Translations Magazine - September 2018

Editorandtranslator:Marius-ConstantinPopa

TRANSLATIONS
VOLUME3*ISSUERELEASEDINSEPTEMBER2018

TheRomanianAthenaeum

Thestoryofasymbolicedifice



HISTORY

THEROMANIANATHENAEUM.THE
STORYOFASYMBOLICEDIFICE

‘TheRomanianswithoutliteracy,philologyandartcannotmoveonbecause,
nowadays,onlyenlightenednationscanaspiretotrueglorificationandachieveit’.
ThiswastheideaaroundwhichseveralgenuineRomanians– NicolaeKret-
zulescu,ConstantinEsarcu,PetreS.Aurelian,V.A.Urechia–intendedtogroup,
whowishedtheircountrywellandprosperity.Duetotheirinitiative,the‘Ro-
manianAthenaeum’Societywasfoundedin1865.Itwasatrueculturalinstitu-
tion,which,throughtheconferencesthatitheld,actuallymeant‘thebeginningof
thedialoguethattheRomanianintelligentsiakeptupwiththepublic’.

Theirwishwas,however,tohavetheirownhouse.Thefulfilmentoftheirdream couldbe
finallyachievedwhenevertheculturedmanScarlatRosettidonated200,000leiingoldfor
theconstructionoftheAthenaeum;theprojectbegantotakeshapeon26thOctober1886,
when,thefoundationstoneoftheRomanianAthenaeum waslaidinthepresenceofKing
CarolIandthefoundingmembersofthesociety.EveryoneknowstodaythattheAthen-
aeum appearedontheinitiativeofsomeRomaniansinspirithelpedbythegenerosityof
thepublicandthattheauthoroftheprojectistheFrencharchitectAlbertGalléron.Few
peopleknow,however,how thebeautifulcall‘GiveoneleufortheAthenaeum’was
launched.Evenfewerpeopleknowthatasignificantcontributiontothesettlementofthe
technical-functionalandaestheticconceptionofthemonumentalconstructionisdueto
somepersonalitiesofRomanianarchitectureandengineeringandthattheedificewas
builtwithinlessthan16months,duetoaserioustechnicalandorganisationalpreparation
madebyRomanianspecialists.

Foundedin1865,ontheinitiativeofConstantinEsarcu,the‘RomanianAthenaeum’
Societygainsacceptanceasacontinuousbasisintheculturallifeofthecountry.Thepro-
spectthattheAthenaeum wouldhaveabuildingofitsownarose,however,onlyalongside
thefirstdonationmadebyScarlatRosetti‘fortheconstructionofapubliclibraryinthis
capital’,thecompetitorsbeingsuggestedtobeguidedintheirplansbythepatternofthe
newPalaceoftheImperialLibraryfrom Paris.Theseformalitiesprolongedthebeginning
oftheconstruction—and,afterthedeathofScarlatRosetti,theavailableamountofmoney
(200,000leiingold)wasnotenoughfortheerectionofabuildingthatmettheconditions
thoughtbyConstantinEsarcu,whowanted‘theedificedestinedforArtandSciencetobe
monumental’.Thus,apubliclotterywasorganisedinordertocollectsomeadditional
fundsamountingto500,000lei.Thelotteryhadbeen authorisedbythegovernment
throughadecisionmadeon30thApril1885.Inanotedated16thOctober1885andwritten

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HISTORY

byConstantinEsarcu,presentedtothemembersoftheAthenaeum Bureau,itwasshown
thatthewholecountryfullysupportedthecauseandkindlyparticipatedinthelotteryor-
ganisedforthepurpose.

Theconstructionwaserectedonthefoundationofafutureridingschool

Indeed,allthosewhowishedtheprogressofscienceandletters,allthosewhowishedthe
extensionofenlightenmentinRomaniawererecommendedtoform acommitteewho
hadtocollectafundthatshouldhavebeenthensenttotheCommitteeoftheAthenaeum
andtosendacertainnumberofticketsoftheAthenaeum lottery.Moreover,aballwasor-
ganisedattheNationalTheatreontheeveningof30thNovember1885,afterwhich12,300
ticketswereboughtatoneleueach.Itwasalsothemomentwhenthecallthatmadehis-
tory-‘GiveoneleufortheAthenaeum’-waslaunched.

