City of Craiova (Oltenia region) Places to see, things to do, transportation, attractions, events.

Fast Facts

Name:   Craiova (pronounced: /krɑːˈyoːvɑː/)
Location:   Southernwestern Romania
Nearest airport:   Craiova (CRA)
Distance to Bucharet - capital city:   145 miles
Area:   31.4 sq. miles (81.4 sq. kilometers)
Elevation:   288 ft. (90 meters)
Population:   298,000
First documented:   225 A.D.

Craiova Highlights and Landmarks

Craiova - the largest city in southwestern Romania - was founded on the site of the Dacian stronghold Pelendava (renamed Castra Nova after the Roman invasion of Dacia).
A strong economy, long academic tradition and wealth of important historical personalities including:
~ Prince Mihai Viteazu (Michael the Brave) - the ban (military governor) of Craiova who,
in 1600, achieved the unification of Romanian principalities Walachia, Transylvania and Moldova,
~ world-famous sculptor Constantin Brancusi - who studied at Craiova Art School (Școala de Arte și Meserii),
~ Petrache Poenaru (1799 - 1875) - inventor of fountain pen
are associated with Craiova.

At the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century, Craiova's architecture underwent a transformation with the creation of the Brâncovenesc style, a combination of Romanian traditional art, Byzantine and Venetian elements.
Structures displaying elements of the Brâncovenesc style include: Saint Ilie Church (Biserica Sfantu Ilie - 1720), the All Saints Church (Biserica Tuturor Sfintilor - 1700), the Old Saint Gheorghe Church / (Biserica Sfantu Gheorghe Vechi - 1730), Obedeanu Monastery (Manastirea Obedeanu - 1747), Mântuleasa Church (Biserica Mântuleasa - 1786), Saint Nicolas Church (Biserica Sfântul Nicolae - 1794).
The Church of Cosuna Monastery (15th century), is the oldest structure in Craiova.
Madona Dudu Church, is renowned for its mural paintings, completed by painter Gheorghe Tattarescu (1818 – 1894) while Jitianu Monastery is home to a rich collection of medieval art objects.

A wealth of information and exhibits concerning Craiova history and traditions are available at the Museum of the Region of Oltenia  (Muzeul Olteniei),   housed in Casa Baniei (built in 1699) - the oldest non-religious building in Craiova.

Art lovers might not want to miss Craiova Art Museum, hosted in Dinu Mihail Palace, a spectacular mansion designed, in 1898, by French architect Paul Gottereau (neo-classic and late-Baroque style).
Carrara marble, Murano crystal, Lyon silks and fine antique furniture have been used to construct and decorate the palace.
One of Craiova's Art Museum main attractions is the room dedicated to sculptor Constantin Brâncuși.

A must-see for nature lovers is Nicolae Romanescu Park (250 acres / 22 miles of aleys and walk paths), the second-largest in Romania and third largest in Europe.
Craiova Botanical Garden, a zoo and the largest racetrack in Romania are part of Romanescu Park (Parcul Romanescu).
A fine example of landscape architecture, designed by French architect Emile Rendont, plans of Romanescu Park were awarded the gold medal at the 1900 World Fair.

Craiova Museums

Craiova Museum of Art
Muzeul de Arta Craiova
Located in the sumptuous Dinu Mihail Palace, a spectacular 36-rooms Neo-Baroque structure, Craiova's largest art museum displays a rich collection of paintings by Flemish, Italian, French and Romanian artists.
However, the main attraction of the museum is the gallery dedicated to sculptor Constantin Brâncusi.
Six of his early works are on exhibit:
Vitellius (1898), Miss Pogany (1902), the Vainglory (1905), Sleeping Boy (1906), the Kiss (1907), Woman Torso (1909).
Romanian painters whose works can be seen at Craiova Art Museum include: Craiova-born Theodor Aman, Constantin Lecca, Ștefan Luchian, Nicolae Tonitza, Ion Țuculescu, Eustațiu Stoenescu and Nicolae Grigorescu.
Address: Str. Calea Unirii 15
Telephone: (+4) 0251 412.342

