The Cotroceni Palace is a part of the Cotroceni National Museum which is a specialized institution focused upon reflecting the history of the Medieval and Modern Cotroceni, upon the evolution and transformations that came up in time. The Cotroceni palace, church and monastery reflect a three-century history that interweaves political, military, diplomatic, religious and cultural aspects, directly with the general evolution of Romanian society.

By its themes and holdings, the Cotroceni National Museum exhibits a rich range of values belonging to our national art, as well as to Romanian and world decorative art. The Cantacuzinian space seems to be a most suitable place for organizing a presentation of some old art objects that only give an outline of the exceptiobal value of the respective epoch. Among the most remarcable objects exhibited are the richly adorned tombstones, an expression of the admirable art of the stoneworkers and decorators, as well as carvings that prove the vigour of the Cantacuzinian and Brancovenian art and architecture.

The present-day Cotroceni Ensemble proves to have an architectural design of an obvious compositional and artistic unity which it was built. Its constructive nucleous, the monastery erected by Serban Cantacuzino at the end of the 17th century, an exceptional quidemark of Romanian medieval art and architecture, underwent many changes along over three centuries of existence, some being remarkable by their design and proportions, other being totally unfavourable. But they did not much affect the initial building conception, the design structure and the general volume expression being maintained.

The inside architecture of the spaces dedicated to the museum, of the buildins that make up the historical part of the Cotroceni Ensemble, is perceived as a stylistic conglomerate, at first sight leading to slight confusion, owing to the variety of the components, but which results from the very manner of building, by putting together or superposing the interventions of functional and aesthetic remodelling. Up to our days, the most specific have been the initial building works of the monastery (the end of the 17th century) and the royal palace (the end of the 19th century - begining of the 20th century), as weel as the recent ones, of restauration and expansion of the whole ensemble.

The glass porch of the main entrance	The glass entrance hall - stained glass windows
The great reception room (after restauration)	The anteroom of the royal palace dining room

Last update: 2000, April 20
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