Effigies

Bucharest dwelling from the 1930s

In the second half of 1930, construction began on the building at numbers 14 and 14 bis on Esculap Street, designed by the architects Ioan and Tiberiu Niga. We will now only refer to the small house in the project, which after receiving authorization acquired a facade reminiscent of the building at number 42, Dacia Boulevard. Built in 1928, it is one of the first buildings realized together by father and son.

From the authorization kept in the PMB archive we learn that the project was submitted to the City Hall IV Verde on 27 May 1930, receiving "authorization no. 41E, dated 21 June 1930", by which Eugen Metaxa could erect in Esculap Street, "ocolul I: a basement, ground floor and two storeys, front, on the decreed alignment, of solid wall, covered with metal, according to the approved plan, with changes and indications made in ink on the plan, drawn up by Mr. architect Niga. The existing building, which is out of alignment, shall be demolished, set back by 0.10 m.l. on the left side of the property and by 0.30 m.l. at a distance of 5.70 m.l. from the left property line, leaving a portion of land of 1.10 cm², which falls within the legislated setback. This authorization is issued according to the opinion of the Technical Commission of May 31, 1930. The works cost 2,500,000 lei. The building was insured with the National Society"^1.

Passing through the wrought-iron wrought-iron grille door on the right-hand side of the building, you go up 13-14 steps and enter the vestibule, then a generous dining room and a sitting room, formerly separated by a glasvand. In the salon, the piano was placed on a patform, as Margareta Metaxa was one of the most popular opera artists of her time. On the ground floor there was a second dining room, kitchen, laundry, office, servant's room and garage. The second floor had three bedrooms and a bathroom. In the authorized project the small house was also to have a terrace.

In 1928, Eugen Metaxa, a civil servant in the General Directorate of Public Works, bought from the engineer Anton

Cavenschi, for 550,000 lei, the building built in 1885. In order to rebuild, on April 4, 1930, he took out a loan of 800,000 lei from the House of Economy, Credit and Aid of the P.T.T.T. Corps, which was to be paid in monthly installments deducted from his salary. The financial crisis at the beginning of the 1930s ruined the plans of the Metaxa family, which was dispossessed on June 28, 1934, by the porter Nicolae

Severeanu. Auctioned in 1934, the property was bought by the painter Stella Nedelcovici. The house was expropriated in 1948, and was returned to Mrs. Nedelcovici's family after 1990, who renovated it and continue to live in it. Both Eugen and Margareta Metaxa and Stella Nedelcovici and her family have enlivened the space with their warm and luminous presence, and the beautiful story of this house continues.