Museum of Oltenia Region
Muzeul Olteniei
The Museum of Oltenia Region features interesting objects, art and stories that depict the history and culture of the people who lived in southwestern Romania. The museum has three main sections:

Museum of Oltenia Region - History and Archeology Section
Housed in Bania House (Casa Baniei) - a major architectural and historical monument of Craiova the museum displays numerous items and documents attest the history of Oltenia region, starting with the prehistoric times.   Great care has been taken in presenting the traditional trades and occupations of peasants in Oltenia: unting, fishing, raising cattle, working the fields, harvesting the crops.   The museum exhibits wooden carvings and ceramics, a large collection of pottery, carpets as well as fascinating local folk costumes.
Address: Str. Madona Dudu 14
Tel: (+4) 0251 417.756

Museum of Oltenia Region - Etnography Section
Items on exhibit include over 250 rugs and kilims, some older than 200 years, featuring original paterns and vivid colors.
Address: Str. Matei Basarab 16
Tel: (+4) 0351 444.030

Museum of Oltenia Region - Natural Science Section
Address: Str. Popa Şapcă 8
Tel: (+4) 0251 411.906

Day Trips from Craiova

Wines of the Danube, an itinerary idea starting in Craiova
Day 1
Drive to town of Segarcea (20 miles south).
Stop/ visit: Domeniul Coroanei winery
Head east towards town of Vidin in Bulgaria. After crossing the Calafat - Vidin bridge over the Danube river continue northeast to village of Koshava to reach Bononia Estate Winery / Resort.
After lunch and wine tasting at Bononia return to Craiova
or extend your stay in Bulgaria and spend the afternoon exploring the nearby attractions or relaxing at Bononia Spa.
(attractions near Bononia Estate include: town of Vidin, Baba Vida Fortress, Kula Fortress, Cave Magura, Belogradchik Fortress, Lake Rabisha). Bononia hotel features 22 nicely-decorated rooms, with Danube river or garden view.
Dinner and overnight at Bononia.
Total distance driven: 88 miles
Approx. driving time: 2 hours and 15 minutes, without stops.

Bononia Estate Winery / Resort, on the Bulgarian bank of Danube River, photo © Bononia Estate

Day 2
After breakfast, return to Craiova via village Cetate.
Stop/visit: Port Cultural Cetate
Cetate Harbor Master's offices, built over 100 years ago, have been transformed by writer Mircea Dinescu in and gastronomy and culture centre. Meet artists from allover the world and discover old Romanian dishes, long forgotten.
Mircea Dinescu is a, chatty, must-meet person. Total distance driven: 80 miles
Approx. driving time: 2 hours and 5 minutes, without stops.
Itinerary map.

Optional: include Serbia in your Danube - Romania and Bulgaria - wines discovery.
Continue northwest to Gamanović winery,in Serbia.
Return to Craiova via Drobeta Turnu Severin -- Filiasi.
Itinerary map.

Town of Targu Jiu
Where: 70 miles north of Craiova
Access: car, bus, train
Târgu Jiu info
A must for all lovers of modern sculpture is a visit to Targu Jiu, a small town located on the banks of the River Jiu.
This former market town is closely associated with Constantin Brancusi, considered by many to be the father of modern sculpture.
While most of his works are on display in prestigious museums throughout the world, his trilogy of public sculptures, The Table of Silence (Masa Tacerii), The Gate of the Kiss (Poarta Sarutului) and The Endless Column (Coloana Infinitului) can be admired at the Constantin Brancusi sculptural complex, in downtown Târgu Jiu.

