Dreams of an Architect: Architectural masterpieces: CEC Palace, Bucharest

The CEC Palace in Bucharest, Romania, built in 1900 and situated on Calea Victoriei opposite the National History Museum, is the headquarters of the national savings house C.E.C., nowadays called CEC Bank. Housing both a museum and bank headquarters, the Palace is open to the public and offers an excellent glimpse of the architectural style of the early 20th century.

Before the erection of the palace, the spot was occupied by the ruins of a monastery (Saint John the Great) and an adjoining inn. The church, built in the 16th century, was renovated by Constantin Brâncoveanu during 1702 - 1703, but later degraded and was demolished in 1875.

The palace was built as a new headquarters for the public savings institution known as C.E.C. ( Romanian: Casa de Economii şi Consemnaţiuni), the oldest Romanian bank. The lands were bought and the building built with the institutions's own funds. Work started on the 8th of June, 1897 and ended in 1900. The projects were designed by the architect Paul Gottereau, a graduate of the School of Art in Paris, while the construction was supervised by the Romanian architect Ion Socolescu.

Built in eclectic style, the palace is topped by a glass and metal domemeant to provide the main hall inside with natural light. The monumental entrance is endowed with a huge semicircle fronton supported by two pairs of columns in composite style. The four corners are decorated with gables and coats of arms and ending in Renaissance domes.

The palace is said to feature one of the most solid bearing structures of all the buildings in Bucharest, which was confirmed by the minimal damages the building suffered during the 1977 earthquake, when the glass dome was the only element affected.

the C.E.C. Palace is said to feature one of the most solid bearing structures of all the buildings in Bucharest, a reputation put to test, amongst others, during the 1977 earthquake, when the glass dome was the only element affected, with little and insignificant damage to the rest of the building. - See more at: http://www.tourism-bucharest.com/bucharest-attractions/palaces-in-bucharest/cec-palace.html#sthash.DPJFVPlJ.dpuf

After 106 years of service, the building was deemed no longer fit for modern banking and was therefore sold to the municipality to be used as a museum, in exchange for 17.787 mil. euro. Even if no longer open to CEC clients, the Palace remains rented as bank headquarters until a new suitable building is found or built.