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| 1798 Cantacuzino Castle from Buşteni (1) |
Posted on 01.08.2015, 10.08.2015
Located in Buşteni, a small mountain town in the Prahova Valley, at the bottom of the Bucegi mountains (in the Southern Carpathians), Cantacuzino Castle is a remarkable example of Neo-Romanian style, completed in 1911. The building made of bricks and stone was built at the wish of Prince Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino (known as "the Nabob" because of its fabulous wealth - prime minister of Romania between 1899-1900 and 1904-1907), after the plans of the architect Gregory Cerchez, former Chief Engineer of Bucharest (the capital of Romania) between 1876 and 1879.
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| 1799 Cantacuzino Castle from Buşteni (2) |
The castle holds an unique collection representing the coat of arms of the boyar families related to the Cantacuzino family members of the Wallachian side. The Cantacuzino family, a princely family of Wallachia, Moldavia and Russia, claims descent from a branch of the Greek Kantakouzenos family, descended from the Byzantine Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos (reigned 1347-1354). The castle belonged to this family until the forced nationalization of 1948, when it became a sanatorium for the Ministry of Internal Affair. After 1989, it was returned to Cantacuzino descendants, who sold it to private investors in 2004. The castle underwent restoration work and today it is open to the public.
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| 1803 Cantacuzino Castle from Buşteni, few years after the construction. |
The decorations give the interior a strong romantic ambiance .The stained glasses, the stucco marble, the cantilevers, the exposed painted ceilings, the wooden, stone or forged iron handrails, the iron work cast in brass and richly decorated are exquisitely crafted. The fireplaces made of white stone and bearing polychrome mosaics complete the atmosphere of a manorial residence, increasing the value of the building. The castle is surrounded by a park who’s alleys take you to the grotto, cascades and fountains.
About the stamp
On the postcards 1798 and 1799
The stamp is part of the third set of a very extensive series, entitled Romanian Pottery, about which I wrote here.
On the postcard 1803
The first stamp, depicting the Romanian actress Tamara Buciuceanu-Botez (1929-), is part of the series Golden Stars of Stage and Screen, about which I wrote here.
The second stamp is a special one, edited by the company which own the castle for the collectors (not for postal use, even if it has a face value). This stamp can be bought only from the souvenir shop of the castle.
References
Cantacuzino Castle - Wikipedia
Cantacuzino Castle - Official website
Sender 1798, 1799, 1803: Dănuţ Ivănescu
1798, 1799: Sent from Buşteni (Prahova / Romania), on 12.09.2011
1803: Sent from Buşteni (Prahova / Romania), on 05.08.2015
Fantastic postcard!
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