Drăgăşani Vineyards

Drăgăşani is a city in Vâlcea County, Romania, near the right bank of the Olt river. The city is well known for the vineyards on the neighboring hills that produce some of the best Wallachian wines.

Inter-war coat-of-arms of Drăgăşani

Drăgăşani Vineyards have a history rooted deeply and intermingled with the history of the Geto–Dacians, 3000 years ago. Many documents from the time of Voivodes (ruling prices) Mircea the Elder (1386-1418), Vlad II Dracul (1436-1447), Vlad IV the Monk (1481-1495), Radu the Great (1495-1508), etc. all show that the history of this area is marked by culture of vine and wine production. The Vineyards were owned by Banii (rulers of Oltenia) Craioveşti and Buzeşti brothers (well-known family of Oltenian noblemen). Since the 18th century, the owner of the vineyards was the family of Prince Ştirbey. After the fall of Communism, the vineyards were claimed by Ileana, the granddaughter of Princess Maria Ştirbey and restored since 2001.

Barbu Ştirbey (1796-1869), ruler of Wallachia (portrait by Ioan Negulici)

Ştirbey Wines - synonymous with outstanding quality - were well known and appreciated in Romania and all over Europe. Together with his husband, Baron Jakob Kripp, the heir of Princess renovated the vineyards and installed state-of-the-art wine making technology, yet still preserving the gentle and attentive old traditions of vintners and intending to guide this tradition to a new renaissance. Their most important objectives are: furthering indigenous grape varieties and their specific characteristics, rediscovery of the regional "terroir", natural vineyard maintenance, gentle and clean grape processing in the wine cellars, use of modern wine making technology only where absolutely necessary.

The vineyards in the early 20th century

Many plantations slopes of three rows of hills parallel with river Olt, being situated on brown and brown-reddish forest soils, some of them medium podsol, rich in limestone, situated on alluvial gravel. The Drăgăşani Vineyards, with the most important terroirs at Amărăşti, Cerna, Sâmbureşti, Guşoeni, Zăvideni, Prundeni and Iancu Jianu are situated on low altitude hills. Until the phylloxera epidemic (1890), Drăgăşani wines were obtained from old indigenous grapes Gordan, Crâmpoşie, Braghină and Tămâioasă Românească. Tulburelul de Drăgăşani is a popular wine made from a blend of the above grape varieties, has been enjoyed for many centuries. Some of the most sought after grape varieties in Europe are currently grown in this vineyard. Long-term success at international competitions confirms the reputation of wine from this region.

The vineyards now

Wines from Drăgăşani, on occasion of universal expositions from Paris (1867, 1889, 1900), at expositions from Milano (1908) and from Gand (1912), received gold medals and honor diplomas, to which are added the 300 medals, among the most brilliant ones, obtained in the period 1959-2006, on occasion of great national and international contests from Montpellier, Ljubljana, Freiburg, Tbilisi, Sofia, Budapest, Bucharest and so on.

Ştirbey Manor, a place for wine tasting

Tonic, lightly acid, slightly frothy and having a long-lasting flavor, the wines of Drăgăşani have become popular outside Romania’s borders following world recognition. Today, one can still find here old Romanian vine seedlings, but also Italian Riesling, Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Riesling, Fetească Regală (a dry white wine which keeps its yellow–greenish color for a long time; moderately alcoholic, the wine is remarkable for its non-aggressive acidity), Romanian Tămâioasa (a glory of Drăgăşani vineyard, that holds an honorable place in the range of the Romanian flavored white wines) are produced here. Tasting the white, red and rosé wines, we invite you to experience the traditions of Prince Ştirbey's Wines, as well as the perfumes and tastes from the yet undiscovered nature of Romania.

Dacia Duster

Renault-owned, Romanian budget marque Dacia has proved a big hit in Europe with its range of value-for-money family models. Dacia has been transformed under the Renault banner to the point that it has sold 1.25 million vehicles in the past five years, thanks to a cocktail of price, space and equipment.

The Dacia Duster is the cheapest SUV with seven seats on the market and will be sold under a range of brands including Renault, Logan and Sandero depending on the country of sale, and goes on sale in Europe following the Geneva Motor Show. Like all Dacias, value for money is key, with the Duster offering plenty of space and equipment for the money - at over 4300mm long and with a boot capacity ranging from 474 to 1636 litres, it's a similar size to a Toyota RAV4.