Hurezi Monastery & Horezu Pottery Centre
Where: 96 miles north of Craiova
AddressL Str. Mănăstirii, Romanii de Jos
Access: car, bus
Hurezi Monastery, the largest monastic settlement in Walachia (southern Romania), was founded in 1690 by Prince Constantin Brancoveanu. A masterpiece of the "Brancovenesc" architectural style - and a UNESCO World Heritage site - Hurezi is renowned for the richness of its sculptural detail and its frescoes and decorative works.
Hurezi monastery houses precious icons dating from 17th and 18th centuries. The nearby village of Horezu is home to a significant concentration of pottery workshops.
Nearly two centuries ago, local nuns taught the villagers how to make and paint pottery, and ever since, people have come from far and wide to admire and purchase Horezu pottery.
Hurezi Monasteri info

Town of Curtea de Arges
Where: 95 miles northeast of Craiova
Access: car, train (connecting in Pitesti)
Fifty miles east of monastery Hurezi lays another stunning architectural gem:   Monastery Curtea de Arges (Manastirea Curtea de Arge)). A fine example of Byzantine architectural style, with Moorish arabesques this 16th century monastery - admired equally by ordinary and extraordinary people - became the resting place of all Romania's kings and queens.
Legend says that, when construction of the monastery had begun, walls erected during the day crumbled during night. To be able to accomplish works, master builder, Manole, had to sacrifice his wife, Ana, by casting/ placing her alive into the southern wall of the church; all construction had failed until Manole did so.
The legend also says that the voivode who commissioned the monastery was very pleased and wanted to make sure it would never be replicated. To achieve his desire he ordered the laders and scaffolding to be removed while the building team was doing the finishing touches to the roof.
To get down on earth Manole and his team build themselves wooden shingle wings but none of them survived tha landing. On the very place where master builder Manole landed to his death - about 1,000 feet away from the monmastery - a spring gushed forth. The place is now called Manole's Fountain (Fantana lui Manole).

"Domeniul Coroanei" Winery
Podgoria Domeniul Coroanei - Segarcea
Location: town of Segarcea, 21 miles south of Craiova
Access: car, train, bus
Address: Str. Unirii 4, Segarcea
"Domeniul Coroanei", a 561-acres estate and wine domain cultivated with native grape varieties
(Tămâioasă Roză, Fetească albă, Tămâioasă Românească, Fetească Neagră) as well as international varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Viognier) lays a short drive from Craiova.
The winery, completed in 1908 after plans by the Austrian architect Iosif Exner, combines neo-Romanian and art deco architecture. The wine cellar, located 35 ft. below-ground, provides constant temperature throughout the year (54 F – 56 F), perfect for the ageing of quality wines. Natural insulation of the cellar is a result of double walls (each 32 inches thick) separated by an air “jacket” of 16 inches.
Segarcea is a gravity-fed winery; the grapes reach the highest point of the winery from the vineyard, fall into the stem remover/press, then the stum flows to the fermentation vessels from where it continues to flow to the oak barrels where the maturation process is completed.

Danube River - Iron Gates Nature Park
Parcul Natural Porţile de Fier
Location: 95 miles west of Craiova
286,000 acres of land home to 18 protected areas rich in avifauna, botanical, forest and fresh water ecosystems and rare wildlife.

Town of Pleven - Bulgaria
Pleven, one of the largest towns in northern Bulgaria,
is located 35 miles south of Danube River and 120 miles south of Craiova.
Main attractions in Pleven include:
~ Ethnography Museum, the History Museum (on display is a petrified thigh bone of Archidiscodon – a prehistoric animal from the group of elephant-like animals, which lived in the region 3.5 – 4 million years ago), The Panorama “Pleven Epopee 1877”,
~ Pleven Wine Museum - housed in a cave in the Kaylaka Park,
~ the Revival Complex (old buildings with unique architecture, chapel-mausoleum “St. George the Victorious” and museum house Tsar Osvoboditel,
~ Kaylaka Park - a favorite place for relaxation (the remains of the Roman road station of Storgoziya are situated in Kaylaka Park).
Pleven - Bulgaria more info

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CRAIOVA TRIP PLANNING INFO

Transportation

Traveling to Craiova by plane

Craiova International Airport
Aeroportul International Craiova
Address: Str. Calea Bucuresti 325
Telephone: (+4) 0251 416.860

Reaching Craiova by Train

Craiova train station
Gara Craiova
Address: Piața Constantin Brâncuși
The train station is located about half a mile northeast of the city centre.
Bus # 1 runs from the train station to downtown Craiova.

