She was not a very good poet, but she remained in the history of Romanian literature because of her relationship to Mihai Eminescu, today considered to be the national poet and one of the most important writers of all times. Over the years, Veronica Micle has been accused of intentionally abandoning the poet, which eventually led to his sickness and death, that she only played and took advantage of him, that she had several other relationships besides him. How much of this it's actually true it is hard to say, but so far the main image of Veronica Micle is that of a mediocre poet and an unsure lover.
The memorial house can be found in Targu-Neamt, of Stefan cel Mare Street, No 33, and it is not far from the old center of the town. An old and surprisingly well kept building, the house was built in the first part of the 19th century, out of bricks and wood, in old Romanian style, with many folk influences. With it's three rooms, an orchards and a storage space, it was inherited by Veronica Micle from her parents and in 1886 it was donated to the Varatic Monastery.
After being sold and bought sevsral times, in 1982 it was declared a historical monument and became a museum. With careful and extended restorations, step by step by the original plans, to rebuild the atmosphere and charm of the past. The memorial house was finally opened for the public in 1984, and in 1998 a statue of the poet was placed in front of the house. In the permanent exhibition that is presented here you will find out everything there is to know about Veronica Micle, by means of the books, photographs, personal items, manuscripts, a rich collection of letters, documents and many others.
Interesting especially for those who want to discover much more about the poet and her ties to Eminescu, this memorial house may not be the most popular tourist objective in the city, but surely is is worth a visit. Closed on Mondays, come here the rest of the week.
2008-03-12
