Banesti – Culture and Historical Traces

A fragmentary krater was discovered on the Neajlov near Bănești. Dated buildings in Chirculești, Gorneni and Iepurești, as well as a special exhibit in the Iepurești Museum Collection, add to the picture of cultural history. Different themes come together here: architecture, archaeology and an object connected to a historical event. When taking cultural interests into account in choosing a destination, you can distinguish between buildings, find sites and collections.

Dated Buildings

The manor house in Chirculești dates from 1864 and is classified as a monument of local interest and an architectural monument. In Gorneni, the “Sfinții Arhangheli Mihail și Gavril” church dates from 1825; it too is classified as a monument of local interest and an architectural monument. This places a manor house and a church with the same type of monument classification side by side. The church was built 39 years before the manor house—a concrete chronological comparison between two different types of building.

Near Iepurești Town Hall stands the “Sfântul Nicolae” church. It dates from 1790 and was rebuilt in 1827. The two dates serve different purposes: 1790 is the date assigned to the church, while 1827 marks its later reconstruction. In a chronological overview, 1790 is followed first by 1825 for the church in Gorneni, then by the 1827 reconstruction, and finally by 1864 for the manor house. This makes clear the difference between a stated year of origin and a later construction event.

Museum Collection and History

A fragment of an American B24 bomber is a special exhibit in the Iepurești Museum Collection. The aircraft was shot down near Iepurești on 28.06.1944. The collection item is thus linked to a specifically dated event and offers a different perspective from the churches and the manor house, whose details mainly concern their construction dates and monument classifications. This lets travelers interested in cultural history distinguish between architectural history and an object connected to aviation history.

Archaeological Traces on the Neajlov and in the Valley

The archaeological evidence also varies in form and location. The fragmentary krater was discovered on the Neajlov near Bănești. A report published in 2005 describes surface surveys with pupils from Iepurești School, during which numerous archaeological traces were discovered between Bănești and Chirculești in the Valea Ilfovățului valley. A single krater find and numerous traces discovered during surface surveys thus represent different archaeological themes. The report links the research to a specific stretch of the valley and also names the pupils who took part.

Landscape and Local Character

The commune of Iepurești is characterized by relatively flat terrain and is crossed by the Neajlov. This adds a landscape perspective to the architectural history and archaeology. The Neajlov is both part of this description of the commune and the point of reference for the krater find near Bănești. When planning your trip, you can weigh these different perspectives: dated architecture, archaeological themes, a special museum object or the commune’s landscape.

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