The Greceanu Kula - The Măldărăști Museum Complex

Step into the universe of the Oltenian boyars by visiting the Greceanu Kula, the oldest kula in Romania, with its current appearance dating back from 1790. It is located in Măldărești, Vâlcea county and its history is guarded now by tall trees that seem to be keeping its secrets from times gone by when it served as a watch and defence tower against the Turks. 

 

The craftsmanship of the Oltenian craftsmen will catch your eye from the very first steps through the gate of the demesne. You will notice the porch, specific to Oltenia kulas, a living proof that beauty combines with utility in harmony and the watch point overseeing the entire demesne was also used as leisure spot, as its arches open to the outside, allowing sunlight to bathe the rooms. 

 

The kula was inhabited by two great boyar families: Măldărescu and then Greceanu. The last owner before the communist nationalisation was Olga Greceanu, a renowned artist and probably the first feminist in Romania. The porch is said to have been her preferred place for creation.  

 

When you explore its rooms, you will get a chance to see the pictures rendering the Măldărescu family members watching over the kula. The frescoes are among the last works of the artist that remained intact.

 

Today, the Greceanu Kula is a historical monument and it is part of the Măldărești Museum Complex, purchased by the Vâlcea County Council in 2021.

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Kulas in Romania

The term “kula” derives from the Turkish word kule, which means tower. Kulas were built of wood or stone and were located on hills in order to be able to perform both their guarding and danger signalling role and that of dwelling. Kulas were the emblem of the family they sheltered. During times of peace, beyond their practical role, they were the expression of well-being. A specific element of Oltenian kulas is the porch, which is particularly beautiful, a concession made to the requirements of comfort and beauty to the detriment of the needs of defence.

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The Greceanu Kula

The story of the kula begins in 1516 when Nan the Cupbearer builds a defence tower to protect his territory. A few years later, his nephew, Tudor Maldăr, built a fortified house around the tower. The current form dates from 1780-1790 when the kula was restored by boyar Gheorghe Măldărescu and his wife Eva. The house was inherited as dowry by their daughter Maria, who married Gheorghe Greceanu. Since then, the kula has remained until nationalisation in the patrimony of the Greceanu family.

Olga Greceanu (1890 – 1978)

A complex personality of the Romanian culture, probably the first feminist in Romania, Olga Greceanu was a painter appreciated in Europe and America. Discreet and aristocratic, Queen Mary's lady-in-waiting, she was the only woman accepted into the Orthodox Christian group “The Burning Bush”, receiving the permission of Patriarchs Nicodemus and Justinian to preach at the pulpit in any church in the country. She decorated the interior of the Greceanu Kula with frescoes evoking the past of her husband's family.