The Bellu Manor House at Urlati

Описание: The Bellu Manor House is a mid-19th architecture monument and museum in Prahova County, Romania. It belonged to the family of Baron Alexandru Bellu. The family were originally Aromanians from the Macedonian Pindus, from the town of Pella, who had settled in Romania around 1780. Apparently, the buildings of the initial complex date back to about the same time, perhaps only a few decades later. The residence in Urlaţi was close to the hearts of the Bellu family.

In Wallachia, the Bellu family made a fortune and became related to important local boyars (nobles), such as the Cantacuzino, Văcărescu, Câmpineanu, Sturdza, and other old Romanian families. Alexandru Bellu (1850-1921), one of the family's last important members, was a man of culture, a lawyer, coin collector, and photographer. He was one of the forerunners of Romanian photography (his photographs of Romanian peasants were reproduced in the album "La Roumanie en images", published in Paris, in 1919).

Endowed with refined taste and unlimited funds, Alexandru Bellu collected porcelain, paintings, silverware, furniture and various objet d'art from all over the world. All the items that are found now in the Museum in Urlaţi are special and of priceless value. Some of them date back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries.

Photos were taken on June 28th, 2009.