Another Queen Another Storry

[OnlyNorth]

Hi,
I drove around 200 miles from Bucharest to Balchik,a Bulgarian small town.The road goes to south-east crossing hills and villages so the speed was at a rate of 45miles/h.To cross the border means to pay,5 Euros,bridge tax(over Danube river) and 6 Euros,a Bulgarian road tax.(When I came back I paid 2 Euros Bulgarian bridge tax).The roads are asphalted but only one lane(like in Romania)On motorway I was only 50 miles.Traveling to south east the Sun was in front of me all the time .

[OnlyNorth]

Between 1913 and 1916 then between 1919 and 1940 this town was ruled by Romanian Kingdom.Here in 1924 The Queen Consort of Romania,Mary Princess of Edinburgh,who loved these places built a small palace and a garden around.

[Tim Gray]

Sorry, can't get beyond the yellow border....

[OnlyNorth]

When I arrived I found a car-parking(1 Leva per hour) which gives a 10% reduction at one of the restaurants which are around.The preys entrance is 3 Leva per person (around 1.5 Euros) that giving the possibility to visit both botanical garden and the palace.On the both sides of the roads towards the palace there are many kiosks with souvenirs.  

[OnlyNorth]

The Queen Mary visited Balchik in 1921.She liked this place so hired two architects from Italy to build the palace and a florist from Swiss to arrange the garden-park where is the cactus garden(1000 sq.m)From 1940 when the Bulgarian ruled again this territory the garden-park was transformed in botanical garden. 

[OnlyNorth]

The palace is a beautiful combination of local civil and religious architecture and soon became an attractive point for the Romanian and foreign high-life and artists.   

[OnlyNorth]

This romantic woman was the daughter of Prince Alfred the Duke of Edinburgh and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia.Her adventurous life begun when she fell in love with George of Wales(King George V) but their mothers didn't want to marry them.At 17 She was married with Ferdinand of Romania,the nephew of Carol I,King of Romania.Soon after Her arrivals in Romania She felt in love with Zizi Cantacusene,a young lieutenant,and gave birth,in Germany,to a child whose fate remained unknown.Visiting the rooms of the palace is very hard to step into privacy of the queen because the successive administrations changed the destination of the rooms and the furniture position.Manny of the pieces of furniture disappeared.Now there are very few people who lived those days and want to tell to visitors their memories.

[Bryan Conner]

the images are nice.  But the borders are really detrimental to your images.  I would suggest either a smaller black, (or dark grey) border, or no border at all as opposed to the ones you have chosen here.

I enjoyed reading the information that you provided.  Very interesting.

[OnlyNorth]

In 1914,after Carol I died,she reached the throne of Romania as Queen Consort.In that moment She,who was mother of six children-3 boys and 3 girls-self transformed into man woman working to enter into the war against Germany.After 1916 when Romania stepped into the war She became soldier woman being several times the head of the War Council.After the war,at peace discussions,She said"...the Romania needs a new face and I will be that face".This woman worked and fought for this country more than many Romanians.
When the peace came back Her romanticism rose again and this small and beautiful palace was built.   

[OnlyNorth]

The white simplicity of the walls,the small number of rooms,the modesty of the furniture could be a disappointment for the tourists who saw,before,the West European or Russian or Turk palaces.They,probably,will not understand that this rather villa instead of a true palace got to a queen.

[OnlyNorth]

The coast line of Romania and Bulgaria is around 380 miles long.The endemic poorness of both nations was understood by Mary who,with her borne common sense,built this small architectural jewel as no other is on entire Romanian and Bulgarian see side.

[OnlyNorth]

After Mary came in Romania She embraced Christian Orthodoxy Faith proving her total attachment at Romanian nation.Below you could see what it remained,after the War II and Communism passed,from Her Orthodox Icons collection.

[OnlyNorth]

In 1938 Marie died.As she wished,Her heart,in a silver pot,was placed in a small chapel near the palace as a proof of Her love for this place.Her body was buried near Her Nando(Ferdinand I)at Curtea de Arges Monastery,on the left side of the pronaos(on the right side being Carmen Silva)In 1940,when Bulgaria ruled again over Balchik,Her heart was placed at Bran Castle in Romania.

[OnlyNorth]

Marie has 10 nephews.One of them,called Mihai(Michael),was borne in October 25,1921.In  1940 he became Mihai I King of Romania.His Majesty ruled until December 30,1947 when He was forced to abdicate under the threatening that 1000 young people who were in prison shall be killed by the communists.Today we celebrate His 90th anniversary.I am proud that He survived to the communism and today He spoke to the Parliament although the  communists hidden under the name of Democratic-Liberal Party had opposed.God save the King!
Thanks 

[Bryan Conner]

Very interesting.  I have made two trips in the last two weeks to Hohenzollern Castle here  in Baden-Württemberg.  Michael has a very close connection to this castle as well as two others here in my area.