Marghiloman Palace Stables

MARGHILOMAN PALACE STABLES The main reason that led the great politician from Buzău to build Albatros Villa, this architectural jewel, was the need for a residence for the first model equine base in Romania. Considered the father of Romanian horse racing, Alexandru Marghiloman was the organizer of the first horse races in Romania, with mutual bets, on Floreasca racecourse in Bucharest. In 1874 he contributed substantially (land and money) to the construction of the equine field in Băneasa (inaugurated in 1881) and financed the headquarters of the Romanian Jokey Club, whose president he was until he relinquished this position to King Carol I, becoming vice-president. Very impressed by the English model of equine bases, Marghiloman decided, after the death of his father, Iancu Marghiloman, in 1892, to build a real equine base in Buzău. Located in the immediate vicinity of Marghiloman Park, over the railway that connects Muntenia with Moldova, the racecourse had 42 hectares of land for the track and paddocks, the administration house, the staff house, four pavilions with seven stables, outbuildings and annexes. The horses from his stud would win 27 derbies, a true record in horse racing. Along with Albatros, the horses Zori de Zi (which specialists of the breed considered to be the most valuable product of the Romanian equestrian movement until the beginning of the First World War), Frunzeta, Doina, Ghiaur were bred here and won competitions. The great horse breeders from France and England bought horses from Marghiloman’s stud, and the mare Doina was the mother of the most famous horses in Europe at that time. Behind Marghiloman Palace/Albatros Villa is, in a relatively good condition, one of Alexandru Marghiloman’s stables, which the municipality intends to renovate and to establish a museum of Romanian horse racing here.