The Defence Belt of Bucharest
un unfolding urban novel
a visual travel
around The Defence Structure
1882
Bucharest Citadel - under the pressure of world economic powers at the time (The Sublime Ottoman State, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and Russian Empire), King Carol decides to build an encircling stronghold to protect it.
Great resources in both manpower and finances go into the project, best architects of Europe hired for the job and we finally have in 1895 a sturdy defence belt surrounding the citadel with 18 forts (for firing and military operations) and 18 batteries (for holding supplies and ammunition) all linked with a hidden rail line.
In 1914, similar defence structures built by the same architects in Europe (Anvers and Liege) fall under the overwhelming strength of the Central Powers. In 1916, the german army approaches Bucharest, well equipped and ready for a mighty fight, but finds the structure empty and unarmed. The Citadel is taken with no effort.
a closer look
Romanian history books like to see the country as a cultural mediator between the East and West when it comes to its role in Europe and there may be a truth to that. According to Neagu Djuvara, a Romanian historian, philosopher, journalist, novelist and professional diplomat the list is long. Romania has been a negotiating ground for:
- Geto-Dacians
- Romanised Italians & Mediterraneans brought with Roman colonisation
- remnants of Germanic barbarians (Goths, Gepids, etc.)
- the Great Slavic migration
- the so-called Turanian peoples, coming from Central Asia in successive
waves (Avars, Pechenegs, Uz, Cumans - majority Turkic-speaking)
- groups that did not mix with Romanians
(Hungarians, Saxons, Ruthenians, etc.)
- waves assimilated by the Romanian mass (Greeks and other Balkans)
- waves that assimilated more difficultly, either deliberately kept away or
out of their desire to preserve their identity (Gypsies, Armenians, Jews)
- Bulgarian Kingdom
- Byzantine Empire
- Hungarian Kingdom
- Serbian Despotates
- Polish Kingdom
- Ottoman Turks
- Austrians
- Russians
- French
So then..
with such a long list of records and experience in mediation & cultural negotiation, why would you need
a defence belt?
In cheers of History
Of course, the narrative is not that simple, specially looking back, but our task was to look ahead and act with purpose in finding for the now metropolitan Bucharest a refreshing confidence and urban coherence where the city seemed to loose traction.
The proposal: The countries with which Romania has currently tight strategical and cultural relations, are invited to raise their flags as Embassies from inside the defence structures, once purposed for enemies. Same structure, different strategy. The new context of flagship would set an environment of democracy, transparency and multicultural development of Bucharest and trailblaize ahead with its decisional influence as capital.