According to World Records Academy, the mid-sized Dacia Duster 4×4 (measuring in at 4.31m long x 1.82m wide) has been unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show and will be available in 4×2 (for or 10,500 Euros, tax included) and 4×4 specification (for 13,900 Euros) - setting the new world record for the Most affordable SUV.

Dacia Duster is available with a choice of engines that include one petrol (1.6-litre / 82kW) and two diesel units (1.6-litre / 63kW & 1.6-litre / 82kW). The diesel versions emit from 135g of CO2/km (for the 4×2 version) and from 145g of CO2/km in the case of the 4×4 version. Available in 4×2 and 4×4 specification, the light-weight Duster weighs in at 1,160kg and 1,250kg respectively; the Duster is based on a platform sourced from the Logan family and uses a wishbone (front) / multi-arm (rear) suspension arrangement.

Inside, the five-seat cabin is modern, uncluttered and functional, and offers several areas that can be modified with different colors and surface finishes. Particular attention has been paid to cabin ergonomics to ensure that the controls are conveniently positioned and that driving data is easy to read.

Active safety features include ABS, EBA, EBA, ESC (an option on some versions), CSV understeer control and Traction Control, while on the passive front, dual front airbags and three-point inertia reel seatbelts are standard. Depending on the variant, and country sold, side and curtain airbags are also available.

There will be four versions of Duster: Standard, Ambiance, Laureate, Prestige, and several optional packs. The first customer to receive the new Dacia Duster 4×4 is the Romanian President, a very active promoter of another Dacia brand - the Logan model which he use frequently and drive by himself. Alan Prost, the French champion in Formula 1, who piloted a competitive vehicle Dacia Duster in 'Andros Trophy 2010', was the one who launched officially the new SUV in Romania, on March 18, 2010.

Hedda Sterne

Hedda Sterne (born August 4, 1910, in Bucharest, Romania), is an artist known for maintaining a stubborn independence from styles and trends, including Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism, with which she is often associated.

Hedda Sterne, Life Magazine

Hedda Sterne was born in Bucharest in 1910 as Hedwig Lindenberg. She was the second child with her only sibling, Edouard, who later became a prominent conductor in Paris. Sterne was raised with artistic values from a young age, most notably, her tie to Surrealism, which stemmed from a family friend, Victor Brauner. Sterne was home schooled until age 11. Upon her high school graduation in 1927,at age 17, she attended art classes in Vienna, then had a short attendance at the University of Bucharest studying philosophy and art history before she dropped out to pursue artistic training independently. She spent time traveling, especially to Paris developing her technical skills as both a painter and sculptor. She studied with Fernand Leger and Andreé Lhote, first exhibiting with the Surrealists in Paris (in a group show, the 11th Exposition du Salon des Surindépendants, in Paris in 1938). Hedda Sterne married a childhood friend Frederick Sterne in 1932 when she was 22. In 1941 she escaped a certain death from Nazi encroachment during WWII when she fled to New York to be with her husband Frederick Sterne. In 1944 she remarried Saul Steinberg and became a U.S. citizen. It is not mentioned if she ever had children. She was involved in many shows and exhibits in New York and practiced her art up until she had a stroke that affected her vision and movement when she was 94. She is still alive however unable to follow her passions of drawing.

Machine 5

The year 1941 was a landmark year for Sterne as her move to New York was overshadowed by her inclusion in the Art of This Century exhibition, funded by Peggy Guggenheim. It was here where notable dealer Betty Parsons discovered Sterne’s work and gave her a solo exhibition at the Betty Parsons Gallery in 1943 and it was for this exhibition that Sterne first presented her use of circular canvases to create the Tondo Series. These Tondos are mounted on a central axis so the viewer can turn them at will to gain varying perspectives. A pioneer in her use of both medium and form, Sterne used the tondo throughout the balance of her career. Similar to Pollock, Sterne was also recognized for her divergence from using mediums and forms contemporaneous with the times.

