House in Romania with historical value to be relocated, restored with the help of volunteers

A house with a significant architectural and historical background from the village of Remuș, Giurgiu county, southern Romania, is set to regain its former glory with the help of volunteers.

The house was going to be demolished to make way for a parking lot but has been relocated to Măgurele, Ilfov county. Now, volunteers brought together by the Monumente Renăscute Association, the only non-profit project dedicated to saving culturally valuable houses in southern Muntenia, want to bring it back to life.

The house belonged to Ilie Micu, a telephone operator in Remuș (formerly Vlașca) during the interwar period and one of the first telephone operators in Romania. Despite all efforts by the Association to save it in its original location, the house received a demolition order to allow for the expansion of a village store's parking lot, leading to the decision to relocate it.

"Ilie Micu was a great lover of proportions, details, and beauty, reflected in his house, which he built in 1932. For many, this house was like the Voroneț of interwar houses in southern Muntenia. I am enormously pleased that we managed to bring it to Măgurele, Ilfov county, and begin the restoration process and replication of the destroyed ornamentation," said Florin Radu Ștefănescu, founder of the Monumente Renăscute Association.

The association has already launched a social media invitation to anyone who wishes to volunteer in the restoration of this architectural and historical gem.

"On July 6, at 7:00 AM, we will begin finishing it. We will fill the walls with soil and straw. All those who want to participate in the revival and restoration of a pearl of Muntenia's heritage are warmly welcomed!" reads the message from Monumente Renăscute.

The Monumente Renăscute Association was founded three years ago to save valuable abandoned houses in southern Muntenia. These are traditional houses, farm outbuildings from Romanian villages, and other heritage buildings on the brink of collapse.

The Association, which relies heavily on the support of sponsors and volunteers, aims to highlight the gems of Romanian architecture, restore them, and give them new residential or tourist functionality, either for current owners and others or to be offered to public educational and social entities.

The rescue of the house in Remuș follows another important project by the Association, namely the relocation and restoration of the Frusina House in 2023 on land provided by the Corbeanca town hall.

The Association has a particular interest in houses at risk in southern Muntenia (Giurgiu, Ilfov, Dâmbovița, Argeș, Teleorman). Unlike in Transylvania or Bucovina, this subject is almost non-existent despite a very valuable and unknown architectural heritage. Many of these houses have already been demolished or are at risk of disappearing because their owners do not know their value or do not have the funds and know-how to renovate them correctly.