Vernescu House

Vernescu House, Calea Victoriei/Victory Avenue, restoration file signed by Mincu and Joseph Piantini in april 1887; construction file for the dependencies dated 1890 and signed by Mincu
Code no. List of Historical Monuments B-II-m-A-19868
In the history of Bucharest, the former Lensh House is attributed to architect Freywald around 1821-1822 and is known for its numerous fires it suffered. In 1886 the house is bought by Gheorghe/George Vernescu (1830/1833 – 1900), lawyer, deputy, newspaper man, founder of the Liberal-Conservative Party. During the restoration period (1889-1890) of his house in Victory Avenue, Vernescu was the Ministry of Justice and Finance. Situated very close by the Romanian Academy and Manu House, Vernescu House has a neo-classical exterior, but inside it presents an ecclectic decoration. The interiors on the ground floor reflect the high position of the owner and they were designed as chancellery, offices, library, reception rooms. For the decoration of the ceilings, arch. Mincu worked together with his friend, the painter G.D.Mirea. We are sure that Mincu was deeply influenced by Garnier Opera in Paris when he designed the monumental staircase. In 1890 Mincu designed dependencies for servants, a two-level building, with a sober, classical exterior decoration.
In 1898 a new building was added, an ice house. Later on, after the time of Vernescu, in this house there were the offices of the Government, Ministry of National Economy and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.