Thedraw forthelotterytookplaceon22ndMay1886intheCișmigiuGarden,the
winningticket,amountingto75,000lei,beingsignedbyNicolaeKretzulescuandCon-
stantinEsarcuthemselves.Immediatelyafterfundshadbeencollectedforthatpurpose,
the‘RomanianAthenaeum’Societybrought,throughtheConventionsignedon21stJune
1886,from theRomanianEquestrianSociety,thesitelocatedon6EpiscopieiStreet,as
wellasthematerialofbrickfrom itsfoundationsandtheplanksforfencingitaround.As
shownbytheFrencharchitectGalléron,thePalaceoftheRomanianAthenaeum was
erectedonthesefoundations,‘preparedforacircuswitharidingschool’.

ARomaniancommissionofexpertiseevaluatedtheprojectofGalléron

Aftertheissueoffundsandsitehadbeenresolved,thecommissionfortheexecutionof
thebuilding,inordertospeedtheworksup,keptthepreliminaryplansubmittedbythe
FrencharchitectAlbertGalléron.Theplanwassubjected,however,toanexamination
carriedoutbyacommissioncomprisedofnameswhowerefamousatthattimeinthe
areaofengineeringandarchitectureinRomania:theengineer-architectAlexandruOr-
ăscu(1817-1894),thefirstdirectorwhomanagedtheSchoolofBridgeandRoadsurveyors
(1851),thefirstdirectorwhomanagedtheDirectorateofPublicWorks(1860),thefirst
presidentoftheSocietyofRomanianarchitects(1891-1894),theauthorofthebuildingof
theoldUniversityfrom Bucharest(1857-1869),theBulevardHotel;theengineer-architect
IonMincu(1852-1912),aleadingpersonalityofRomanianarchitectureattheturnofthe
19th and20thcenturies,thefounderofthetrendknownbyspecialistsunderthenameof
‘neo-Romanian’,anactivechampionofmodernarchitecture,inspiredbyRomaniantradi-
tions,theauthoroftheLahovaryHouse,hismostrepresentativecreation;theengineer-
architectI.N.Socolescu(1856-1924),oneofthefoundersoftheHigherSchoolofArchitec-
turefrom Bucharest(1892),thechiefeditor(1890-1894)ofthefirstspecialisedRomanian
magazine,‘AnaleledeArhitectură’(translatedinEnglishas‘TheAnnalsofArchitecture’),
theauthoroftheformerPalaceofJusticefrom Craiova(1890),whichistodayauniversity,
the‘IonescuGion’Housefrom Bucharest(1891),thetownhallsofPiteștiandCălărași,etc;
theengineer-architectGrigoreCerkez(1850-1927),aprofessorattheSchoolofBridgesand

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HISTORY

RoadsandtheHigherSchoolofArchitecture,theauthoroftheDissescuHouse(whichis
todaytheInstituteofArtHistory),theInstituteofArchitecturefrom Bucharest,theauthor
ofthefirstmodernrestorationofahistoricalmonument,thePrincelyChurchofSaint
Nicholasfrom CurteadeArgeș(1912);theengineerN.CucuStarostescu(1851-1912),a
chief-engineeroftheMunicipalityofthecityofBucharestattheendofthe19thcentury,a
directoroftheRomanianSocietyofConstructionsandPublicWorks,theauthorofthe
projectfortheGrozăveștiworks,thebridgeontheArgeșRiverfrom Copăceni.

Thelightmustcomefromthenorth

Thereportsubmittedbytheabove-mentionedcommissionemphasised,on16thMay1886,
thattheyhadinview,whentheyhadresearchedthepreliminaryplan,‘nottoneglectany-
thinginordertoensureboththegoodorganisationoftheservicesthathadtobeprovided

ThemainfacadeoftheRomanianAthenaeum

andalltheguaranteesofcomfortandespeciallysafetythatwasindispensableforanyedi-
ficemeanttocompromisenotonlyalargecrowdofpeople,butalsogreatcollectionsof
literaryorartistictreasures’.Itwasalsoresearchedthewayinwhichafirecouldbepre-
ventedorthemeansbywhichitseffectscouldbedestroyed.

