National Theatre in Iasi ranks among the most breathtaking ones in the world, BBC reports

“Vasile Alecsandri” National Theatre in Iasi ranks among the most beautiful theatre buildings in the world, according to a BBC report “Seven theatres that take your breath away”, a ranking made according to the online reviews of the readers on the occasion of the World Theatre Day.

“Vasile Alecsandri” Theatre was mentioned second after Bristol Hippodrome in Bristol in United Kingdom. Among other exquisite theatre buildings are Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza in Italy, Globe Theatre in London in United Kingdom, Palais Gariner in Paris, France, War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, US and Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Italy.

Iasi Theatre is also the oldest national theatre in Romania, while its building being included on the Historical Monuments List. He was set up in 1840, under the lead of three great Romanian culture men: Costache Negruzzi, Vasile Alecsandri and Mihail Kogalniceanu.

As of December 1846, the National Theatre was hosted in the new hall of the Big Theatre in Copou. Unfortunately, a devastating fire destroyed the building of Copou Theatre in February 1888 and the current building of the theatre was built between 1894-1896 by architects Fellner and Helmer from Wienna, with the design copying similar buildings in Wienna, Prague, Odessa or Zurich.

The electric lighting system of the city appears at the same time with the theatre in Iasi.

The theatre is given the name of poet and dramatist Vasile Alecsandri in 1956 on the 140^th anniversary of the first performance in Romanian language on the theatre’s stage.

The building of Iasi National Theatre is a true architectonic jewel sheltering real art monuments. The Curtain painted by Viennese artist M. Lenz in 1896 and finished by one of his disciples is displaying a parable of the life with the three ages in the center, while at the right side visitors can find a parable of the Romanian Principalities Union. The iron curtain painted by Al. Goltz is dividing the stage from the rest of the hall, while the ceiling painted by the same artist depicts Edenic parables representing angles and nymphs. The rococo crystal Venice chandelier has 109 bulbs.