ROMANIA - CRAIOVA - ROMANIA'S MEDIEVAL HIDDEN GEM - WHAT TO SEE AT CRAIOVA

 

Craiova - Romania's medieval, hidden gem

Constantin Mihail Palace, the Craiova Art Museum

 

Craiova is the largest and the most important city in southwestern Romania, on the banks of the Jiu River and in the center of the province of Oltenia, 227 km away from the country's capital, Bucharest, 68 km away from the Danube. The first impression is that it is a very artistic and cultural city, it has a university and it's the commercial center of the region.

 

 Dolj County Hall

 

 

 

 

 

In the historic city center two squares are literally stuck together, Mihai Viteazul Square and Prefecturii Square. They host the statue of Mihai Viteazul (Michael the Brave), one of Romania's most influential leaders, along with a musical fountain and the town hall, Dolj County Hall respectively. These squares are also famous for the Christmas market, it's considered one of the best in Europe.  Festivals and fairs are also organized here.

 

Statue of Mihai Viteazul (Michael the Brave), one of the most important leaders in Romanian history, and the musical fountain

 

Graffiti on a house's wall

 

 

During our stroll around the historic center we discovered that Craiova is a city with a strong artistic flair and there are many pieces of street art on its streets. Graffiti on the walls and bronze statues in the streets of the city you will find a lot.

 

Bronze woman's statue

 

Bronze man's statue

 

Bronze man's statue, the man is feeding pigeons

 

We visited The Craiova Art Museum, an art museum that was the palace of Constantin Mihail, one of the richest Romanians of his time, built from 1898 to 1907 by the French architect Paul Gottereau.

  

Constantin Mihail Palace, the Craiova Art Museum

 

In its courtyard is the "Constantin Brâncusi Center", a project dedicated to Constantin Brâncusi, a Romanian sculptor, painter and photographer who made his career in France, the patriarch of modern sculpture.

 

Constantin Brancusi Pavilion

 

 

The next morning we visited two beautiful churches, the Metropolis of Oltenia which is the Cathedral of Agios Demetrius, an orthodox church, originally built in 1490 and Agios Elias, built in 1720. The church was painted by George Tattarescu.

 

Metropolitan Cathedral St. Demetrius

Saint Elias