How about we uncover the story behind Casa Nanu-Muscel? This historic house stands in Bucharest on Piața Romană. Casa Nanu-Muscel belonged to Professor Ion Nanu-Muscel. He taught semiology and medical clinic for 30 years at the University of Medicine in Bucharest. He was also a senator. Nanu-Muscel worked as a doctor at Filantropia Hospital and Colțea for 36 years. He was president of the Medical Society of Bucharest hospitals. Also, he was a member of the Academy of Medicine in Romania.
The city of Bucharest began auctioning parcels in Piața Lascăr Catargiu/Romană starting in 1898. Professor Sabba Ștefănescu won the first lot. It measured 893.36 m2. Architect Oscar Maugsch built his villa on the corner between 1902 and 1903. Ion Nanu-Muscel won the auction on June 11, 1908. He offered 50.5 lei/m2 for the land where Casa Nanu-Muscel now stands. Before this villa, Dr. Nanu-Muscel lived on G.C. Cantacuzino Street at number 51.
Construction took place roughly between 1909 and 1911. The building permit file is missing from the archives today. Many articles incorrectly attribute the villa’s construction to Ion D. Berindey. They falsely date it to 1890. Casa Nanu-Muscel appears in a list of Ernest Doneaud’s works in Gazeta Ilustrată, year I, no. 3, December 31, 1911.
Dr. Nanu-Muscel opposed building the Palace of the Academy of Higher Commercial and Industrial Studies. Legal steps and contracts began in 1922-1923. Construction started in 1924 based on plans by architects Grigore Cerkez and Edmond van Saanen Algi.
The history of the Nanu-Muscel family during the communist period is unknown. Historian Andrei Pippidi mentions that Professor Socrate Lalu lived in the villa later. Lalu taught pharmacology in Iași and Bucharest.
At the end of 2006, authorities issued a demolition permit for the outbuildings. This was carried out in the spring of 2008. The Academy of Economic Studies bought the property in 2012. After initial restoration work, the main building fell into ruin until 2015. The Academy of Economic Studies then announced the start of restoration. The house was declared a historical monument in 2013. Despite opposition, the interiors were destroyed. Only the facades will be integrated into a new seven-story building.
Casa Nanu-Muscel is one of Ernest Doneaud’s most elegant creations. It features rich decoration inside and out in the Beaux-Arts style. Some elements resemble Ion D. Berindey’s style. These include floral designs, female masks, and ironwork. This has led to the incorrect attribution of the building to Berindey.
In 2022, the house was renovated with the cheapest sheet metal for the roof. The new construction looms over the house. The new building is right next to the Palace of the Academy.
In 2012, the Bucharest University of Economic Studies bought Casa Nanu-Muscel. They renovated it and included it in a modern glass building. This expanded the university campus. The project aimed to restore the house to its original appearance. The new function is an Education Center. It is an annex to the University of Economic Studies. The building holds an exhibition of student projects. At the ground floor are spaces for teamwork and individual work. The first floor features a conference room, a library, and a media library. The attic provides an open space for conferences and meetings. Casa Nanu-Muscel stands as a testament to Bucharest’s rich architectural and intellectual history, a blend of styles and stories etched into its very walls.