Signalization of historical monuments in Bucharest, Curtea de Argeș and Câmpulung Muscel - a civil society initiative

The Association "Friends of the National Museum of Romanian History" (APMNIR), founded in March 2008, launched in mid 2008 the portal "Interactive Map of Historical Monuments in Bucharest"(www.apmnir.ro/map.php), followed in March 2009 by the one dedicated to historical monuments throughout the country(www.monumenteromania.ro).

Both sites were built on the basis of the official list of historical monuments (including all its elements except archaeological sites), with the aim of promoting and preserving the national built heritage in cyberspace by providing an online platform for consultation and development of a database of photographs and descriptions added by visitors from all over the world. It currently contains around 22,500 images for some 6,000 monuments (30% of the total number).

As a natural continuation, in mid-2009, the idea of involving the association in activities aimed at the physical marking of monuments by marking them with standardized plaques, in accordance with the legislation in force (Order No. 2.237 of 27 April 2004 on the approval of the Methodological Norms for the marking of historical monuments), was born.

Thus, the projects described below aimed to promote the heritage buildings of some of the most important historical towns in Muntenia by installing trilingual descriptive plaques (20-40 words each in Romanian, English and French), realized at the highest quality level and at the lowest possible cost.

Each time, the association participated exclusively on a voluntary basis, as coordinator and co-funder, as well as carrying out the actual assembly. The work on the descriptive texts was led by conf. dr. arh. Sergiu Nistor, Head of the Heritage Conservation Department at the University of Architecture and Urbanism "Ion Mincu", Bucharest.

In total, 535 monuments in three cities (representing 2.7% of the total number of monuments in the country and 6% of those in the historic province of Țara Românească, excluding archaeological sites) were marked over 26 months, with total expenditure of around €17,900, the total financial contributions of the association being around €2,000 and the average cost of a plaque €33.

Bucharest

December 2009-January 2011

Partners:

"Ion Mincu" University of Architecture and Urbanism; Ministry of Culture and National Heritage; Bucharest Directorate for Culture and National Cultural Heritage; Bucharest City Hall represented by ArCuB.

Funding:

The Governments of Iceland, the Principality of Liechtenstein and Norway, through the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism.

NGO Fund: 12.009,81 euro.

APMNIR: € 1,334.32.

Total cost: 13.344,13 euro.

Photos: APMNIR - Association Friends of the National Museum of Romanian History

Câmpulung Muscel

September 2011-February 2012

Partners:

Municipality of Câmpulung Muscel.

Funding:

Municipality of Câmpulung Muscel: 10.904,7 lei.

APMNIR: 2.010 lei.

Total cost: 12.914,7 lei.

The project was distinguished by the support of the local community, with the municipality providing the necessary funding and the people of Câmpulpulung Mus Mus Mus Muscel showing a great interest in the initiative. 91 historical monument buildings have been signalized.

Curtea de Argeș

May-November 2011

Partners:

Municipality of Curtea de Argeș;

County Directorate for Culture and National Heritage Argeș.

Funding:

Donors: 5.760 lei

APMNIR: 1.330 lei

Total cost: 7.090 lei.

48 historical monuments were marked, through a unique program of "adoptions" (probably the first of its kind in Europe), the cost of each plaque, 120 lei, being covered by one or more donors (the list of the 35 people can be found on the website www.monumenteromania.ro). The costs related to the actual installation (equipment, materials, transportation, mounting) were entirely covered by the association.