11 Facts About Cristofi Cerchez

Cristofi Cerchez was a Romanian engineer and architect.

Cristofi Cerchez built approximately 50 buildings in various cities of Romania over his nearly 50-year career.

Cristofi Cerchez's architecture covers a wide range of styles from traditional to eclectic to modern, as well as private, civic and religious edifices.

Cristofi Cerchez was born on 4 July 1872, in the village of Baneasa-Herastrau in the outskirts of Bucharest, in a family of Armenian and Circassian descent.

Cristofi Cerchez attended schools in Turnu Magurele and Alexandria, and then continued his studies in Bucharest, at the Mihai Viteazul Lyceum.

Between 1895 and 1898, Cerchez attended the Polytechnic University of Milan.

The first known building designed by Cristofi Cerchez is the "Statescu Villa", built in Campulung and owned by the liberal politician Eugeniu Statescu.

In 1903, Cristofi Cerchez began designing a house for his friend, Dr Nicolae Minovici.

In 1904, Cristofi Cerchez began work on the "first house in the Romanian folk style", which took a year to build.

Cristofi Cerchez collaborated and worked on the Palace of Justice in Bucharest and for his work was awarded the Royal Patent Prize in 1906.

Four houses that represent the core of Cristofi Cerchez's style were built between 1911 and 1932 and were inspired by seventeenth century townhouses located in Bucharest, Campulung, and Targoviste.