Calea Moșilor

Calea Moșilor (1900)

Red Army in Bucharest near Boulevard of Carol I., 1944

Cocor Shopping Mall

Nowadays on Calea Moșilor

Calea Moșilor (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈkale̯a ˈmoʃilor]) is both a historic street and a major road in Bucharest, Romania. It runs from the back of the Cocor Shopping Mall (near Piața Unirii) to Obor. The street is divided into two distinct parts. East of the intersection with Carol I Boulevard the street has two lanes and consists of apartment blocks build during the communist era, while West of the intersection with Carol I Boulevard the street has only one lane and consists of houses build in the 19th century.^[1]

History

Old name of Calea Moșilor is Podul Târgului din Afară which translated means The Bridge of Outside Fair or The Bridge to Outside Market, a big Fair outside the City. Why "the Bridge" (Romanian - pod) ? Probably because all main roads in medieval Bucharest were "paved" with wood and had a resemblance with a bridge. Also "bridges" may be seen as ways towards exact destination. Most of main roads were Prince's Roads (Podurile Domnesti) and they usually began from nearby Curtea Veche (Prince's Old Court). Podul Târgului de Afară was in fact one of the major streets of Middle Ages Bucharest.

It was a Prince's road that had its beginning at St. Anton square/market, close to Curtea Veche. The street was much shorter in the past, the city limits being just somewhere at Saints' Church (Biserica Sfinţilor) towards North-East, at junction with Strada Sfinţilor. This is where was the first known location of Outside Market. Later in time city expanded and limits were moved towards Oborul Vechi Church and Fire Watchtower (Foisorul de Foc). Because it was meant to be an out of city market, these new limits became the next location of Târgul de Afară. Time passing revealed Bucharest expanding again. Limits of the City were moved farther and the road (or "bridge") with it. Now Târgul de Afară found its destination in the place which is now known as Obor Market (Piaţa Obor). Târgul de Afară became Târgul Moșilor, famous Fair throughout Wallachia held twice a week and it was direct precursor of Obor Market. From here on heading towards North-East, the road was making connection to cities from Moldova, but also cities like Brăila, Galaţi or Lvov.

The street itself was filled on both sides by small shops, tradesmen workshops, taverns, porter houses, small inns, churches, and more.

The end of Podul Târgului de Afară near Piaţa Obor was also the place where convicted people were executed by hanging. This is The place where famous haiduc Iancu Jianu was supposed to lose his life executed for his outlaw activity but one of noble ladies of the Court, Sultana Gălăşescu, saved him from death penalty by taking him as a husband. They had two children afterwards.

Calea Moșilor was the first street paved with cobblestones in Romania in 1825.^[2] Slowly all the streets in Bucharest and Romania took the same turn and wooden "bridges" were forgotten for good.

Transportation

RATB tram line 21 runs along the street. Tram line 16 and trolleybus 66 also serve parts of the street.

References

1. http://www.jurnalul.ro/special/mirosuri-grele-in-buricul-capitalei-127520.htm
2. http://www.bucurestiivechisinoi.ro/2011/01/calea-mosilor-si-agonia-cladirilor-istorice/

External links

• Calea Moşilor on Flickr.com

Coordinates: 44°26′34″N 26°07′07″E / 44.442666°N 26.118643°E