Antro II

The theme of Sterne’s works during the 1940’s and 1950’s was essentially machine-based, whether their nature was Surrealist or completely abstract. Some of her works, including New York Apt. #5, 1955, shown here, are part of her New York series. Depicted in this series are "hurtling trains, derricks, and bridges as though they were looming monsters, in an attempt to portray the pace and power of the big city". Both Pollock and his "drip" and Sterne and her spray paint had a unique relationship with their mediums; the precision of their objectives set the terms upon which their deliverance was so successful. Sterne’s use of acrylic spray paint allowed her to echo speed and motion while also discovering that illusion of depth could be achieved without the use of perspective.

Lettuce (1960, ink and acrylic)

It was also during this time period that she became associated with the New York School, and as a result began using more primary and muted colors. As a result Sterne is also well-known for her semi-abstract cityscape, and non-objective paintings with horizontal bands and stripes of color, as shown here.

Profile

When researching Sterne in most art books you will find that she is most famous for being the only woman in a group of rogue artists who were dubbed "The Irascibles". The term was coined to represent the group consisting of 18 prominent artists of their day, including Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Barnett Newman and Mark Rothko. These artists were also thought to be a part of the New York School as well as Sterne (although she prefers not to be aligned with any artistic group). "The Irascibles" are the artists who signed a letter protesting conservative group-exhibition juries to the president of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1950. They were referred to as "The Irascibles" in an article featured in an issue of Life where the infamous Nina Leen photograph was published of all members of "The Irascibles".

The Irascibles, Life Magazine, January 15, 1951

Sterne was primarily interested in the desire for invisibility and abandonment of self, in her work, in exchange for receptivity to her environment. While Sterne constantly changed her styles and techniques, regardless of the positive reviews she received, her resistance to imposing any kind of personal identity upon her work was an idea which contrasted sharply with her contemporaries and a desire which ultimately buried her successes as they came along.

Self-portrait (1938)

Her brilliant mind is ruled by a passion for precision. Discipline characterizes her approach to the painter’s life. Sterne’s work is represented in the permanent collections of numerous museums including the Metropolitan, Museum of Modern Art, Rockefeller Institute, Carnegie Institute, Whitney, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and the Art Institute of Chicago. Her work is seldom available.

After Wikipedia, Fine Arts Dealers Association, and other sources.

Most expensive newspaper copy

According to World Records Academy, the world record for the most expensive newspaper copy in the world belongs to a Romanian newspaper, Zimbrulu şi Vulturulu (The Auroch and the Eagle), printed in Iaşi on November 11, 1858. The newspaper was exposed in the World Philatelic Exhibition EFIRO 2008, in Bucharest, Romania. It returned home in Romania after more than 2 years in London, in a British collection, and dozens of other years in a bank in Switzerland.

The copy was bought by Joseph Hackmey, a famous art collector, at an auction held in Geneva by the "David Feldman" auction house. The piece had a starting price of 500.000 Euro and was sold for 700.000 Euro. With fees and commissions involved, the final price reached 829.500 Euros.

It has become the most valuable copy of a newspaper and the most precious philatelic piece (it is also a collection of postal marks) from a random happening - as the Romanian Post representatives said. The famous copy was sent in November 1858 with destination Galaţi. Because the package was weighting very much, on the copy were applied 8 postal marks Auroch Head (Cap de Bour), one of the most rare and appreciated stamp. It was franked with eight 5 Parale (coins) First Printing Cap de Bour, comprising a quarter of the 32 known used pieces on bluish paper. This is the most famous set of stamps and postal marks applied on a correspondence. At Galaţi it was sold to a bookseller and collector of stamps.

Bulci Castle

Bulci is a village in Bata commune, Arad county, Banat, Romania. Older names: Bulch, Bulchu, Bulciu, Bulcz, Bulţ, Bulţi, Bulczy, Bols, Bolş Bwlch, Wulch, Vulci.

