Short description: The Mausoleum from Marasesti is a historical monument, among the most important dedicated to the heroes of the First World War. It is located in Vrancea, because in this land the main battles were fought on the Eastern front. In these confrontations in Marasesti, 480 officers and 21,000 Romanian soldiers perished. Currently the mausoleum houses 5073 soldiers and officers in 154 individual crypts and 9 common crypts of 18 colors.
More to know – History
Not only the Mausoleum of Marasesti is located in Vrancea County but also the Mausoleum of Marasesti, Soveja and Focșani, which were built with significant costs and restored from European funds.
The monument was built according to the plans of famous architects, George Cristinel and Constantin Pomponiu. The works were demarcated on September 28, 1924 and resumed after 12 years.
This monument was considered to be among the most imposing monuments in the world.
After the Congress of 1919, a committee was set up, composed of great personalities of the time (Nicolae Iorga, gen. C. Cristescu, eng. C. Balş, Maria Glagoveanu, Elena Odobescu, Elena Davila, eng. N. Micrescu and Zoe Gh Rarincescu), in charge of coordinating the actions necessary for the construction of the mausoleum. The committee was chaired by Princess Alexandrina Gr. Cantacuzino. On July 14, 1921, the land needed to start construction came into the possession of the committee, being donated by Georges Ulise Negropontes.
Commemorative plaque, placed on the facade of the monument. On October 8, 1919, a lavish ceremony took place to determine the location of the mausoleum. According to tradition, the place of the future monument was marked by an iron cross, offered by the Metropolitan Church of Moldova and Suceava. In the same year, a project competition was organized to identify the best mausoleum model. The winning project of the competition was that of the architects Georgel Cristinel and Constantin Pomponiu. Due to lack of funds, the winning project was not implemented, being later abandoned. The monument in its shape today was built according to the plans of the architect Georgel Cristinel.
For a while the construction of the mausoleum stagnated, the works being resumed in 1936 by building the dome of the monument. Two years later the monument was completed, and on September 18, 1938, in a ceremony attended by an impressive crowd, various officials, including King Charles II, the mausoleum was inaugurated.
