Curtea Veche (the Old Princely Court) was built as a palace or residence during the rule of

Vlad III Dracula Vlad III, commonly known as Vlad the Impaler ( ro, Vlad Țepeș ) or Vlad Dracula (; ro, Vlad Drăculea ; 1428/311476/77), was Voivode of Wallachia three times between 1448 and his death in 1476/77. He is often considered one of the most imp ...

in 1459. Archaeological excavations started in 1953, and now the site is operated by the ''Muzeul Municipiului București'' in the historic centre of

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

Voivode’s Palace

Vlad the Impaler's reign was dominated by conflicts with the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

, hence the necessity to permanently watch over and protect the southern border, the

Danube The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...

, made him stay in the fortified town on the Dâmbovița banks. He issued a Latin document on 13 June 1458 from the area of current Bucharest. Then, on 20 September 1459, he issued a document in Slavonic, specifically referring to the "fortress" in Bucharest, his "princely residence". Other documents were issued in 1460 and 1461. Vlad would have been accompanied by his family, courtiers, and an army corps. During his reign,

Mircea Ciobanul Mircea the Shepherd ( ro, Mircea Ciobanul, d. 25 September 1559), was the Voivode (or Prince) of Wallachia three times: January 1545 (he entered Bucharest on 17 March)–16 November 1552; May 1553–28 February 1554 (leaving Bucharest t ...

repaired the palace, and defined the limits of the city. His palace became the economic nucleus of Bucharest, surrounded by the houses of traders and craftsmen known as the

Lipscani Lipscani is a street and a district of Bucharest, Romania, which from the Middle Ages to the early 19th century was the most important commercial area of the city and Wallachia. It is located near the ruins of the old Princely Court built by Vla ...

Matei Basarab Matei Basarab (; 1588, Brâncoveni, Olt – 9 April 1654, Bucharest) was a Wallachian Voivode (Prince) between 1632 and 1654. Reign Much of Matei's reign was spent fighting off incursions from Moldavia, which he successfully accomplished in 1637 ...

repaired the palace during his own reign, so that it was "completely rebuilt...amazingly elegant" with a "charming aspect, much finer and gayer".

Constantin Brâncoveanu Constantin Brâncoveanu (; 1654 – August 15, 1714) was Prince of Wallachia between 1688 and 1714. Biography Ascension A descendant of the Craiovești boyar family and heir through his grandfather Preda of a considerable part of Matei Ba ...

rebuilt and extended the palace using stone, including a great marble staircase at the entrance.

Alexander Ypsilantis Alexandros Ypsilantis ( el, Αλέξανδρος Υψηλάντης, Aléxandros Ypsilántis, ; ro, Alexandru Ipsilanti; russian: Александр Константинович Ипсиланти, Aleksandr Konstantinovich Ipsilanti; 12 Dece ...

built a new princely court in 1775 at

Dealul Spirii Dealul Spirii (, ''Spirea's Hill'') is a hill in Bucharest, Romania, upon which the Palace of the Parliament (formerly known as ''House of the People'') is now located. Spirii Hill Initially a vineyard known as ''Dealul Lupeștilor'', the hil ...

. The old court was auctioned in 1798 by

Constantine Hangerli Constantine Hangerli ( el, Κωνσταντίνος Χατζερής, ''Konstantinos Chatzeris''; c. 1760 – 18 February 1799), also written as Constantin Hangerliu, was a Prince of Wallachia between 1797 and the time of his death. He was the b ...

. File:Vlad Tepes document.jpg, Vlad Țepeș document establishing his court here on 20 September 1459Conserved at the

National Museum of Romanian History The National History Museum of Romania ( ro, Muzeul Național de Istorie a României) is a museum located on the Calea Victoriei in Bucharest, Romania, which contains Romanian historical artifacts from prehistoric times up to modern times. The mus ...

File:Palatul Voievodal.jpg, Palatul Voievodal interior File:Palatul Voievodal oven.jpg, Palatul Voievodal oven

Annunciation Church of Saint Anthony

This princely church was built by Mircea Ciobanul in 1559, and is the location of his grave. The church is "the oldest religious building maintained in its original aspect in Bucharest". File:Bucharest - Biserica Sf. Anton 03.jpg, Biserica Sfântul Anton altar File:Bucharest - Biserica Sf. Anton 05.jpg, Biserica Sfântul Anton dome File:Biserica Sfantul Anton marker.jpg, Biserica Sfântul Anton marker

Popular culture

In its current role as a museum, the palace and neighbourhood inspired

Mateiu Caragiale Mateiu Ion Caragiale (; – January 17, 1936), also credited as Matei or Matheiu, or in the antiquated version Mateiŭ,Sorin Antohi"Romania and the Balkans. From Geocultural Bovarism to Ethnic Ontology" in ''Tr@nsit online'', Institut für die ...

to write his novel ''

Craii de Curtea-Veche ''Craii de Curtea Veche, Curtea-Veche'' (known in English as ''Rakes of the Old Court'' or ''Gallants of the Old Court'') is a novel by the inter-war Romanian author Mateiu Caragiale. Published in 1929 in literature, 1929, it took the author more ...

''. It is also at the center of efforts to restore the historic center of Bucharest.

References

External links

* {{Quarters Bucharest History of Bucharest Museums in Bucharest Official residences in Romania Historic monuments in Bucharest Historic house museums in Romania Lipscani

Voivode’s Palace

Annunciation Church of Saint Anthony

Popular culture

See also

References

External links