Since the Roman period there was a Roman camp and a castrum belonging to the Legion XIII Gemina. Bricks bearing the inscription of the legion, were used to build a medieval monastery of the Benedictine monks, dating back at least the 13th century, one of the oldest and richest in the Banat. In 1241, many monasteries in Banat were destroyed by Tatar invasions. Attracted by the grandeur of the abbey and church, Tatars attacked them and terrible battles were fought here. Monastery of Bulci was destroyed by the Tatars, and was rebuilt by Bishop Bulcsú, from whose name comes the name of the village. In 14th century monastery became an important cultural center where working clerk, from which was kept a codex containing the texts of the Roman historian Titus Livius. Later in the 16th century (1551-1552), Bulci monastery was subject to the Turkish attacks in Transylvania, and the village was almost entirely destroyed. Who escaped with their lives fled to other cities of the Mureş Valley, living over one hundred years away from their village, but still keeping their Catholic faith. In 1749, the monk Berecky Hiarion founded again Bulci village, seeking the descendants of those who left the village during the Turks and rebuilding the old church. In the mid 18th century Bulci belonged to the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.

The first known owners were the Varadi family (early 13th century). In the 15th century, the domain belonged to Goroy Jobt, and had approx. 1500 inhabitants. In 1664 it was owned by Janka family. In 1717, Bata had only eight houses. In 1798 it was rented by Kormelycs Karol. The castle in Bulci was built in Neo-Classical style in the early 19th century by Baron Fechtig-Fechtenberg, the owner of the domain since 1838, but received the current form around 1860. The domain was bought in March 30, 1858 by Austrian Baron Anton Mocioni (or Mocsonyi) de Foen. Subsequently, it was inherited by his son Zeno (1842-1905), who payed as a compensation to his brother Victor (who has spent his life abroad) an annual rent of 10 000 gold florins. The next owner was Baron Antoniu Marius Mocioni de Foen, MP, minister and grand master of hunting of the Royal House of Romania. The castle experienced an intense social life, so King Carol II often came here for hunting. The domain was inherited by the adoptive son of the Baron, Ionel Mocioni-Stârcea, secretary of the King. After 1940, here have been arranged rooms for Queen Mother Elena and King Michael I. Castle of Bulci was nationalized and transformed in 1949 into the seat of an agricultural association. Subsequently, here was arranged a TB preventorium. The castle was claimed by Michael Stârcea, nephew of Ionel Mocioni-Stârcea.

Located in a huge park, on the bank of Mureş River, Bulci castle is one of the most impressive buildings of its kind. On the facades of the building are two terraces with family's coats of arms carved in relief, which survived to destruction after the Second World War. Central body has a beautiful room of weapons, with a magnificent fireplace, and the park was a greenhouse. Besides the castle, Antoniu Mocioni built a church and a school for children in the village.

Peleş Castle

Peleş Castle is considered by many one of the most beautiful castles in all Europe. It is a Neo-Renaissance castle placed in an idyllic setting in the Carpathian Mountains, in Sinaia (44 km from Braşov and 122 km from Bucharest), in Prahova County, Romania, on an existing medieval route linking Transylvania and Wallachia.

King Carol I of the Romanians (1839–1914) first visited the region and future site of the castle in 1866, when he fell in love with the rugged but magnificent mountain scenery. So, in 1872, a total of approx. 1,300 acres (5.3 km2), was purchased by the King and Piatra Arsă region becomes The Royal Domain of Sinaia, destined to be a royal hunting preserve and summer retreat for the monarch. The building of the castle began on August 22, 1873 under the direct order of the Viennese architect Wilhelm Doderer and was continued in 1876 by his assistant, Johann Schultz de Lemberg. Because of the the Independence War, between 1877-1879 the works were abandoned. That's why the castle was inaugurated only on October 7, 1883. Several other buildings, annexed to the castle, were built simultaneously: the Guard's Chambers, the Economat Building, the 'Foişor' Hunting Chateau (with 42 rooms, designed in the Swiss style), the Royal Stables. The power plant was also constructed then, and Peleş became world's first castle fully operated by electric power. The 'Şipot' Villa was constructed later. To the initial castle the Czech architect Karel Liman added, during 1896-1914, Pelişor, a small castle with 70 rooms.

