The University Auditorium, An Architectural Gem

The University Palace of Copou, built between 1893-1897 in place of the former Great Theatre of Copou and of the Belle-Arte School, displays an eclectic flamboyant architectural style. The construction process started on 28 April 1892, in the presence of his Royal Highness, the Crown Prince Ferdinand. The foundation stone was laid somewhere under the Atrium of “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi. The moment is recorded on the white marble plate that can be seen above the entrance to the Atrium, when coming from the Lost Steps Hallway; the latter reveals 19 mural paintings lying over 120 square metres, made by painter Sabin Bălașa between 1968-1978. The paintings were meant to be a visual representation of Romanian spirituality.

The inauguration of the building took place on 21 October 1897, under minister Spiru Haret; King Charles I of Romania, Queen Elisabeth of Romania, prime minister Dimitrie Alexandru Sturdza and rector Neculai Culianu participated in the festivities. In honour of the Queen, this moment is evoked on the oval red marble plate placed above the entrance to the atrium on the inside wall. During the communist regime, this plate was covered with an oval panel with Romania’s flags and nobody knew what was lying under the flags. The plate in the Lost Steps Hallway was also covered in a similar way; it is still a secret up to nowadays who was the person who saved the two plates from destruction.

In 1911, two portraits representing King Charles I and Queen Elisabeth (Carmen Sylva) were put in the atrium. These paintings were made by the painter of the Royal House, Mirea Demetrescu, who was also a professor at the Belle Arte School of Bucharest. After 1947, the two portraits disappeared. In 2013, on the occasion of the 200-year anniversary since Gheorghe Asachi’s foundation of the first class of Land Registry Engineers taught in Romanian, a decision was made about the restoration of the initial aspect of the atrium, by placing there the two portraits representing King Charles I and Queen Elisabeth. These were made by painter Mihail Tarași, a Professor at “George Enescu” Arts University of Iasi. The paintings also contain some encrypted messages – the queen holds a book, which is an edition of Mihai Eminescu’s poems; it is said that the two had had a little dispute on literary topics and the queen would have said to Eminescu: “…do not forget that I am Queen of Romania…”; and Eminescu would have answered “…yes, but you are not queen of poetry as well”. By representing this, the artist wished to reconcile the two poets. There is also another encrypted message in the King’s portrait, but except for the painter himself, one more person only knows this secret.