Tag: romania

Winter story

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Let me tell you more about my inquiry. You already know my fascination with old, haunted houses. As you can imagine, I’ve been searching,carefully, patiently for something that feels right.

At first, I thought the answer might lie in well-known crimes from the 19th century. Visiting old houses is enjoyable, of course, but so far it has led nowhere. Without a story, a trace of darkness, a reason, a house is just a building. The only other option would be to wander through Bucharest aimlessly, hoping that chance alone would lead me to the house. But that requires a kind of luck I don’t possess. And if I did, the story would be far too simple. Maybe too easy… don’t you think?

So I began where everyone begins: with research. Hours spent searching the internet, looking for crimes that might fit, events that left something unresolved behind them. I was certain I would find more than enough material.

I was wrong.

What I believed would be an easy task turned out to be frustratingly difficult. There is surprisingly little information available, as if time itself had chosen to erase certain things. Still, during those first searches, I came across a story. It wasn’t what I had imagined, and it didn’t lead me to a house, but it lingered in my mind.

It was a crime that took place on the Orient Express.
Not Agatha Christie’s story, although it is said her novel may have been inspired by this very event.

The crime happened in 1935. The victim was a Romanian businesswoman, found outside the train, at the edge of an embankment. Her body was discovered by a brakeman from a freight train, lying in a ditch. She was barefoot. There was a deep wound near her right eye, evidence of a struggle. In her hand, she held strands of hair, hair that did not belong to her.

Along the railway, scattered over several kilometers, were her belongings: her shoes, an embroidered scarf, a hat, and a handbag containing her identification papers—Maria Fărcășeanu and her train ticket. Any suggestion of suicide was quickly dismissed. Violence was undeniable.

The autopsy revealed something even more unsettling: she was still alive when she was thrown from the train. Robbery was believed to be the motive. The last train known to have passed through that area was the Orient Express, traveling the route Istanbul–Bucharest–Paris. And so, the investigation began.

They soon discovered that Maria had been carrying considerable wealth: expensive jewelry, a diamond wristwatch, pearls, gold pieces, and a luxurious fur coat. Sometimes, it seems, elegance can be dangerous when it draws the wrong attention.

She was an extraordinary woman,a business owner, the founder of an art school, prominent in her field, officially recognized by the Ministry for her work. She owned the first artisanal shop in the country and exhibited in Paris. A pioneer. A wife. A mother. Beautiful. Independent.

And yet, her life ended violently, in the darkness between stations.

Her death caused a sensation at the time, widely discussed in both the Romanian and Austrian press, made even more shocking by the setting,a train already surrounded by legend. The investigation ultimately concluded that two men had thrown her from the moving train.

But this story doesn’t end here.
It feels like a door only slightly opened.

I’ll tell you more tomorrow.

Calea Moșilor

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Today, I invite you on a journey through time along a street in Bucharest. So grab my hand, and let’s take a walk together.

Our path leads us to Calea Moșilor, which translates to “the way of old men.” Let’s explore how this street earned its name and what it was called before.

Originally, this street led from the royal court to an outdoor market located near a bridge. This market was held twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays. Additionally, there was a significant annual market at the end of May called the Old Men’s Market, which was tied to a holiday that commemorates the souls of the deceased. On this day, known as the Saturday of the Dead, people would offer new clay pots filled with food to appease the souls of their loved ones. This holiday is celebrated on the Saturday before Pentecost. At this market, items related to the commemoration of the dead were sold.

Some believe the name “Old Men” refers to the time the market was first established during the reign of Matei Basarab, who ruled from 1632 to 1654. This market was originally created to honor his soldiers who died in the Battle of Fundeni in 1632, where he defeated Radu Iliaș, a rival claimant to the throne supported by Moldovans. Historical documents confirm the existence of the market from the early 17th century. Over time, the market relocated from its original site to the center of Bucharest, eventually moving to the Batiștei area as the city expanded.

By 1786, during the rule of Nicolae Mavrocordat, the market found its home in what is now the Obor Market. This market became the most well-known in the region, with similar but smaller markets appearing in other parts of the country. It bustled with locals from Bucharest and its surroundings, where people not only shopped but also socialized, enjoyed traditional Călușari dances, and participated in various festivities. Vendors offered gingerbread, whistles, puppets, and even curiosities like bearded women and shooting galleries.

However, this market wasn’t just a place of celebration; it also served as a site for executions. Condemned individuals were transported in an ox cart, often with a notice of their verdict displayed, as they were taken to their execution. Typically, those facing execution included bandits, forgers, traitors, and outlaws. Along the way, bystanders would offer them wine to ease their fear, often accompanied by their mothers or wives. Many convicted individuals would be unaware of their fate until it was too late.

Punishments for lesser crimes also took place at this market. Merchants caught cheating customers would face public humiliation, tied half-naked with a soldier beating them while shouting, “Who will do like him will suffer like him.” Women accused of adultery were similarly punished, paraded around in long shirts while sitting backward on donkeys.

Executed individuals would remain on display for some time after their deaths, serving as a grim warning to others. This practice of public display ended during the reign of Grigore Ghica (1822-1828).

Calea Moșilor, like other city bridges, initially had wooden pathways, which were repaired in 1792. Nearly a century later, in 1875, these paths were paved with river stones. By the late 19th century, Calea Moșilor had become Bucharest’s second-largest commercial route, resembling an oriental bazaar, with small, one- or two-story houses, pubs, summer gardens, cafés, and various shops lining the street.

Eventually, trams were introduced, bringing people to the market. It became customary for students to ride on the roofs of trams, tossing rice, corn, beans, and sometimes flowers to those standing by the windows. This playful interaction became a tradition, especially when the students spotted attractive women. With the decline of the trams, this form of entertainment faded.

By the end of the 19th century, the authorities purchased the market land, converting part of it into an exhibition space for industrial and agricultural products. As Obor Hall and the surrounding park were built, the market size diminished. In the 1980s, sections of Calea Moșilor and Carol I Boulevard were demolished to make way for new buildings. The Bucur-Obor shopping center, constructed in 1976, still stands today.

Now, as we stroll along Calea Moșilor, we can enjoy its shops and the nearby Bucur-Obor market. I hope you’ve enjoyed this journey with me!