Between three and four hundred men worked consistently on it. Queen Elisabeth of the Romanians, during the construction phase, wrote in her journal: "Italians were masons, Romanians were building terraces, the Gypsies were coolies. Albanians and Greeks worked in stone, Germans and Hungarians were carpenters. Turks were burning brick. Engineers were Polish and the stone carvers were Czech. The Frenchmen were drawing, the Englishmen were measuring, and so was then when you could see hundreds of national costumes and fourteen languages in which they spoke, sang, cursed and quarreled on all dialects and tones, a joyful mix of men, horses, cart oxen and domestic buffaloes".

The castle was built in wood, stone, bricks and marble and comprises more than 160 rooms. The representative style used is German Renaissance, but one can easily discover elements belonging to the Italian Renaissance, Gothic, German Baroque and French Rococo style. Peles is surrounded by seven terraces decorated with statues (sculptured by the Italian Romanelli), stone-made-wells, ornamental vases in Carrara marble. The architects used an abundance of wooden decoration, both for the exterior and for the interior of the castle, which confers a very special quality to the building. Quite outstanding are the Big Armory Room, the Small Armory Room, the Florentine Room, the Reception Room (where paintings and wooden sculptures depicting 16 castles of the Hohenzollern are exhibited), the Moorish Room, the French Room, the Turkish Room, the Council Room, the Concert Room as well as the Imperial Suite.

Other exquisite attractions such as the statues, the ceramics, the gold and silver plates, the Meissen and Sèvres porcelain, the Murano crystal chandeliers, German stained-glass windows, walls covered with Cordoba leather, ebony and ivory sculptures, as well as the extensive weapon collections are worth mentioning. It is also important to know that Peleş Castle shelters one of the most important and most valuable painting collections in Europe, almost 2.000 pieces.

Peleş Castle has 3200 sq. meters of floor plan, over 170 rooms, 30 bathrooms, many with dedicated themes from world cultures (in similar fashion with other Romanian palaces), themes that can vary by function (offices, libraries, armouries, art galleries) or by style (Florentine, Turkish, Moorish, French, Imperial) all extremely lavishly furnished and decorated to the slightest detail. The establishment hosts one of the finest collections of art in East and Central Europe, consisting of statues, paintings, furniture, arms and armor, gold, silver, stained glass, ivory, fine china, tapestries and rugs; the collection of arms and armour has over 4000 pieces, divided between Eastern and Western war, ceremonial or hunting spreading over four centuries in history. Oriental rugs come from the finest sources: Bukhara, Mosul, Isparta, Saruk and Smirna, porcelain from Sèvres and Meissen, leather from Córdoba but perhaps the most acclaimed are the hand painted stained glass, mostly Swiss.

Almost adjacent to Peleş Castle is Pelişor ("Little Peleş"). King Ferdinand, who succeeded Carol I, intended to use Peles Castle as a summer residence. Supposedly he found Peleş too big and overwhelming, so he commissioned the smaller, Art Nouveau style, Pelişor Castle. Pelişor's 70 rooms feature a unique collection of turn-of-the century Viennese furniture and Tiffany and Lalique glassware.

After King Michael's forced abdication in 1947, the Communist regime seized all royal property, including the whole Peleş Estate. The castle itself was opened as a tourist site for a short time. It also served as a recreation and resting place for Romanian cultural personalities. The castle was declared a museum in 1953. During the last years of the Communist regime, between 1975–1990, Nicolae Ceauşescu closed the entire estate. The only persons permitted on the former royal estate were maintenance and military personnel. The whole area was declared a State Protocol Interest Area.

After the December 1989 Revolution, Peleş and Pelişor Castle's were re-established as heritage sites, open to tourists. Today, the Foişor Castle serves - like in the past - as a presidential residence, unlike the rest of the estate. The Economat Building and the Guard's Chambers Building are now hotels, restaurants and terraces having been established as well. The rest of the Peleş Estate became either tourist villas or state protocol buildings. In 2006, the Romanian Government announced restitution of the castle to King Michael I of the Romanians, the former monarch. Soon after re-obtaining the property, negotiations began between the former King and the Government and Peleş once again became a national heritage site open to the public as a historic monument and museum. In exchange, the Romanian Government granted 30 million euros to The Royal House of Romania. The sum for the remaining villas and surrounding chalets and chateaus are still being negotiated but will eventually remain in possession of the state and touristic circuit after repurchasing (2007). Every year since opening, Peleş Castle received a half million visitors every year. Of the 168 rooms in the castle, only 35 are accessible to the public. While an important area is in the upper levels, this is off limits. Only the museum in the basement and the rooms on the first floor can be visited.