For a list of international trains with service to/from Romania please visit
RomaniaTourism International Transportation section.
There are daily trains with service from Craiova to:
Bucharest (3 hours)
Brasov (6 hours and 30 minutes - connecting service)
Cluj Napoca (9 hours - connecting service)
Sibiu (5 hours)
Timisoara ( 5 hours)
Targu Jiu (2 hours)

To check train and bus schedules for domestic routes please visit
RomaniaTourism Domestic Transportation section.

Notes:
For departures from /to Bucharest, please select Bucuresti Nord.
For departures from/to Targu Jiu please enter Tirgu Jiu.

Craiova Train ticket office
Agentia de Voiaj SNCFR Craiova
Address: Calea Bucureşti 2, bl. M2, parter
Telephone: (+4) 0725 504.165
Hours - Mon. – Fri.: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Craiova SNCFR ticket office offers train schedules information and advance ticket sales.
Tickets for same-day travel can only be purchased at the train station.

Driving to Craiova

The fastest route from Bucharest to Craiova is via A1 / E81 – DN 65 / E574:
Bucharest – Pitesti – Slatina - Craiova

Arad — 243 miles
Bucharest — 145 miles
Brasov — 148 miles
Cluj Napoca — 249 miles
Constanta — 281 miles
Iasi — 331 miles
Oradea — 261 miles
Satu Mare — 341 miles
Sibiu — 145 miles
Suceava — 345 miles
Timisoara — 211 miles

Inter-city bus

Craiova Bus Station
Autogara Craiova Nord (Autogara Pelendava Nord)
Bd. Decebal 5
Tel: (+4) 0251 411.187
Daily domestic bus service from/to:
Baile Herculane, Bucuresti,Brasov, Caransebes, Constanta, Drobeta Turnu Severin, Hunedoara, Medias, Sibiu, Timisoara

Craiova public transportation system is operated by Craiova Transport Authority (Regia Autonoma de Transport Craiova - RAT Craiova) and consists of 17 bus routes and 3 tram routes.
A one-way ticket costs the equivalent of $0.60 US.

Taxi Contact – 0251 425.005
Taxi Romnicon – 0251 421.919
Taxi PML – 0251 542.727
Taxi PMI – 0251 590.002
Taxi Favorit - 0251 411.500
Taxi D&D – 0251 406.240
Taxi STG – 0251 430.077
Taxi Continental – 0251 466.633
Taxi Vulturul – 0251 414.155

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Craiova Hotels

Accommodations in Craiova include:

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Craiova Tourist Information

Tourism Craiova - Craiova City Hall
Departamentul Turism - Primăria Municipiului Craiova
Address: Str. A. I. Cuza 7
Telephone: (+4) 0251 416.235
PrimariaCraiova.ro
Craiova-Travel.ro

Dolj County Tourist Office
Departamentul Turism - Consiliul Judetean Dolj
Address: Calea Unirii 19
E-mail
DiscoverDolj.ro

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Genealogy searches

Craiova / Dolj County Archives
Directia Judeteana Dolj a Arhivelor Nationale
Address: Str. Libertatii 34
Telephone: (+4) 0251 416.661
E-mail
Hours

Craiova Local Authorities

Craiova City Hall
Primăria Municipiului Craiova
Address: Str. A. I. Cuza 7
Telephone: (+4) 0251 416.235

Craiova Consumer Protection Agency
Oficiul pentru Protectia Consumatorilor – Craiova
Address: Str. Gh. Chiţu 58
Telephone: (+4) 0251 510.400
E-mail

Craiova Main Postal Office
Oficiul Postal Craiova
Address: Str. Unirii 54
Telephone: (+4) 0251 523.520
Post offices display a postal horn symbol and the word Posta.

Telephoning Craiova from Abroad
International Access Code + 4 (country code) +
+ 0251 or 0351 (area code) + six-digit telephone number

Craiova Maps

Craiova - City Map (harta Orasului Craiova)
Romania Physical Map (Romania - Harta Fizica)
Romania Detailed Road Map (Romania - Harta Detaliata)
Romania Road Map (Romania - Harta Drumurilor, Sosele)
Romania Rail Map (Romania - Harta Cailor Ferate)