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M\u00e2ntuleasa, an old slum that told its stories under the city lights<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For an autumn evening, Mantuleasa slum<\/strong> \u2013 one of the oldest areas of Bucharest, documented in 1781 \u2013 has regained its former life. The houses, gardens and courtyards have reopened to the public as part of Urban Explorers \u2013 Night Session, 2nd Edition<\/strong>, an event that transformed the neighborhood into a living museum of urban memory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n M\u00e2ntuleasa is not just a neighborhood, but a fabric of eras and styles: from carriage houses and modest merchant buildings, to eclectic villas and neo-Romanian residences. At its center is the The Church of the Savior<\/strong>, built in 1732 by the Manta merchant family \u2013 a landmark around which the entire neighborhood was born. The atmosphere of this place has inspired artists and writers over time, from Mircea Eliade to the interwar architects who shaped its identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83c\udf19 A whole day dedicated to rediscovering heritage<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The day started at 12:00<\/strong> with a antiques fair<\/strong> on Plantelor Street, where collectors and urban history enthusiasts brought objects that preserve the scent of old Bucharest and recreated the old merchant atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Between the hours 14:00 \u2013 19:00<\/strong>, the street was filled with joy and the sounds of children: architecture and drawing workshops for young people<\/strong>, organized in the courtyard of the former Caritatea Sanatorium, were coordinated by Pro Patrimonio Foundation<\/strong> and "Mincu" Student Association\u201e<\/strong>, offering participants a hands-on experience exploring the architectural details of the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All from the hour 14:00<\/strong>, Mantuleasa Garden<\/strong> hosted a culinary experience with a taste of the old slum<\/strong> \u2013 a special menu inspired by the cuisine of yesteryear, where simple ingredients and flavors were reminiscent of how cooking was done in the past, with patience and respect for authentic taste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83c\udfdb\ufe0f Guided tours and encounters with history<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The two guided tours<\/strong>, held at the hours 16:30<\/strong> and 18:30<\/strong>, were among the most anticipated moments of the entire day, bringing together over 200 participants<\/strong> eager to learn the stories of the M\u00e2ntuleasa neighborhood. From architectural historians and residents of the area, to visitors who came especially for the event, the groups traveled a route that united the urban history, legends, and transformations of the neighborhood into a captivating experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The walk started around Mantuleasa Church<\/strong>, built in 1732 by the Manta merchant family \u2014 the point of origin of the neighborhood and the street's name. A prosperous community of craftsmen and merchants emerged around this Br\u00e2ncove settlement, and the church has remained a symbol of the stability and identity of the place to this day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From here, the route took participants through Mantuleasa Entrance<\/strong>, where houses with bay windows and German details recall the beginnings of Bucharest's modernization, then towards Merchants Street<\/strong>, where the stories of the Vl\u0103descu and Bolintineanu houses outlined the portrait of an era of discreet refinement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Visitors discovered the places that inspired them Mircea Eliade<\/strong> and Mircea Vulcanescu<\/strong>, while on Romulus street<\/strong> they admired the facade of the former Rieber Factories<\/strong>, a landmark of early industrialization. The route continued on St. Stephen's Street<\/strong> and Plant Street<\/strong>, where the early 20th century villas \u2013 such as Romniceanu House (Plantelor 3)<\/strong> or Captain Pandele's Villa (Plan Four)<\/strong> \u2013 revealed layers of history through projections and digital animations presented especially for the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The guide, documented in detail by the Urban Explorers team and inspired by historical and architectural research in the area, combined rigorous information with vivid stories. Participants discovered how M\u00e2ntuleasa, from its first attestation in 1781 until today, has preserved its character as a stratified neighborhood<\/strong>, where carriage houses meet neo-Romanian villas, and urban myths intertwine with authentic architecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83c\udfe0 Houses open to the public<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n After the hour 18:00<\/strong>, visitors were able to enter courtyards and interiors rarely accessible to the general public. \ud83c\udf06 An evening with over a thousand visitors<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The 2025 edition attracted over 1,000 participants<\/strong> \u2013 Bucharest residents, architects, young people, families and tourists \u2013 who rediscovered the neighborhood through a unique nocturnal experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For many, it was the first encounter with the M\u00e2ntuleasa slum, for others a return to beloved places. The warm atmosphere, digital projections and discreet music transformed a historical area into a living space of urban culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 Heritage experienced, not just admired<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Urban Explorers \u2013 Night Session has become more than an event: it is a method of heritage interpretation<\/strong> which involves emotion, creativity and community participation. In the light of the projections, M\u00e2ntuleasa has become what it always was: a slum with a soul, where time accumulates in layers of memory, and people become part of the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83e\udd1d Partners and supporters<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Second edition of the project Urban Explorers \u2013 Night Session<\/strong> was made by Youth Vision for Society (YVS) Association<\/strong>, in main partnership with Union of Architects of Romania<\/strong> and Architecture Magazine<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Event partners: Order of Architects of Romania \u2013 Bucharest Branch<\/strong>, Pro Patrimonio Foundation<\/strong>, Mincu Student Association \u2013 <\/strong>who supported the organizers by supplementing the team of volunteers throughout the event, Mantuleasa Garden<\/strong>, Plan Four<\/strong>, Anca Potera\u0219u Gallery<\/strong>, Happy Advertising<\/strong>, Magazine<\/strong> Sketch<\/strong>, Bucharest Narrated<\/strong>, The Narrated History Association<\/strong>, and the team Urban Explorers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The project was possible with the support of the City Hall of Sector 2 of Bucharest Municipality<\/strong>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" M\u00e2ntuleasa, an old slum that told its stories under the city lights For an autumn evening, the M\u00e2ntuleasa slum \u2013 one of the oldest areas of Bucharest, documented in 1781 \u2013 regained its former life. The houses, gardens and courtyards reopened to the public as part of the Urban Explorers \u2013 Night Session, the second edition, an event\u2026 <\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2293,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1645","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fara-categorie"],"yoast_head":"\n
Each place told its own story through light, digital projections and architecture:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
The 2nd edition confirms the maturation of the concept \u2013 from visiting to feelings<\/strong> \u2013 transforming houses into spaces of dialogue between past and present, between architecture and digital art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n