The postage stamp issue Elegance and Style in the Architecture of Bucharest offers philatelic enthusiasts an illustration of a theme beloved by colectors (architecture and history).
Consisting of: a postage stamp, a perforated philatelic souvenir sheet, and a First Day Cover, the issue will be introduced circulation on Friday, July 21st, 2023.
The postage stamp and the perforated philatelic souvenir sheet show the image of an architectural monument, rightly considered a landmark of modernism in the architecture of the Romanian capital, the Grand Hôtel du Boulevard.
The façade of the hotel, inaugurated 150 years ago (1873), is shown in the image of the postage stamp with the face value of Lei 11. A perspective, showing the scale and volume of the building, is illustrated on the postage stamp with the face value of Lei 34 inserted in the graphics of the perforated souvenir sheet.
Referring back to the history of the Grand Hôtel du Boulevard, it should be remembered that it was built on a plot of land in the vicinity of the Sărindar Church, belonging to the jeweller Jacques Herdan, who was also the baker supplier of the Royal House. Following a project drawn up by the architect Alexandru Orăscu, at the very time when he was supervising the work on another architectural monument, also designed by him, the University, in 1867 the construction of the Herdan Hotel began. When the work was completed (1871), the hotel had the largest accommodation space: 82 rooms and 11 apartments.
In 1878, the name of the building was changed to Grand Hôtel du Boulevard.
Successive improvements to the construction, registered as national premiere, keep the hotel at a high level of luxury and comfort. These include running water to every room, electric lighting, lift, telephone, reading room, bookshop.
The bohemian world of the capital was enjoying itself in the French restaurant of the hotel or stopping by the bookshop of Leon Alcalay, printer and publisher of Romanian and universal books. The hotel was a place of high life and political celebrities, who met at diplomatic receptions, parliamentary meetings, gala dinners and sumptuous balls.
Highlighting the historical importance of this hotel, we must remember that amongst the distinguished guests we find King Victor Emmanuel, the composer Pietro Mascagni, Munir Pasha, deputies or senators, members of the Romanian and foreign diplomatic corps. In 1924, the great artist Constantin Brâncuși was one of the most important guests.
Although Capșa seems to have been the favourite meeting place of the men of the pen, it should be noted that in the café of the Grand Hôtel du Boulevard, Octavian Goga, Onisifor Ghibu, Ilarie Chendi, Mihail Sadoveanu, Șt. O. Iosif met.
After several changes of use (the Legation of Persia, the Command of German Troops in Romania between 1940 and 1944, the Institute of Nonferrous and Rare Metals of the Ministry of Chemistry), in 1977 the building was given its original function and the name Grand Hôtel du Boulevard.
Speaking of the fame the hotel enjoyed, especially during the interwar period, historian Adrian Majuru makes a defining remark: “The Grand Hôtel du Boulevard... represented a veritable Babylon, where all languages were spoken...”.
