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The city of Târgu Jiu takes its name from the Jiu River, which crosses it from north to south and which, over time, drew its bed from Prejbei Hill to the west, forming three terraces on which the city is built today.

Before the Roman conquest of Dacia, Târgu Jiu was a village of islands and forests, between the Jiu River. For a long time, this location offered the residents good protection and defended them against invaders from outside.

The city is first mentioned in 1406 under the name “Jiul”, in an order from Prince Mircea the Elder to the monastery of Tismana.

Also in the 15th century the place appears for the first time as a market in the documents.

The city, mentioned as such in a 1611 document by Radu Mihnea, is listed as a communal organization, with a city council, with a chief and several members responsible for the affairs of the city.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the city’s history records some battles with its neighbors to decide the ownership of Targu Jiu lands. In the 17th century, Târgu Jiu served as the provincial capital of Gorjs.

The city became the seat of some of the country’s rulers such as Mihai Viteazul, Matei Basarab and Constantin Brâncoveanu.

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Sightseeing features

The monumental ensemble

The historically most significant tourist attraction in Târgu Jiu is the monumental ensemble dedicated to the heroes who died in World War I. It consists of three monumental components, namely the Table of Silence, the Gate of the Kiss and the Infinite Column, designed and realized by Constantin Brâncuşi.

The Table of Silence

The Table of Silence is a work of limestone and symbolizes the table before the confrontation. The 12 chairs around the table are shaped like an hourglass.

The Gate of the Kiss

The Gate of the Kiss is built of travertine and has the shape of a triumphal arch. It was built to symbolize the triumph of life in death.

The Infinite Pillar

The infinite column symbolizes the ascent to heaven. Over 29 meters high, the monument is made up of 15 octahedral modules and is dedicated to the Romanian soldiers of World War I.

The Constantin Brâncuși Memorial House

Built in 1870 by the sculptor’s father in the village of Hobita, the house had three not very large rooms. In the center was a room with a small fireplace. In front of the house was a porch with wooden pillars, and the entrance to the yard was also guarded by columns.

From 1970 it was transformed into a memorial house, which today exhibits a collection of albums, letters, photographs and documents about the life and work of the father of modern sculpture Constantin Brâncuși.

Constantin Brancusi was born on February 19, 1876.

The great sculptor learned the skill of carving the wood that he brought to life in his hands from the village artisans, especially his father and grandfather.

Of the 204 known works by the famous sculptor, unfortunately there are only very few left in the country.

In Târgu Jiu there is the sculptural ensemble of the Infinite Column, the Table of Silence and the Gate of Kisses. Other works can be found in Craiova, Buzau and in Bucharest.

However, the vast majority of his works are distributed in the largest museums and collections around the world.

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