the villa is located in the centre of the city of brezoi, in
front of the park, with a view towards the țurțudanu peak. it was built in 1905
and it is an outstanding example of the art nouveau style. the inside mural
decorations comply with the style and bear nature inspired motifs.
the house retains a unique history between its walls, being
a symbolic building of the city of brezoi. it was built at the request of the
owners of the gold mine in vasilatul (near brezoi) by italian craftsmen, who
used materials brought from the peninsula. their mark is seen in the unique
architecture of the house, the imposing columns at the entrance testifying
their talent and craftsmanship. the special paintings that adorn the walls of
the house have been kept intact also. the house underwent a general
refurbishment in 2005, at which time the paintings and the exterior of the
building were restored. confiscated by the communists, the house acquired
various functions throughout time, including the pioneers house in brezoi
(1980-1990). after the revolution it was claimed by the former owners and sold.
legend tells that among the first people who arrived in the
lotru valley were the outlaws and the highwaymen from the early modern period
who found shelter in the middle of the forest, hidden under the branches of
either coniferous or deciduous trees. the name of the valley actually comes
from the archaic word for thief, namely ”lotru” in romanian. they used to hide
there in order to split the takings and store them in the caves of the area.
the lotru valley starts past the city of brezoi, at the
junction of the lotru and olt rivers. in order to get there, you have to cross
the spectacular olt valley, eother if you arrive from sibiu or from
râmnicu-vâlcea. brezoi is a small mountain city with around 7000 inhabitants.
it is located at 400 m height. the distance from bucharest is 200 km, 60 km
from sibiu and 30 km from râmnicu-vâlcea. many well known tourist-trails
towards lotrului and căpățânii mountains start here. the city can also be a
starting point for longer routes towards the old transylvanian towns or towards
the monasteries in the oltenia region.
diverse forests and valleys surround the city and one can
find seasonal accommodation here – the so-called «odăi», in romanian, chambers
which maintain the archaic legacy and folklore of the mountain area. the local
forest is inhabited by all the wild animals that live in romania, namely, bear,
wolf, wild boar, deer, chamois, bobcat.
the mountain climate, with fresh air, lacks strong winds,
chilly or extremely warm days and can be a good remedy against daily stress.
the flora is rich and diverse. it is the place where the edelweiss grows at the
lowest height in europe (500 m).
source: valceaturistica.ro
photo: artlight concept
eugen constantin