“Who was Ioan I. Dalles?” you might ask. Sala Dalles stands before you a testament to a family’s legacy and a city’s cultural heart. It’s more than just a building. It is a vibrant space with stories etched into its very walls.
Sala Dalles is an exhibition hall in Bucharest. You will find it on Bulevardul Nicolae Bălcescu number 18. This is near University Square. Its story begins with a family of Greek origin. They were wealthy Romanians. Ioan I. Dalles and his wife Elena owned properties. These were located in Bucharest’s commercial center.
Tragedy struck the Dalles family repeatedly. Their first child George died at two. Ioan G. Dalles the father died in 1886. Daughter Dora passed away at 17. Then in 1914 Ioan I. Dalles died at 35. Elena Dalles remained single. She dedicated herself to charitable acts.
Before her death Elena Dalles made a bequest. On May 16 1918 she gave part of the family fortune to the Romanian Academy. This was to establish a cultural foundation. It would bear her son’s name Ioan I. Dalles.
The Romanian Academy respected her wish. They built a building. It had rooms for art exhibitions. There were spaces for music auditions. It even included rooms for the Popular University of Bucharest. Elena Dalles’ will was opened on September 1 1921. She wanted the foundation to cultivate and educate Romanian citizens.
The building’s architect was Horia Teodoru. Emil Prager won the contract. On May 29 1932 the Ioan I. Dalles Foundation officially opened. The event was a memorable cultural moment.
Many famous figures held conferences here. Nicolae Iorga and Octavian Goga spoke here. Great musicians performed at Sala Dalles. George Enescu played 26 concerts here.
After World War II things changed. In 1948 the foundation’s assets went to the Ministry of Arts and Information. Later in 1962 the People’s University of the City of Bucharest was established. Academician Tudor Vianu became its rector.
In 1963 the Dalles Hall was transferred. It went from the Art Museum to the Central Lectureship. After 1977 it became the Cultural-Scientific University.
After the fall of communism it was renamed. It became the Ioan I. Dalles Popular University in 1995. In 2019 it became the Metropolitan Center for Education and Culture. This respected Elena Dalles’ wishes. It preserved her son’s name.
Today Sala Dalles remains a cultural hub. It hosts courses conferences and events. It stands as a testament to education and culture. The Sala Dalles has a capacity of 344 seats. Its story continues to unfold. It enriches Bucharest’s cultural landscape.