2904 ROMANIA (Bucharest) - Central University Library in Bucharest

When the University of Bucharest was created in 1864, there was no central university library; this role was played by the Central State Library of Bucharest until 1895. That institution was moved to and housed in the university building, and in 1867 was specially reorganised for the university's needs by the scholar August Treboniu Laurian. The present Central University Library was founded in 1895 as the Carol I Library of the University Foundation. It was built on land bought by King Carol I of Romania for the Carol I University Foundation and designed by French architect Paul Gottereau.

The building was completed in 1893 and opened on 14 March 1895. In 1911, the building was extended by the same architect and the new wing was opened on 9 May 1914. It began with an initial stock of 3,400 volumes of books and periodicals. The collection grew to over 2 million in 1970. During the Romanian Revolution of 1989, a fire was started in the building and over 500,000 books, along with 3,700 manuscripts, were burnt. Starting in April 1990, the building was repaired and modernized, being reopened on 20 November 2001.

About the stamp

The stamp is part of the series designed by Mihail Vămăşescu and issued on November 11, 2016 to celebrate the Christmas.
• Nativity (1.30 RON) - It's on the postcard 2904
• Poinsettia / Euphorbia pulcherrima (1.30 RON) - It's on the postcard 2968
The Nativity Icon is in the second register of the Putna Monastery's iconostasis and is part of a set of icons of the royal Twelve Great Feasts. The iconostatis, painted in tempera and carved in linden wood, dates from 1773. Poinsettia, known also as Christmas Star or Flower of the Holy Night, is a gift traditionally offered during the holiday season. On vignette is a version of the Sweet Kiss icon, painted in the workshops of the Putna Monastery.

References
Central University Library, Bucharest - Wikipedia

Sender: Eugen Mihai (direct swap)
Sent from Bucharest (Bucharest / Romania), on 13.12.2016
Photo: Eugen Mihai