Bartók Béla (Béla Viktor János Bartók, March 25, 1881 – September 26, 1945) was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered to be one of the greatest composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer. He was born in the small Banatian town of Nagyszentmiklós in Austria-Hungary (now Sânnicolau Mare, Romania). Through his collection and analytical study of folk music, he was one of the founders of ethnomusicology. He is linked to the Romanian culture through his studies on Romanian folk music, collected first in the Carpathian Basin (the then Kingdom of Hungary), then in Moldavia and Wallachia. His melodic and harmonic sense was profoundly influenced by the folk music of Hungary, Romania, and many other nations.
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Showing posts with label Banat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Banat. Show all posts
Friday, July 9, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Căpâlnaş Castle
Căpâlnaş (spelled also Căpălnaş, Hungarian: Kápolnás), is a village belonging to Birchiş commune, Arad County, Banat, Romania. The village was first mentioned in 1369, as Capolna. Another documentary attestation dates from 1569. In 1965, here were excavated the remains of a medieval fortress with a watchtower.
The Mocioni Castle in Căpâlnaş is the most beautiful in Arad County by the perfect harmony of proportions and simple but elegant decoration of the facade. It was designed by Viennese architect Otto Wagner who raised the castle between 1876-1879. Otto Wagner was inspired by Little Trianon at Versailles, but he did not made a facsimile of the famous model.
The Viennese architect used for the facade grooved columns, which ends with richly decorated capitals. The central stairway climbs into large folds (aesthetic closer rather to Rococo style) to a terrace located in the middle of the main facade. The ascending stairs focuses on the vertical lines of the building. In the upper register of the palace, the main design element is the cornice, artistic enlaced. The access on the terrace is made by three doors, which communicates with the ground floor lounge, where a ladder climb upstairs. The 8 hectares park offers the best conditions for rest and recreation. In front of the terrace there is a fountain in the middle of which is to be found - as in the French castles - the statue of a deer.
The Mocioni family has a rich history. In 1747, Constantine Mocioni, an Aromanian Orthodox priest, left Macedonia and settled in Hungary. The five sons were tradesmen in Budapest, gathering an impressive fortune. Two of them, Andrei and Mihai, were ennobled by Emperor Joseph II and are the ancestors of the two branches of the family: the Mocioni and de Foeni. The history of Căpâlnaş is linked with the evolution of the Mocioni branch of the family, that had initially domains in Tokay, Hungary. Mihai Mocioni's two sons were ennobled by Austrian Emperor Francisc I. Another Mihai (1811-1890) married on 2 February 1836, with his cousin, Ecaterina, from de Foeni branch, unifying the two families. Meanwhile, Ioan Mocioni de Foeni, Ecaterina's father, purchased in 1853 from Counts Alfred, Janos, Gyorgy and Camilo Zichy, 6000 acres of land in Căpâlnaş, for an amount of 260 thousand florins.
Ecaterina and Mihai Mocioni decided to establish here, and they built the French style palace that will be inherited by the last two sons, Alexandru and Eugen. The last owners of the castle were Eugen's children: Petru, Ionel and Ecaterina. Ecaterina married Count Teleki Jeno. In 1948 the castle and estates were nationalized, and later was transformed in a neuro-psychiatric hospital.
Photos from Consiliul Judeţean Arad.
The Mocioni Castle in Căpâlnaş is the most beautiful in Arad County by the perfect harmony of proportions and simple but elegant decoration of the facade. It was designed by Viennese architect Otto Wagner who raised the castle between 1876-1879. Otto Wagner was inspired by Little Trianon at Versailles, but he did not made a facsimile of the famous model.
The Viennese architect used for the facade grooved columns, which ends with richly decorated capitals. The central stairway climbs into large folds (aesthetic closer rather to Rococo style) to a terrace located in the middle of the main facade. The ascending stairs focuses on the vertical lines of the building. In the upper register of the palace, the main design element is the cornice, artistic enlaced. The access on the terrace is made by three doors, which communicates with the ground floor lounge, where a ladder climb upstairs. The 8 hectares park offers the best conditions for rest and recreation. In front of the terrace there is a fountain in the middle of which is to be found - as in the French castles - the statue of a deer.
