In the heart of the capital, across from the University, one finds a mansion that stands out from all its surrounding buildings, and that houses the Museum of the Municipality of Bucharest. But the inhabitants of Bucharest know this building best as "Sutu Palace", once part of the vast Cantacuzino property, a gift of Matei Basarab to Elina, daughter of Radu Serban and wife of the Court Marshall, Constantin Cantacuzino.
THE EXCITING LIFE OF THE COURT MARSHALL COSTACHE. During the 19th century these environs were a portion of the lands of the Court Marshall Costache Sutu, part of his wife Roxandra's dowry. The family was originally from Greece. Costache was the son of Grigore, who in turn was the son of Prince Sutu, and of Safta Dudescu. At only 21 years of age, he was the great Court Marshall of Moldova, President of Bucharest's Court of Appeals, and Minister of Justice in 1850. Ambitious and intelligent, he never shied away from all sorts of intrigues, including a plot against Prince Bibescu, and succeeded in evading any accusation being leveled against him. At 17 he married Roxandra, daughter of the great magistrate Dumitrasco Racovita, who was even younger than he was. They had five children, four daughters and one son named Grigore, after his father. The impetuous Costache had an affair with Elisa Orbescu, with whom he had a further four girls and one boy.
When Roxandra died in 1866, Costache took to wildly spending money, and his son Grigore put him under house arrest. At Costache Sutu's death in February 1875, Grigore, his only legitimate son, inherited a vast fortune in the country and abroad, which included the Bucharest palace. The illegitimate son, Niculae, had disappeared without a trace with his tutor, a Catholic abbot.
WHEN SPLENDOR LIVED SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH SIMPLICITY. Built between 1833 and 1835, Sutu Palace was the work of the Court Marshall Costache, and it distinguished itself from all Bucharest's buildings of the time. It was designed by the Viennese architects Conrad Schwink and Johann Veit. The style was occidental, neo-gothic, two-storeyed with many rooms, and four small polygonal towers on both sides of the building. The majestic high-ceilinged and spacious entrance hall and its large windows contrasted greatly with the narrow entrances and windows of the old Romanian houses. Full-length balconies straddled the front and back of the building. The renowned sculptor and decorative artist, Karla Storck, later added a monumental staircase in the entrance hall, which splits in front of a huge mirror from the Murano Island. A wooden, carved medallion portrait of Irina Sutu, daughter-in-law of the court Marshall, adorns the top of the mirror. The palace was surrounded by a vast garden with an abundance of flowers and plants, interspersed with porcelain dwarfs and wandering peacocks. An artesian fountain gurgled happily in the front, while a marble console in the back held a sundial with a cannon, whose gunpowder was ignited by the heat of the sunt at midday. The great iron gates guarded two lions and a brilliant yellow metal sun. In those days, the Sutu garden was surrounded by peasant homes, at whose gates women sat spinning their wool.
BALLS, RECEPTIONS, DANCES. Shortly after Grigore Sutu and Irina Hagi-Mosco married, the palace began receiving guests. Receptions, dances and exquisite balls turned night into day, and attracted Bucharest's elegant high society. Refined light meals and drinks were served, but it was the music and dance that heated the atmosphere. Strauss's waltzes drove the women and men to be swept away more by their feelings than by reason.
The Sutus were extremely hospitable. Grigore would receive the guests at the foot of the staircase, very serious, dressed in tails and never lacking a pair of white gloves, while his wife moved untiringly from one guest to the next. They had guests every Sunday, and during the carnival period dances were held in their home every Thursday. Two major balls were held, of which one was a costume ball. Even Prince Carol would attend the January 30 ball, in honor of Grigore Sutu's name day.
Grigore and Irina Sutu were unafected and frank people. He was stout and short, and wore high heels. Irina was tall and thin, and was beautiful until she came down with an ulcer. She had received a very strict education, supplemented by French teachers in the art of elegant manners. In addition to her native tongue and French, she knew Greek, German and Italian. Tact and his wife's tolerance calmed the passionate and very jealous Grigore, and they were together until their death, without ever having any children.
When they were not receiving guests, they would visit their friends or enjoy an outing in their spacious carriage along Kiseleff Boulevard, Bucharest's high society promenade. They were always accompanied by their white poodle Luti, who was later replaced by Lula, a small pug. Their carriage driver was named Iancu, a tall Gypsy with a long mustache, who wore red-striped livery and pants, and donned a high hat with a multicolored rosette. A young blackamoor from Constantinople by the name of Soliman, sporting a Turkish outfit, stood at the bach of the carriage.
THE BEAUTY STILL ATTRACTS VISITORS. Grigore survived Irina by only two years, and the palace passed on to various owners. It became the headquarters of the Chrissoveloni Bank, later that of Romania's National Savings Bank, of the Institute of Construction and Bucharest Municipality's City Hall. In 1958 it was inaugurated as Museum of History of the Municipality of Bucharest.
The building still awaits its guests. Climbing the imposing staircase, the visitor comes to the Venetian mirror watched over by Irina Sutu, and in which is reflected a large clock, placed strategically to be seen only in the mirror. The righthand staircase leads to the first hall, whose interior is characteristic of 19th century high society palaces and mansions. In the adjoining rooms, formerly the personal apartments of Grigore and Irina Sutu, one finds displays of Romanian ceramic vases, Oriental and Occidental glass, tiles and porcelain, jewel-encrusted goblets, brocade and velvet costumes, seals, weapons, paintings, engravings and silver. Other rooms house the history of Bucharest's administration, beginning with that of the first city leader. Those who cross the threshold of this fairly small palace will find here a brilliant and glorious past, as well as the many truths that have not been lost.
Sutu Palace, at the beginning of the last century
Irina & Grigore Sutu
The lofty staircase of the palace reflected in a Venetian mirror
The mayor's office
The dome
"Ambience" Room
