Places in Bucharest: Manuc Inn
There was a time, long ago, some 200 years, when trade was thriving in the heart of Bucharest. Oriental trade, especially, and oriental business had been brought to the country and maintained during the first years of the nineteenth century, among others, by Emanuel Manuc Mirzaian.He held the title of Bey - a turkish word representing a leader, a chief for a tribal group that extended over civilized social hierarchy. The war between Russian and Turkey, at the beginning of the 19th century, compelled Manuc to linger on Romanian soil. He settled in Bucharest and set out to built a large inn which was supposed to become the main point of interest for most of the merchants that crossed the area.
Once upon a time...
At that time the architecture was considered highly innovative. Mainly based on the Brancovenesc style, the plans elegantly avoided the massive structure resembling a fortress that characterized the constructions of the eighteenth century.
The inn was designed to shelter 15 cellars in the underground, 23 stores on the groud floor along with 2 large halls, 10 warehouses, chambers for servants and large kitchens, and also over one hundred rooms for travellers and guests on the second floor.
After Manuc's death, the inn slowly degraded. It swaped owners that were not able to maintain the inn's value either as a building or as a business. Then in 1838 an earthquake massively affected the strutcture of the building and the inn was taken into consideration by architects of the time for restoration. However it wasn't sooner than 1861 than minimal investement was made, and mostly just for the facade.
On the other hand the inn had begun to gain bad reputation, the french painter Auguste Lancelot noted: the place has kept its original features untouched, though darkened by misfortune and debauchery.
Then all of a sudden the inn changed its style under the administration of a man that transformed it into a fashionable center where balls and theater plays were filling up its halls.
Historically, Manuc Inn witnessed some important moments throughout the centuries. In 1812 it was the place where the Negotiation Treaty between Russia and Turkey was signed at the end of the same-named war. Then in 1916 this is where the decisions and debates foregoing to the first Wolrd War took place. Well... all right, that could leave room for interpretations. :)
Today...
The inn was restored in the early 90s (1990). It is now part of a rather decayed landscape with rotten buildings that were left to ruin around some other historical medieval ruins of Curtea Veche. The interior yard offers, especially during summer, a quiet and pleasant refugee; you should also check out the wine cellar and the Voivodal Hall - an unusual modern conference hall. :)
Still, it was impossible to keep it safe from the kitsch-invasion and bad service. It strives to be a reflection of Romanian tradition, with thematic ornaments and a mixture of pop and ethno music. Being a visitor in today's Manuc Inn calls for strong imagination to picture the times when hoofs were clattering, the hay was smelling freshly, wine was being poured into cups while merchants were loudle talking about convenient bargains and the air was filled with the delicious smell of the roasted stakes.
