Cuza palace from Ruginoasa (Iasi) built in 1804 by Sturdza family.
In 1862, the palace was bought by Alexandru Ioan Cuza, ruling prince of the United Romanian Principalities.
,,Câtă vreme va avea țara aceasta istorie, cea mai frumoasă pagină va fi aceea a lui Alexandru Ioan I”
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,,As long as this country shall have a history, the most beautiful page will be that of Alexandru Ioan”
(Mihail Kogâlniceanu)
Rare 1864 photo
Who was the ruling prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza?
Under Alexandru Ioan Cuza’s reign, the union of the 3 Romanian principalities was finally achieved in 1861 after previous rulers had hopelessly fought for centuries to achieve this goal. With a unitary state also came Cuza’s major reforms that contributed to the modernization of Romanian society and of state structures.
This included, among other things – national agricultural reforms, the creation of a justice system through the adoption of a Criminal and a Civil code, reforms in the education system, modernization of the army, secularization of monastery estate.
In 1866, he was forced to abdicate to make room for a German prince – a convenient choice for Austrian interests in Transylvania and for the nobility land owners, who had lost their privileges due to his reforms.
Cuza died in 1873 in Germany and his remains were brought to Ruginoasa residence, where they were buried near the church. Today, the property is a museum that caries his name in his memory.
Church built near the palace
Cuza’s resting place. His remains were brought from Germany and buried near the palace according to his wishes,
Romania Dacia 