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The current building is the result of a rebuilding process of the Princely Palace of Moldavia during 1906-1925, on the place of the ancient Princely Court of Iași, certified since the 15th century (1434).
The Art Tour proposes a trip to the Palace of Culture, host of two museums reuniting cultivated and popular art: the Museum of Art, a true picture gallery of Moldavia and Ethnographic Museum of Moldavia, an X-ray of regional traditions. But, at the same time, art is also reflected in the palace’s Neogothic architecture, creation of the architect Ion D. Berindei. By extension, “Ștefan Procopiu” Museum of Science and Technique also has a major contribution in the field of musical art, through its unique collection of long ago musical instruments.
The Palace Tower remarks itself through the carillon clock, which completes the story atmosphere inside the palace and which plays at fixed hours “Hora Unirii”. The clock’s hour plate is made of stained-glass windows representing the zodiac signs and the hours, being guarded by two soldiers dressed in traditional clothes. The Clock Tower can be visited 15 minute before a fixed hour. It offers a special view of the city centre and reveals the ingenious mechanism which makes the Romanians’ favourite song to be heard all over the city.
Stepping into the Palace of Culture, each room invites you to discover its tales. The richly adorned heralds and the stained-glass windows of the Honour Hall will take you to the fairy tale atmosphere of the Palace. The Voivode Hall, with the gallery of portraits of Moldavia’s princes, shows the glorious past of this historical region. The “Henri Coandă” Hall reminds of the initial function of the building, that of Administrative and Justice Palace, in the past, here being the Jury Court. The distinctive element of the room is the Gothic arches in Westminster style, with angels who are symbolically holding the law tablets, and the triptych painting on the wall, showing the uptown (Copou), the central part and the downtown (industrial).
A premiere for Iași in the field of art is also represented by the construction of the first museum of art in the country, in 1860, hosted in this palace since 1957. Initially “The Picture Gallery” – like the Museum of Art of Iași was called, was hosted by the Old University and started with only 12 paintings bought from Paris by the forty-eighter revolutionary Scarlat Vârnav. The initiative was liked by Iași intellectuals who donated paintings from their own collections, such as the 39 paintings donated by Costache Negri. Developed throughout the years, the museum’s collection comprises about 10 thousand paintings, sculptures and graphic works. Among the famous paintings of Romanian painters, are the ones signed by Nicolae Grigorescu, Octav Băncilă, Theodor Pallady or Nicolae Tonitza.
The popular art is celebrated through the Ethnographic Museum of Moldavia. Founded in 1943, the museum has nowadays exhibits which cover the entire area of historical Moldavia. The items reflect, thematically, the life style and rituals, such as marriage, ancient occupations, traditional architecture and social organization this area. Traditional clothes are one of the main point of attraction of the Museum, here being illustrated specific Moldavian motifs, which began to be used more and more in current outfits.
The “Ștefan Procopiu” Museum of Science and Technique brings in front the unique collection of musical machines in the section of “Sound recording and rendition”. These exhibits are valued with the occasion of the International Festival of Mechanical Music, when tens of organ grinders from all over the world come to fill the city streets with their music. The museum also has photo cameras, calculus and writing machines, meteorology or telecommunication instruments.
For more historical informations regarding the palace si and The Moldavia’s History Museum, click here.
11. The “Art Georgies” Galleries