The Mocioni family has a rich history. In 1747, Constantine Mocioni, an Aromanian Orthodox priest, left Macedonia and settled in Hungary. The five sons were tradesmen in Budapest, gathering an impressive fortune. Two of them, Andrei and Mihai, were ennobled by Emperor Joseph II and are the ancestors of the two branches of the family: the Mocioni and de Foeni. The history of Căpâlnaş is linked with the evolution of the Mocioni branch of the family, that had initially domains in Tokay, Hungary. Mihai Mocioni's two sons were ennobled by Austrian Emperor Francisc I. Another Mihai (1811-1890) married on 2 February 1836, with his cousin, Ecaterina, from de Foeni branch, unifying the two families. Meanwhile, Ioan Mocioni de Foeni, Ecaterina's father, purchased in 1853 from Counts Alfred, Janos, Gyorgy and Camilo Zichy, 6000 acres of land in Căpâlnaş, for an amount of 260 thousand florins.
Ecaterina and Mihai Mocioni decided to establish here, and they built the French style palace that will be inherited by the last two sons, Alexandru and Eugen. The last owners of the castle were Eugen's children: Petru, Ionel and Ecaterina. Ecaterina married Count Teleki Jeno. In 1948 the castle and estates were nationalized, and later was transformed in a neuro-psychiatric hospital.
Photos from Consiliul Judeţean Arad.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Neolithic sanctuary from Parţa
The Parţa tell, located about 18 km SW of Uivar one, was situated on the banks of one of the a major branch of the Timiş River and, as it is shown by the 19th century maps drawn before the complete regularization of the river. Prior to channelization, the site was surrounded by a series of meanders channels to the west and south, and by marshy land to the east.
The first Parţa dwellings were hollow pits, which have been taken for hovels and surface dwellings. The houses from this were are small and usually grouped in pairs. This lay-out presumably was determined by the organization of the family and by certain property relations. At the core of the settlement, an isolated house has been uncovered which, due to its central position and due to the fact that it was built above the sanctuaries 1 and 2, has been taken for a possible building for worship. In this first stage, the Parţa settlement was not fortified.
A virtual visit in the settlement.
Further, a settlement planning can be observed, in which the dwellings have been grouped around two structures of similar sizes, erected in the middle of the settlement, so reflecting the social value of the sanctuary as place of manifesting magical rituals. Around the two structures, the houses lied at a certain distance forming a small square. With only two exceptions, all the houses were aligned along the east-west axis, the orientation being dictated, by the strong gusts of the summer storms blown from the west.
The research carried out has shown that the two structures in the small square played a special role for the community life of Parţa. One of the structures, 12.6 m long and 7 m wide, is a sanctuary inside of which altars for offerings, monumental statues and columns once stood. On the northern wall there was an altar-table A which was oriented towards the south. On a clay socket stood an idol bust. In the western part, guarded by two posts, lay altar–table B. Inside the altar, several flint blades which were used for sacrifices were discovered. In the eastern part lay altar C, and at the center of the sanctuary there stood a clay column.
The exterior shows symbolic elements as the Moon and the Sun, the sacred hand grinding mill – which intensifies the magical power of the place. The Neolithic sanctuary from Parţa, the construction, which was favored by the existence of a strong religious, economic and social center, reflects the transmission of basic elements necessary for the creation of a spiritual-magical space according to the beliefs and rituals of that time, transmitted from one prehistoric civilization to another, originate from the latest Neolithic settlements – ancient cultural centers; meanwhile becoming traditional.
To the south of sanctuary 1 lay a structure of similar size that might have fulfilled a social function and namely that of “the house of the tribe”. A fortification system also was built into this level of habitation and was made up of four parallel ditches, lined inwards by four palisades that protected the settlement from the west, north and east sides.
Beginning with these elements that are part of the expression of the important place held by the religious space in the life of the human communities, built from resources of nature – as wood, clay, different vegetal materials, rock – which are crossed on magical symbols, we reach the recognition of all these during historical periods accurately maintained by the local popular tradition. Like the maintenance of the tradition of using natural materials as raw materials in the construction of different buildings and religious places, other practices, rituals and object have been maintained, which can be found nowadays in the popular tradition.
Sources: Muzeul Banatului, European Virtual Museum.
