Elie Radu, a Model to Follow Up

The history of CFR is still a less explored field, a lot of the famous names, the monuments and the buildings appeared along the time under the symbol of the "winged wheel" being still covered with dust and also forgotten. From time to time, we have the surprise and the pleasure to inform you about the praiseworthy initiative of some people. These ones, even in the whirlpool of the events that are affecting us more and more often at the beginning of this new century, succeed to find their time for recalls.

For example, this year an interesting collection - named History Book of the Romanian Railways - has been issued, initiated and achieved by Radu Bellu, collection that reached its 5th number: Elie Radu (1853 - 1931), an artisan and an architect of the Romanian Railways. Being just issued in October, on the occasion of the 70 years since the architect Elie Radu past away, the volume points out the main landmarks of his biography. But most of it is an album of today and yesterday photographs representing the constructions designed and executed under the guidance of the famous architect.
Thus, we find out that Elie Radu was born in year 1853, in Botosani, both parents coming from old noble families of Moldova. He has started his studies at the Gymnasium School in Botosani (1860-1867) and he continued them with the Mihailesti Academy in Iasi, (1867-1872) and with Polytechnics University in Brussels, in Belgium (1872-1877).
Once with his return from Belgium, at the end of year 1877, the young engineer, and alsodiplomat, has joined the Romanian technical institution, his first official assignment being made as an engineer of the state for the control of the works of Guilloux Company on Ploiesti - Predeal railway section.
During his activity he has achieved studies and projects for a quite impressing number of links on the railway in our country, among which we remind here: Campina - Doftana, Bacau - Piatra Neamt, Craiova - Calafat, Buda - Slanic, Fetesti - Cernavoda, Focsani - Odobesti, Targoviste - Pietrosita, Targu Ocna - Ghimes, Moinesti - Comenesti, Pitesti - Curtea de Arges, Podul Iloaei - Harlau. He has been assigned in high positions, as chief (and then as general director) of the Studies and Constructions Department, as director of Hydraulic Department, as director of Bridges and Roads Department, up to the one of president of the Superior Technical Council of Romania.
Elie Radu has found time to share his experience to the students of the School of Bridges and Roads, but he also was the member of the Romanian Academy, of the Polytechnics Company and of AGIR, thus being part of the construction of the modern Romania.
The masterpiece of Elie Radu comprises the constructions of the railways, as well as civil constructions, also being added innovations in the technical education.
We find out from Radu Bellu's work that Elie Radu has designed and has achieved 650 km of railway, among which 475 km have been executed under his direct management (1879-1911).
The buildings designed by Elie Radu have created a unique style, purely Romanian, in the construction of the railway stations - until that particular moment, copied after the English and German models. Their special elegance, the durability feature of the materials used (rocks, bricks and wood), decorative elements inspired from the Romanian people art, the spacious waiting rooms, with wooden platform and with golden decorative arrangements, where there was added the brick utilization for the windows and doors are so many "signatures" of the famous architect. Remarkable is the fact that in his projects he took into consideration the architectural specific of each region.
Besides the railway constructions, the work of Elie Radu also includes the roads (Calarasi - Lehliu, Moroieni - Sinaia, Targu Jiu - Frontiera Veche (Carligul Caprei), Lotru - Caineni, Comanesti - Palanga, Tragu Ocna - Slanic, Todiresti - Tibana, Harlau - Dolhasca,), as well as 20 km of road and railway bridges.
He is also responsible for the achievement of the running potable water supply for the following towns: Bucharest, Sinaia, Botosani, Sulina, Turnu Severin, Piatra Neamt, Targu Ocna and Braila, the sewerage of Sinaia town and the design of the following public buildings: The Ministry of Public Works (today, the City Hall of the Capital), the Personnel House in Sinaia and Baile Mamaia.
The volume also points out other aspects of the professional career of the great architect, showing the evolution of Elie Radu as a teacher for 34 years and his activity as member of the Polytechnics Company for 49 years.
Appreciated and admired by his colleagues and collaborators when he was still alive, now, at almost a century since he past away, Elie Radu is considered a model worth to be followed up and to be studied.
In the end of the history page of no. 5 issue of his collection, Radu Bellu makes a promise to us. The next volume will treat the subject "Buzau -Marasesti railway section - the first railway studied and built by Romanian engineers", a railway section recently celebrated for its 120 years of existence.

Silvia Mirea