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HISTORY

Someoftheobservationsandrecommendationsthatweremadeatthattimemust
beretained.Thus,followingtheanalysisof‘thepartoftheedificethatcouldbebuilt’,
therewasstressedthelackofcalculationsthatcouldjustifywhetherthecurrentthickness
ofthefoundationwallscouldsafelysupporttheweightoffutureconstructions’andifthe
dimensionsofthewallsplannedtosupportthedomewerestrongenoughtoresistits
weightandlateralthrusts’.Inordertobuildtheroomsofthelibrarymeanttohouse‘valu-
ablebooks,preciousmanuscripts,etc.’,itwasshownthattherawmaterialsusedforcon-
structionshouldhavebeenfireproof.Asconcernstheilluminationinthelibraryandmu-
seum,itshouldhavecomefrom anaturalsource,andasregardsthemuseum,thelight
shouldhavecomefrom thenorthinordertoprotecttheexhibitedobjectsfrom thereflec-
tionoflight,whichwasveryharmfulespeciallytothepaintings.

Thefittingoftheceilingofthetheatrerightunderthedomeroof,accordingtothe
preliminaryplan,wasregardedas‘wrong’.Therefore,acertaindistancewasrequested,
whichshouldhavebeenreservedbetweentheceilingandtheroof—thespaceissaidto
havebeennecessaryforthe‘inspections’carriedoutonaregularbasisattheframework
oftheroof,forsomepartialrepairsmadetotheceilings,aswellasfortheinstallationof
differentapparatusesusedfortheilluminationofthetheatre.

Followingtheanalysisthattheyconductedthecommissioncametoaseriesofcon-
clusionsthatdictatedfundamentalchangesmadetothepreliminaryplan.Thesechanges
finallyledtotheconstructionofafunctional,aestheticandremarkablydurableandsafe
edifice,amatterconfirmedtothefullbytheimplacablereferee,whichistimeanditsun-
certainties.

MasonrywasentrustedtotheentrepreneurDobreNicolau

Undoubtedly,thereisanamountoftechnicalspecificationsincludedintheresearched
documentsthatsupportthisnew perspective.On24th May1886,actually,thearchitect
Galléronundertooktomodifyhisplanaccordingtotherecommendationsforwardedby
theRomaniancommissionofexpertise.Inordernottosetbackanyfurther,thecommis-
sionfortheexecutionofthepalaceassembledon20th June1886anddecidedtoappoint
thearchitectC.Băicoianuasarchitectmanager;toputupforauctiononlythepartially
finishedbuilding,towhichtherewereinvitedtheConstructionSociety,eng.Cuțaridaand
eng.C.Olănescu,thearchitectI.SocolescuandDobreNicolau.Later,theworksofpar-
tiallyfinishedbuildingwouldbeentrustedtotheentrepreneurDobreNicolau,wholived
inBucharest.Hewasawardedacontracton1stJuly1886,andthesignedcontractprovided
thattheentrepreneurwasboundtoleadandsupervisethebuildingworksinordertofi-
nalisethem induecourse.

TheauthorisationfortheconstructionoftheAthenaeum building

Withregardtothebuildingmaterials,thedutyofthearchitecturedepartmentoftheRo-
manianAthenaeum wastoputatthedisposalofthebuildertheentireamountofstone
thatwouldhavetobelaidalongsidetheerectionofwallswherevernecessary,thewhole

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HISTORY

numberofironbeams,thewholenumberofcolumnsmadeofcastironorironand
everythingwouldbenecessaryduringtheconstructionprocesswiththeexceptionof
thoseprovidedintheseriesofpricesthathadbeensubmittedduringtheauctionwould
befinishedintimeaswellasthecovering.Thecontractalsoenclosedtheseriesofprices
onwhosebasistheentrepreneurDobreNicolaupledged,on27th June1886,tocarryout
theworks.

Thefoundationstone,laidon26thOctober1886

Inordertheworkstocommence,on1stSeptember1886,AlbertGalléronsubmittedsome
oftherequestedcomplementsandamemorandum inwhichhemadearecommendation
onthewayinwhichthemonumentalaspectoftheedificecouldbepreserved,aswellas

TheRomanianAthenaeumbuilding

thewayinwhichthebuildingcouldbestrengthenedinordertoresistearthquakes.The
CityHallofBucharestissuedthe140th buildingpermitinOctober1886and,on26th Octo-
ber,thefoundationstoneoftheAthenaeum Palacewaslaid.

ThebuildingworksoftheAthenaeum werecarriedoutintwostages.Duringthe
firstphase,whichoccurredfrom 1886to1889,theproperbuilding,themainbody,was
constructed,andthedomewasraisedontopofit.Duringthesecondphase,whichtook
placefrom 1893to1897,anannexwasbuiltbehindtheedifice.Althoughtheinternaldivi-
sioniswellknown,itisworthremindingeveryonethat,throughfourspiralstairs,they
canreachtheLargeconferenceandconcerthall,themainroom oftheedifice,whichis
28.5metresindiameterand16metresinheight.