The first Parţa dwellings were hollow pits, which have been taken for hovels and surface dwellings. The houses from this were are small and usually grouped in pairs. This lay-out presumably was determined by the organization of the family and by certain property relations. At the core of the settlement, an isolated house has been uncovered which, due to its central position and due to the fact that it was built above the sanctuaries 1 and 2, has been taken for a possible building for worship. In this first stage, the Parţa settlement was not fortified.
A virtual visit in the settlement.
Further, a settlement planning can be observed, in which the dwellings have been grouped around two structures of similar sizes, erected in the middle of the settlement, so reflecting the social value of the sanctuary as place of manifesting magical rituals. Around the two structures, the houses lied at a certain distance forming a small square. With only two exceptions, all the houses were aligned along the east-west axis, the orientation being dictated, by the strong gusts of the summer storms blown from the west.
The research carried out has shown that the two structures in the small square played a special role for the community life of Parţa. One of the structures, 12.6 m long and 7 m wide, is a sanctuary inside of which altars for offerings, monumental statues and columns once stood. On the northern wall there was an altar-table A which was oriented towards the south. On a clay socket stood an idol bust. In the western part, guarded by two posts, lay altar–table B. Inside the altar, several flint blades which were used for sacrifices were discovered. In the eastern part lay altar C, and at the center of the sanctuary there stood a clay column.
The exterior shows symbolic elements as the Moon and the Sun, the sacred hand grinding mill – which intensifies the magical power of the place. The Neolithic sanctuary from Parţa, the construction, which was favored by the existence of a strong religious, economic and social center, reflects the transmission of basic elements necessary for the creation of a spiritual-magical space according to the beliefs and rituals of that time, transmitted from one prehistoric civilization to another, originate from the latest Neolithic settlements – ancient cultural centers; meanwhile becoming traditional.
To the south of sanctuary 1 lay a structure of similar size that might have fulfilled a social function and namely that of “the house of the tribe”. A fortification system also was built into this level of habitation and was made up of four parallel ditches, lined inwards by four palisades that protected the settlement from the west, north and east sides.
Beginning with these elements that are part of the expression of the important place held by the religious space in the life of the human communities, built from resources of nature – as wood, clay, different vegetal materials, rock – which are crossed on magical symbols, we reach the recognition of all these during historical periods accurately maintained by the local popular tradition. Like the maintenance of the tradition of using natural materials as raw materials in the construction of different buildings and religious places, other practices, rituals and object have been maintained, which can be found nowadays in the popular tradition.
Sources: Muzeul Banatului, European Virtual Museum.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Bulci Castle
Bulci is a village in Bata commune, Arad county, Banat, Romania. Older names: Bulch, Bulchu, Bulciu, Bulcz, Bulţ, Bulţi, Bulczy, Bols, Bolş Bwlch, Wulch, Vulci.
Since the Roman period there was a Roman camp and a castrum belonging to the Legion XIII Gemina. Bricks bearing the inscription of the legion, were used to build a medieval monastery of the Benedictine monks, dating back at least the 13th century, one of the oldest and richest in the Banat. In 1241, many monasteries in Banat were destroyed by Tatar invasions. Attracted by the grandeur of the abbey and church, Tatars attacked them and terrible battles were fought here. Monastery of Bulci was destroyed by the Tatars, and was rebuilt by Bishop Bulcsú, from whose name comes the name of the village. In 14th century monastery became an important cultural center where working clerk, from which was kept a codex containing the texts of the Roman historian Titus Livius. Later in the 16th century (1551-1552), Bulci monastery was subject to the Turkish attacks in Transylvania, and the village was almost entirely destroyed. Who escaped with their lives fled to other cities of the Mureş Valley, living over one hundred years away from their village, but still keeping their Catholic faith. In 1749, the monk Berecky Hiarion founded again Bulci village, seeking the descendants of those who left the village during the Turks and rebuilding the old church. In the mid 18th century Bulci belonged to the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.
