The Mogo║oaia Palace is a unique example of aristocratic architecture in Romania. The Palace was built in 1698 by Prince Constantin BrΓncoveanu, who used it as a permanent residence. The Palace lies approximately 15 km northwest of the capital. Its style is an original combination between Wallachian and Byzantine architecture and the Venitian Baroque.
The Mogo║oaia Palace is built in the middle of a park at the edge of what remains of the secular Vlπsiei Woods, and has three levels. First is the foundation level, which includes a vast underground space, whose vaulted ceiling is made up of four hemispheric domes uniting on a central pillar. The ground floor contains the former servant quarters. The first floor houses the princely quarters and the reception halls. The rooms are decorated with stuccowork in the Oriental style and mural paintings representing the members of the princely family.
The immense loggia on the first floor in front of the main faτade is the most important architectural element of the BrΓncoveanu style. Decorated with six stone pillars, whose capitels are adorned with garlands and leaves and which support ogival arches, the loggia opens out on the lake and the park. The loggia balustrade has minute stone carvings with vegetal motifs and includes the Wallachian coat of arms (an eagle holding an Orthodox cross in its beak).
Transformed into an inn after Constantin BrΓncoveanu and his four sons were executed in Constantinople, in 1860 the palace became the property of the Bibescu family. In 1957, a museum dedicated to BrΓncoveanu style art from the Middle Ages was established inside the palace. Some of the most representative holdings of the museum are the fine tapestries with gold and silver thread and vegetal floral and geometric motifs, as well as the numerous silver and massive gold objects (e.g. covers of religious books, trays, cups, etc) made by the Saxon goldsmiths of Bra║ov. The floral motifs are very diverse (e.g. tulips, roses, acanthus leaves) and show the influence of the Italian Renaissance and the folk imagination. The most beautiful BrΓncoveanu style goldwork is the massive gold cover of the Four Gospels printed in Bucharest in 1693. Now on display in the National History Museum in Bucharest, this is the work of Sebastian Han, a Sibiu goldsmith, and shows in relief biblical scenes and the efigies of the Byzantine King Constantine and his mother, Queen Helen.
The BrΓncoveanu style church that has been preserved outside the Palace is smaller than that which was built initially in the palace enclosure. Inside, one can see the votive painting of Prince BrΓncoveanu, depicted together with his wife, seven daughters, and four sons.