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HISTORY
AlexandruOdobescu,delightedbythe‘masterwork’oftheroof

Thehallhasaceilingaboveit,whichissuspendedthroughsomesteelrodsbythemetal-
licframeworkofthedome.Theframeworkofthedome,whichisremarkablethroughthe
shapeandsimplicityoftheconstruction,aswellasthroughitseleganceandlightweight,

TheRomanianAthenaeumrotunda

ismadeofsoftsteel.Itiscomposedof20raftersdisposedradially,acentralfasteningring
and‘girding’rings.Theraftersaremadeofaheart-shapedmetalsheetandtwoheart-
shapedironangles,makingaT-shapedsection.Theyleantheiruppersideonthefasten-
ingringandtheirlowersideagainstthewall.Thedomeisalmost30metresindiameter
ontheinsideand13metresinheight.Theskeleton,togetherwiththewindow frames,
weighs42,000kilograms,whichmeansasurfaceof63kilogramspersquaremetresthat
hadtobecovered.

TheprojectandconstructionwereexecutedbyBenchelt,acompanyfrom Grun-
berg,whichwasspecialisedinbridgesandmetallicbuildings,whichwonacontracton9th
February1887.Thecontractprovided,attheeleventhitem,thatthecompanywouldbere-
sponsiblefortheconstructionfortwoyearssincetheprovisionalacceptance.Thedesign
engineerwasI.Schwalbach.Becauseitwaspresumedthattheplaster,togetherwiththe
decorationoftheceiling,mighthavecrackedasaresultofthedilationoftherods,acal-
culationwasmadeconsideringtheinfluenceoftemperatureonthedeformationandpres-
surethattheserodsunderwent,theconclusionsbeinglaterconfirmedbyreality.The
metallicmanufactureofthedomearrivedinRomaniainthesecondhalfofMay.The
domestartedtobeassembledinJune1887andwasfinalisedinNovember.
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HISTORY

Thecentraldome,coatedwithzinc,endswithadecorativetopfrom whichthere
risesthetripod,whichremindsofamasterpieceofGreekarchitecture—themonument
thatsymbolisedtheprizegiventotheGreekwinnersthatcompetedinpoetic,oratorical
andartisticcontests.

Storck,theauthorofthemonumentalstairs

Theinteriorandexterioroftheedificewerefinishedwithmaterialsoftopquality,andthe
executionwasentrustedtosomeskilledcraftsmenandartists.Itisworthremembering
thatthecontractfortheexecutionofthefourstairsmadeofCarraramarblewassigned

Therichlydecorateddomeofthelargehall

withthesculptorC.Storck,whowasasked,however,tosubmitasmallready-madestair-
casebeforestartinghiswork.Theworksofstuccofortheimitationofmarbleatthe
columnsofthecentrerotundaarecarriedoutbytheAxeriobrothersfrom SlănicPrahova
(whoalsoownedareputedfactorywhereplasterwasproduced),forwhichtheywere
awardedtheKnight’sCrossmedal.Theworkswerecarriedoutataveryalertpace,sothat,
on10thNovember1887,therewerefinalisedthemasonry,roof,plasterwork,windowcar-
pentry,etc.,worksthatamountedtomorethan513,000lei.

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HISTORY
Theinauguration

On14thFebruary1888,at8:30intheevening,theannualseriesofspeechesopenedinthe
newbuilding,inasmallhallsituateddownstairs,becausethelargehallwasnotfinalised
ontheinsideyet.Theconstructionwasfinalised oneyearlater.Onthatoccasion,asa

TheGreatHall

tokenofgratitudefortheonewhocontributedtothebuildingoftheedifice,on26thMarch
1889,an‘Actofgratitude’wasmadeforConstantinEsarcu,signedbyKingCarolIandall
thefoundingmembersofthe‘Romanian Athenaeum’Society.Thedocumentwasen-
gravedontwoslabsofmarblefixedintheAthenaeum rotunda,forremembrance.Intheir
ragetodestroytheentirepastofthecountry,therepresentativesoftheCommunistre-
gimeremovedthem brutallyinthe1950s.
REFERENCES
https://www.historia.ro/sectiune/general/articol/ateneul-roman-povestea-unui-edificiu-
simbol

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