The first known owners were the Varadi family (early 13th century). In the 15th century, the domain belonged to Goroy Jobt, and had approx. 1500 inhabitants. In 1664 it was owned by Janka family. In 1717, Bata had only eight houses. In 1798 it was rented by Kormelycs Karol. The castle in Bulci was built in Neo-Classical style in the early 19th century by Baron Fechtig-Fechtenberg, the owner of the domain since 1838, but received the current form around 1860. The domain was bought in March 30, 1858 by Austrian Baron Anton Mocioni (or Mocsonyi) de Foen. Subsequently, it was inherited by his son Zeno (1842-1905), who payed as a compensation to his brother Victor (who has spent his life abroad) an annual rent of 10 000 gold florins. The next owner was Baron Antoniu Marius Mocioni de Foen, MP, minister and grand master of hunting of the Royal House of Romania. The castle experienced an intense social life, so King Carol II often came here for hunting. The domain was inherited by the adoptive son of the Baron, Ionel Mocioni-Stârcea, secretary of the King. After 1940, here have been arranged rooms for Queen Mother Elena and King Michael I. Castle of Bulci was nationalized and transformed in 1949 into the seat of an agricultural association. Subsequently, here was arranged a TB preventorium. The castle was claimed by Michael Stârcea, nephew of Ionel Mocioni-Stârcea.
Located in a huge park, on the bank of Mureş River, Bulci castle is one of the most impressive buildings of its kind. On the facades of the building are two terraces with family's coats of arms carved in relief, which survived to destruction after the Second World War. Central body has a beautiful room of weapons, with a magnificent fireplace, and the park was a greenhouse. Besides the castle, Antoniu Mocioni built a church and a school for children in the village.
Since the Roman period there was a Roman camp and a castrum belonging to the Legion XIII Gemina. Bricks bearing the inscription of the legion, were used to build a medieval monastery of the Benedictine monks, dating back at least the 13th century, one of the oldest and richest in the Banat. In 1241, many monasteries in Banat were destroyed by Tatar invasions. Attracted by the grandeur of the abbey and church, Tatars attacked them and terrible battles were fought here. Monastery of Bulci was destroyed by the Tatars, and was rebuilt by Bishop Bulcsú, from whose name comes the name of the village. In 14th century monastery became an important cultural center where working clerk, from which was kept a codex containing the texts of the Roman historian Titus Livius. Later in the 16th century (1551-1552), Bulci monastery was subject to the Turkish attacks in Transylvania, and the village was almost entirely destroyed. Who escaped with their lives fled to other cities of the Mureş Valley, living over one hundred years away from their village, but still keeping their Catholic faith. In 1749, the monk Berecky Hiarion founded again Bulci village, seeking the descendants of those who left the village during the Turks and rebuilding the old church. In the mid 18th century Bulci belonged to the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.
The first known owners were the Varadi family (early 13th century). In the 15th century, the domain belonged to Goroy Jobt, and had approx. 1500 inhabitants. In 1664 it was owned by Janka family. In 1717, Bata had only eight houses. In 1798 it was rented by Kormelycs Karol. The castle in Bulci was built in Neo-Classical style in the early 19th century by Baron Fechtig-Fechtenberg, the owner of the domain since 1838, but received the current form around 1860. The domain was bought in March 30, 1858 by Austrian Baron Anton Mocioni (or Mocsonyi) de Foen. Subsequently, it was inherited by his son Zeno (1842-1905), who payed as a compensation to his brother Victor (who has spent his life abroad) an annual rent of 10 000 gold florins. The next owner was Baron Antoniu Marius Mocioni de Foen, MP, minister and grand master of hunting of the Royal House of Romania. The castle experienced an intense social life, so King Carol II often came here for hunting. The domain was inherited by the adoptive son of the Baron, Ionel Mocioni-Stârcea, secretary of the King. After 1940, here have been arranged rooms for Queen Mother Elena and King Michael I. Castle of Bulci was nationalized and transformed in 1949 into the seat of an agricultural association. Subsequently, here was arranged a TB preventorium. The castle was claimed by Michael Stârcea, nephew of Ionel Mocioni-Stârcea.
Located in a huge park, on the bank of Mureş River, Bulci castle is one of the most impressive buildings of its kind. On the facades of the building are two terraces with family's coats of arms carved in relief, which survived to destruction after the Second World War. Central body has a beautiful room of weapons, with a magnificent fireplace, and the park was a greenhouse. Besides the castle, Antoniu Mocioni built a church and a school for children in the village.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Secession Style in Timişoara
The "Little Vienna" tag is particularly pertinent in this delightful city which boasts a wealth of Secessionist (Art Nouveau or Jugendstil) architecture.
