Orthodox Church
- Patriarchal Palace
- l'Harmattan
- Paideia Press
- City Hall
- Historical Monuments Commission
Locations
- Bucharest
- Romania
- Wallachia
- Carpathian mountains
- Danube
- Dambovita
- Paris
- France
- Unirii Square
- Warsaw
- Poland
- North-Korean