Marghiloman Palace/Albatros Villa

MARGHILOMAN PALACE/ ALBATROS VILLA FRENCH ARCHITECT PAUL GOTTEREAU (1843 – 1924) The Marghiloman Palace, also known as „Albatros” Villa, was designed by the famous French architect Paul Gottereau, the author, among others, of the projects of Deposits House (today C.E.C. Palace), Cotroceni Palace, Carol I University Foundation Palace (today the Central University Library of Bucharest), Craiova Art Museum, as well as some private buildings (mansions and palaces) belonging to great names of the time (Cantacuzino, Lahovari, Bibescu, Văcărescu). The villa was inaugurated by Alexandru Marghiloman in 1896, naming it after one of his favorite stallions from the thoroughbred horse stud he had in Buzău. Marghiloman Palace/ „Albatros” Villa hosted important personalities of Romanian political life over time – King Ferdinand, Queen Maria, Prince Carol, Nicolae Iorga, Lascăr Catargiu, Dimitrie Sturza, Take Ionescu and others. On 27th January 1902, when Marghiloman was 48 years old, the foundations of Buzău branch of the Conservative Party were laid at „Albatros”. Between 19th – 24th November 1916, during the withdrawal of the Romanian army to Moldova, the Great Headquarters was installed in the building of the City Hall of Buzău, and King Ferdinand and the representatives of the Royal Military House were hosted at „Albatros” villa. Part of the „Marghiloman Estate” inherited from his father, the „Albatros” villa is a true architectural jewel, located in a natural setting arranged with great generosity and good taste. The main building has 8 rooms, kitchen, vestibule and corridor on the ground floor, 10 rooms and corridor on the first floor, rooms for servants in the attic. It is located in a park of 22.5 ha and had next to it the guest house, the staff house, the two gardeners’ houses, the porter’s house, six stables for racing horses with 54 stalls, the feed storehouse, two greenhouses, the power plant and the pond. On 1st October 2015, after four years of restoration work on the Albatros villa and the surrounding land, the festive inauguration of „Alexandru Marghiloman” Cultural and Educational Centre took place, intended to host some of the special cultural events of Buzău. On the staircase in the central hall of the villa, a bust of him was placed, the work of the sculptor Emil Pricopescu from Buzău. The interior and exterior lighting, especially the decorative lighting, reproduce the charm of an iconic building of the city. The statue of Alexandru Marghiloman, the work of artist Ciprian Dominoschi from Buzău, was placed on the left side of the alley in front of Villa Albatros and it was unveiled on 27th March 2018, on the 100th anniversary of the Union of Bessarabia with Romania, as a recognition of the contribution of the great politician from Buzău at the creation of Great Romania. Villa Albatros is included on the List of Historical Monuments {BZ-II-m-B-02347.01}.