Timisoara developed considerably during the late 19th century and early 20th century, during which period significant technical advances were made; first town in Europe to have gas street lighting (1857), one of the first to introduce trams, and the first in Romania to have a public water supply. It had also become the the communications and administrative hub of the Banat with the coming of the railway, the canal and improved roads. This period saw considerable expansion with new well-planned districts of housing and factories being created south and east of the Bega Canal - in particular Iosefin, Elisabetin and Fabric. This wave of construction attracted many creative, imaginative designers during the opening years of the 20th Century, drawing their inspiration from the architects of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to which the Banat still belonged. Most significant at this time were the pioneers of the Jugendstil (Art Nouveau or Secessionism) such as Ödon Lechner in Hungary and Otto Wagner in Austria.
The Secessionism developed in two distinct architectural phases in Timisoara, the first which was typified by sinuous lines and floral decorations lasted until 1908. The secomd phase, which continued until the first world war, saw simpler, larger buildings with geometrical designs. Notable among these architects of the Art Nouveau in Timişoara were Laszlo Szekely (1877-1934) who designed both municipal buildings and factories, in addition to residential apartments and villas, and Martin Gemeinhardt. In many respects it is the abundance of Secessionist architecture that has provided Timişoara with its rather appropriate tag,"Little Vienna".
Banca de Scont (Marcell Komor and Dezso Jakab, 1906-1908)
Banca de Scont, detail
Banca de Scont, detail
Banca de Scont
Peacock House, detail (Martin Gemeinhardt, 1905)
Peacock House, detail (Martin Gemeinhardt, 1905)
Piarists' College (László Székely, 1907-1912)
Piarists' Church (László Székely, 1907-1912)
Neptun Public Baths (László Székely, 1913)
National Bank of Romania (Hubert, 1903-1904)
The Old Slaughterhouse (László Székely, 1904)
Brück Apartments (László Székely)
Emmer House (László Székely)
Dauerbach Palace (László Székely)
Hilt Palace (Hilt & Vogel Apartments, László Székely)
Széchenyi Palace (Szechenyi Company Apartments, László Székely, 1913)
Neuhausz Palace (Neuhausz Apartments, Anton Merbl, 1911)
Merbl Palace (Anton Merbl, 1911)
Weiss Palace (Weiss Apartments, László Székely, 1911)
Lloyd Building (now part of the Polytechnic University, Lipot Baumhorn, 1912)
Lloyd Building (closer view)
Löffler Palace (Leopld Löffler, 1912-1913)
Serbian Bishop's Palace (László Székely, 1907)
Fabric Synagogue (or Sinagoga Maura, Lipot Baumhorn, 1899)
City Alms House, detail (László Székely, 1908-1909)
Union Place
Timisoara developed considerably during the late 19th century and early 20th century, during which period significant technical advances were made; first town in Europe to have gas street lighting (1857), one of the first to introduce trams, and the first in Romania to have a public water supply. It had also become the the communications and administrative hub of the Banat with the coming of the railway, the canal and improved roads. This period saw considerable expansion with new well-planned districts of housing and factories being created south and east of the Bega Canal - in particular Iosefin, Elisabetin and Fabric. This wave of construction attracted many creative, imaginative designers during the opening years of the 20th Century, drawing their inspiration from the architects of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to which the Banat still belonged. Most significant at this time were the pioneers of the Jugendstil (Art Nouveau or Secessionism) such as Ödon Lechner in Hungary and Otto Wagner in Austria.
The Secessionism developed in two distinct architectural phases in Timisoara, the first which was typified by sinuous lines and floral decorations lasted until 1908. The secomd phase, which continued until the first world war, saw simpler, larger buildings with geometrical designs. Notable among these architects of the Art Nouveau in Timişoara were Laszlo Szekely (1877-1934) who designed both municipal buildings and factories, in addition to residential apartments and villas, and Martin Gemeinhardt. In many respects it is the abundance of Secessionist architecture that has provided Timişoara with its rather appropriate tag,"Little Vienna".
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