After Wikipedia, Braşov Travel Guide, and other sources.

Săvârşin Castle

The Royal Castle of Săvârşin, Arad County, Transylvania, Romania, is the country seat of King Michael I of Romania. I didn't manage to find an exact history of the castle, so here are some alternatives...

According to 10.1 - The World of Ten, at Săvârşin there was a hunting area and the location was a hunting manor, built in 1650. Brunswick family received the domain as a donation from the Austrian Emperor. Around 1800, Franz Brunswick's daughter, Iulia, married Count Forray Andras and the castle belonged to the Forray family until sometime in the 19th century. Franz Brunswick had another daughter, Tereza Brunswick, and a very good friend: Ludwig van Beethoven. The German composer came at Săvârşin in 1807 and fell in love with Tereza. The story appears in the Săvârşin village monograph including the fact that the famous composer dedicated 'Apassionata' to Franz Brunswick and 'Sonata no. 78' to his beloved Tereza.

According to Virtual Arad, Săvârşin Castle was built between 1650 and 1680, as a manor. Subsequently, the Empress Maria Theresa donated the domain to Count Eidenchpacher. In 1780, the entire property came into possession of Count Forray. On June 9, 1784, here was kidnapped Viscount Forray Andras Sr. by the haiduci (outlaws) led by Petre Baciu. The head of the county administration was released only after the Austrian Emperor Josef II satisfied the claims of the outlaws. On November 9, 1784, the castle was burnt during the uprising of Horea, Cloşca and Crişan. Returned from exile, Count Forray managed to restore much of the building. During the Revolution of 1848, the castle was burned and destroyed.

It subsequently became the property Count Nadajdy. One of the count daughters married with a son of Karol Hunyadi. In 1860, Nadajdy and Hunyadi have employed an Austrian architect who added a new storey and designed the side wings in Neo-Classical style, works finished in 1870. In 1941, the sole heir of the family, Hunyadi Ferenc, became Minister of Interior of Hungary. How the law forbade him to own properties in Romania, in May he made a deal with Baron Ioan Mocsony-Stârcea, grand hunting master of the Royal Court. Castle of the Săvârşin came thus in possession of Mocsony, in exchange for a property which he owned near Budapest. Between 1941-1943, there were performed modernization works.

According to Wikipedia, in 1925, when he was 16 yo, Ionel Stârcea (or Styrcea) was adopted by Austrian baron Anton Mocsonyi of Foen, a family friend who had no direct descendants. On the death of Baron, Ioan Mocioni-Stârcea have received the properties and its title, becoming the owner of a large area on Mureş Valley, between Deva and Arad (including Săvârşin and Bulci castles). He became one of the richest men in Romania.

Queen Elena of Romania fell in love at first sight of the castle. As a gesture of appreciation towards the Royal Family, Baron Mocsony-Stârcea, who was also the godfather of King Michael I, gave him the palace as a gift (according other sources, the Queen bought the castle). It was in 1943 and since then many of the most beautiful memories of King Michael are related to the castle in Săvârşin. On January 3, 1948, King Michael left Romania and the castle was nationalized.

While the castle was seized from the Royal Family by Communist authorities, in 2000, a Romanian court ordered that the building be restored to King Michael I. It entered in the touristic circuit since 2003 and was restored between 2005-2007. The King wants mostly to bring back to life the settlement through a tradition and local arts encouraging programme. Apart from founding workshops, an exhibition space (the Yellow House), and a restaurant, the Royal House wishes to transform the park according to the Highgrove Garden, as arranged by Prince Charles. The works are done on a collaboration basis with a number of London's Writtle College representatives, who thought of developing an eco-horticulture area, of modernizing the green houses, and inventorying the plant species and fauna in the Săvârşin Park.

The dendrological park (arboretum) around the castle was established by Viscount Forray Istvan, who called a renowned landscape architect from the Empire in order to create the park by the year 1857. This park covers an area of 6.5 hectares and contains several rare species of trees and shrubs, monuments of nature, and a beautiful lake.