The main intention of this long term program is to bring back to life the historic centre of Bucharest through weaving vertically, in time, with its history and memory and horizontally, in space, with the rest of the city. The reconstitution ‘in memoriam' by means of visual documents (maps, photographs, drawings, engravings), written documents (myths, literature, specialist texts), oral testimonies (interviews) will be done in parallel with an analysis of the existing situation (including fragments of streets and remaining buildings) and followed by strategies of intervention.

The first step of the Pro Patrimonio action plan for Bucharest was the production of The Panoramic Map of the Historic Centre of Bucharest - Lipscani. The project was coordinated by arch. Aurelian Triscu, specialist in the history of architecture and member of the Pro Patrimonio Board.

click on thumbnails to see the bigger images

On 1 st July 2004, the American Embassy in Bucharest organized at the Stavropoleos monastery a ceremony, in order to celebrate the finalization of the monastery restoration works and to launch the Bucharest Panoramic Map (both projects had been financed by the US Embassy).

HE Mr. Michael Guest and US Embassy representatives, Father Marchis (Stavropoleos), Mrs. Maria Berza and four PP representatives (including two of the PP volunteers), map designer Catalin Ilinca and photographer Gabi Balanescu attended the event.

The map was edited by Pro Patrimonio and Media9 and financed by the USA Embassy in Bucharest.
Over 1,000 copies have been sold till the end of December 2004.