Cercetări arheologice la Câmpulung, în zona vechii reşedinţe domneşti (2000–2005)
Archaeological excavations in Câmpulung, in the area of the old princely residence (2000-2005)

Summary/Abstract: The old residence of the first voivodes of Wallachia raises many questions regarding the church and other parts of the construction, among which especially interesting is the identification of the princely house. In the 17th century, due to the construction of the monastery, the ensemble was entirely changed. The princely church, destroyed by an earthquake, was restored in 1635, and the monastery buildings were raised on the same place as the old demolished constructions. During the archeological excavations made in 1975-1977, 1981-1982, 1984 and 2000-2005 in the old princely residence in Câmpulung traces of the 14th century were discovered and problems regarding the later evolution of the architectural ensemble were clarified. When the princely residence was no longer used, the area surrounding the most important church in Câmpulung, where the first two voivodes of Wallachia and some great nobles were buried, became urban cemetery. Due to the construction of the monastery in 1635, the ensemble was entirely modified in the 17th century. The church was restored and the monastery buildings were constructed after the old buildings, no longer in use, were demolished. The identification of the residence of the voivodes is an issue of particular interest. The cellar of the house situated south-east of the church was dated in the 14th century. The excavations made in 1975-1977 proved this cellar should be dated in the 17th century. The last remains of the wall that surrounded the church in the 14th century, demolished in the 15th century, were destroyed during its construction, together with other traces belonging to the 15th century and graves dated in the 16th century. The old house of the voivodes should be looked for elsewhere. In order to obtain more information about the constructions, the excavations made in 2000-2003 were made in the area situated east of the church and those made in 2004-2005 in the south-eastern part. Another archaeological excavation was made in the area situated on 76 Negru Vodă Street, to obtain more data about the urban habitation of the 14th-17th centuries. Significant remains dated in the 14th century were discovered east of the voivodal church. Among the results, one should mention a part of a building, researched on 10 m width, with walls made of stone, 1 m thick, with a pavement made of bricks inside and other areas with pavement situated outside, along the eastern and western walls. This building could be connected to the old princely residence. The stratigraphy shows this construction should be dated earlier than the buildings of the monastery. A coin minted by the king of Hungary Vladislav I in 1442, discovered in an earth layer subsequent to the building, argues the chronology of the construction in the 14th century and the assumption it belongs to the old princely residence. The excavations made in 2002 and 2003 increase the information about a large building with thick walls made of stone, found in 1981, dated in the 17th century. We are dealing with a large construction (about 11 m wide), made of stone and bricks, partly situated below the ground level inside the enclosure, but at the same time at the ground level towards the limit of the terrace. A threshold and a mullion of the stone frame of the entrance were found at a lower level of the building. The archaeological data and especially the stratigraphical observations confirm the initial chronology of the building, but the information should be supplemented with other data. The documents allow the supposition this building lodged the monastery stores and inn, built in 1646-1647 and destroyed in 1737. The traces of a monastery construction probably dated in the 18th century were found and delimited, too. In 2004 and 2005, in the south-eastern part of the church, traces which can be connected to the wall surrounding the church on its eastern side, and other traces probably belonging to the earth fortification which is the southern limit of the ensemble were found. The remains of two perpendicular walls, more than 1 m thick , were found towards east, which, according to their stratigraphical position, could be dated in the 14th century. Habitation traces of the 16th century, and many remnants of the walls belonging to monastery constructions dated in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries were also discovered. The enclosure wall of the monastery of the 17th century was observed in other two spots and a contemporary parallel wall towards west. Two parallel walls with a brick pavement between them were found, belonging to the buildings which limit the enclosure towards south. The constructions south of the church were used until 1934, when they were destroyed by a great fire. On a large surface north of these walls, Thick layers of ruins, stone, mortar remains covering the traces of other walls were discovered. Due to the limited surface of the excavations, the remains of buildings dated in different periods were discovered only partially. The image of the ensemble is subjective and incomplete. Only suppositions about the plan and the chronology of the constructions can be made. A complete research, allowing a complete picture of all these remains, confirming or denying different hypotheses should be possible sometime, if we intend to render valuable the traces of vanished buildings.

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