The Church of the Former Monastery at Curtea de Argeș: A Place of Art, Legend, and National Memory

Abstract

This article analyses the church of Curtea de Argeș, a unique architectural monument in former Wallachia, which is a symbol of historical heritage in the entire state of Romania. It is partly an art historical analysis, and partly an intellectual history of the studies, preservation and promotion of the monument in the period of nation-state formation in the late nineteenth century. The monument was at the centre of significant historical events, legends, beliefs; together with its unique architecture, they were recounted and used for the promotion of national art and culture. Indeed, modern state-builders have paid careful attention to the historical complexity of the monument, including its legends, in defining the idea of Romanian art. Therefore, the article argues more broadly that national symbols are successful if they are based on both historical facts and legends from the past. Furthermore, the modern transformation of the monument into a national symbol was not solely a Romanian affair. Its discovery and promotion happened through a complex transnational exchange between various architects and scholars based in Romania, France and the Habsburg Empire. Therefore, the article provides further proofs for the transnational nature of the national heritage formation in Eastern Europe and beyond.