“There, in the mud.” A local tale explains the name of Colentina. A spatarr responded to Matei Basarab. Basarab asked where he beat the Ottoman army.
Welcome to Colentina a neighborhood etched in Bucharest’s vibrant story. It lies northeast of the city. It owes its identity to the Colentina River. This area evolved from forested land to a bustling commune. Today Colentina stands as a testament to Bucharest’s ever changing spirit.
Until the 18th century Colentina was part of a vast forest. It appears on Stolnic Constantin Cantacuzino’s map. But even then small settlements existed. Archaeologists found traces dating back to the 6th and 7th centuries. A Byzantine bronze coin from 539 AD was unearthed here. It confirms Colentina’s ancient roots.
The Plumbuita Monastery played a key role in Colentina’s development. The monastery owned much of the land. It rented out shops pubs and farmland. Andronache Teohari a Paharnic was among the renters. His name lives on in the Andronache estate in northern Colentina.
Houses sprung up along the road to Bucharest. In 1837 the Ilfov County administrator urged the monastery to donate land. Peasants could build homes according to a plan. Colentina became a melting pot. Romanians Greeks Bulgarians and Serbs settled here.
Colentina also witnessed important historical events. Alexander Ypsilantis and the Filiki Eteria camped here in 1821. They came from Moldavia before the Greek War of Independence. In 1830 Colentina saw the consecration of flags for the national militia. Four years later the first national army soldiers swore allegiance here. The field became a regular site for military exercises.
The 1863 law secularized monastery estates. In 1864 the rural commune of Colentina-Fundeni was formed. It included Plumbuita Colentina and Fundeni villages. A primary school was built around this time.
Colentina retained its agricultural character into the late 19th century. Large landowners owned most of the land. The inhabitants owned only a small portion. The commune had six abattoirs. They processed about 12000 cows each year. The meat was sold in Bucharest. Colentina also boasted 26 pubs and 5 inns.
In the 1890s Colentina village had 254 residents. Plumbuita had 288 and Fundeni 279. The 1899 census recorded three new villages Andronache Boldu and Tei. The commune’s population reached 1048 including 46 foreign citizens mostly Transylvanian refugees.
In 1939 Colentina became part of Bucharest along with other areas. The neighborhood changed dramatically in the 1970s and 1980s. Houses gave way to apartment blocks. Recently Arab and Chinese immigrants have made Colentina their home. Colentina continues to evolve. It is a neighborhood shaped by history and people.