The Al Ioan Cuza Memorial Museum in Ruginoasa, Iasi, is an interesting museum dedicated to one of the most important names in Romanian history, the one who actually made the Union of 1859 possible. The palace which hosts the memorial museum was built at the beginning of the 19th century by Sandulache Sturdza, who hired the architect Johan Freiwald to built a modern, large residence on the spot where the old house was, inherited from his family. Sturdza wanted something different, something who was ahead of his time, following closely the European fashion instead of the Romanian tradition, and the architect from Vienna seemed to be the best choice.
The style chosen for the palace was Neo-Classical, very popular in those times and in 1847 the building was changed by the arhitect Johan Brandel, who incorporated some Gothic elements, which further artistically enriched the curent museum. Everything was finished in 1855 and the resulting building was a squared, massive palace, with one floor and simple, yet impressive exterior decorations. Unfortunatelly this splendid architectural creation was destroyed during World War Two and was only restored after the war. Great care has been put into reconstructing everything according to the original plans and documents, and in the end the new palace oficially opened in 1978. In 1982 the Al Ioan Cuza Memorial Museum was opened, in just a few years it became one of the main cultural institutions and touristic atractions in the country.
On the ground floor there is a collection of various documents presenting some chapters in the life and activity of Alexandru Ioan Cuza, while upstairs the exhibitions are dedicated more to the private life and family of the ruler who made the Union possible. Also, documents and personal objects "speak" about the times that the Cuza fmaily spent in this palace. Also, in the memorial museum you will find the family's book collection, with many precious volumes, as well as a small collection of original pieces of furniture, mostly French.
The Alexandru Ioan Cuza Memorial Museum is a place worthy of a visit, even if you are not familiar with the life and events of this ruler, as the palace perfectly captures the atmosphere of a time long gone bye.
2008-03-28
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