02.07.2024 – 04.02.2025
CASTLE
Cantacuzino Castle rises in front of the Bucegi Mountains, offering one of the most spectacular views in Romania. It was built between 1901 and 1911 in a combination of two authentic architectural styles, namely neo-Romanian and neo-Brancovenian, standing out for its unique design.
It belonged to Prince Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino, one of the richest and most influential politicians of the time.
Shaped like a quadrilateral with an open southern side, the castle covers an area of 3148 square meters. Its park measures an area of 3.5 hectares, and the entire domain extends over approx. 1000 hectares. Inside, the castle is richly decorated and hosts an art gallery where temporary exhibitions take place.
Located at approx. 100 km from Bucharest and 40 km from Brașov, the edifice and its park offer an unforgettable experience, being one of the most popular tourist attractions in the entire area.
HISTORY
The Cantacuzino Castle in Bușteni, renowned for its architectural, historical, documentary, and artistic value, was built in 1911 at the request of Prince Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino. The building was designed in the Neo-Romanian and Neo-Brâncovenesc styles based on plans by the Romanian architect Grigore Cerchez.
Inside, the decorative repertoire lends a pronounced romantic character. Highlights include Murano glass stained windows, stucco-marble, Italian ceramics, coffered and painted ceilings, oak wood, stone, or wrought iron balustrades, bronze fittings cast in Paris with rich ornamentation, and interior columns adorned with Brâncovenesc-style decorations. The castle’s fireplaces, crafted from Albești stone, are embellished with polychrome mosaics and gold leaf, elegantly complementing the refined salons and enhancing the aristocratic atmosphere of the residence.
The castle's ballroom houses a unique heraldic collection in Romania, featuring the coats of arms of noble families related to the Cantacuzino family, as well as a frieze with twelve life-sized paintings on Cordoba leather depicting illustrious members of the Cantacuzino family from the Wallachian branch.
Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino
n. 22 septembrie 1832; d. 23 martie 1913,
București
A fost un o figură politică marcantă în istoria României. De-a lungul carierei sale politice, a ocupat de două ori funcția de primar al Bucureștiului, a fost ministru în mai multe cabinete și a fost numit prim-ministru al României în perioada 1899 – 1900, respectiv între anii 1904 – 1907. Se trăgea din vechea familie nobiliară Cantacuzino, fiind un descendent al voievozilor români, respectiv al împăraților bizantini Kantakouzenos.
Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino a urmat studiile la București și Paris, unde a obținut doctoratul în Drept, în anul 1858. La reîntoarcerea în România, a fost numit judecător la Tribunalul Ilfov, după care a devenit consilier la Curtea de Apel București, funcție din care a demisionat la data de 4 mai 1864.
Due to his immense wealth, he was nicknamed "The Nabob" and was renowned during his time as a patron of arts and culture. He commissioned the construction of three grand palaces: the Cantacuzino Palace in Bucharest on Calea Victoriei (now housing the George Enescu National Museum), the Cantacuzino Castle in Bușteni, and the Cantacuzino Palace in Florești (nicknamed "Little Trianon"), which is now in ruins.
