Throughout history, women have often played a quiet yet profound role in shaping culture, art, and society. On the Attractive Romania routes, we discover the lives of remarkable women who left visible and lasting marks: from artists and poets to philanthropists and musicians. Their stories show us how talent, courage, and vision transformed the places where they lived and, even more, how their deeds continue to inspire present-day generations.

On the Route of Kulas, we find Cula Greceanu, the oldest cula in Romania, whose current form dates back to 1790. It is located in Măldărești, Vâlcea County, and its history is now guarded by tall trees that seem to preserve the secrets of bygone times, when it served as a watchtower and defensive fortress against the Turks. It was inhabited by two great boyar families: first the Măldărescus, and later the Greceanus. The last owner before communist nationalization was Olga Greceanu, a renowned artist and probably the first feminist in Romania. It is said that the porch was her favorite place to create.

Olga Greceanu (1890–1978) was a painter, muralist, writer, and one of the most remarkable female figures of Romanian interwar art. Specializing in sacred art, she created frescoes and mosaics in numerous churches, being among the first women to approach monumental painting in Romania. Through her writings and lectures, she promoted the public’s engagement with Byzantine art and Christian values, building a bridge between artistic tradition and cultural modernity. Her work remains a landmark in the dialogue between spirituality and visual expression. She championed gender equality and supported, in every way she could, the cause of women unfairly despised and marginalized. Olga Greceanu fiercely fought against the prejudices of her time and the simmering misogyny of her peers—for example, she memorably and subtly replied to Tonitza: “A woman has never been Dante, because she chose to remain Beatrice.”***

If we’ve made you curious to visit Cula Greceanu, you can find all the details here, and you can also meet Olga Greceanu through a 3D animation. ***Text source, photo source.

Just 7 km from the city of Sfântu Gheorghe, in the village of Valea Crișului, lies Kálnoky Castle, once inhabited by one of the most important and oldest noble families in Transylvania. Throughout its more than 400-year history, the Kálnoky nobles actively participated in the political and administrative life of the region.

Ludmila Kálnoky was born on January 4, 1898, in Vienna, and died in 1982 in Graz at the age of 84. She is best known for her philanthropic initiative of the 19th century. After a tragic fire in 1891, she decided to establish a school for poor children in Kőröspatak (today Valea Crișului). The school, inaugurated in 1892, still bears her name today. Over the years, it included a kindergarten, a boarding school for girls, was nationalized in 1948, and later returned to local/family ownership.

You can learn more about Kálnoky Castle in Valea Crișului on the Route of the Castles, here.

On the hill overlooking the small village of Ozd, in Bichiș commune, Mureș County, proudly stands Pekri Castle, a living treasure of Renaissance architecture. The castle, with its baroque elements, is filled with the stories of Hungarian noblemen who lived here. Few know that within this building, which today resembles an imposing fortress, lived and wrote with deep sensitivity the famous Hungarian poet Kata Szidónia Petrőczy. During the castle’s glory days, Count Lőrincz Pekri and his wife, Kata Szidónia Petrőczy—one of the first Hungarian baroque poets—resided here. In her husband’s many absences, she focused on reformed ecclesiastical literature and composed numerous poems centered on death and human suffering.

At the outbreak of the War of Independence, Lőrincz Pekri was captured, and during his captivity, he joined the side of Ferenc Rákóczi. His wife and their five daughters were also captured and imprisoned in Sibiu for more than a year. There, Kata Szidónia suffered a minor stroke. She later sought refuge in Huszt, then at the princely castle of Beregszentmiklós, where she died. She was buried in the reformed church of Huszt, and her grave can still be visited today. Her husband followed her to the grave a year later, in 1709. Having no sons, the noble Pekri line ended with them.

Pekri Castle is an excellent destination for an autumn trip, and you can find all the necessary information here, including a 3D animation reconstructing a moment from the famous poet’s life.

Also on the Route of Castles, we find the estate at Ghergani, near Bucharest in Răcari, an important landmark in Romanian culture and literary history, strongly connected to the great statesman Ion Ghica. Over the years, many prominent figures of Romanian and European politics, writers, and artists visited the estate. In the music salon, famous musicians of the time came to accompany Alexandrina, Ion Ghica’s wife, a renowned pianist who, in her youth, had been a student of the celebrated composer and pianist Franz Liszt. “Everyone wants to see Ghergani. Two or three visitors who came to see us spoke of marvels upon marvels, and people in town talk about the good taste, simplicity, and beauty of our small countryside residence,” Ion Ghica wrote to his wife, Alexandrina, in a letter from 1867.

After Ion Ghica’s death at Ghergani in 1897, Alexandrina continued to live at the mansion until World War I. Forced to leave the estate at the age of 80, she suffered until the end of her life because she could never return to Ghergani.

A 3D animation on the Attractive Romania platform depicts Alexandrina Ghica playing the piano alongside George Enescu, a glorious moment in Romanian culture. Photo source.

Each of these women—Olga Greceanu, Ludmila Kálnoky, Kata Szidónia Petrőczy, and Alexandrina Ghica—reminds us that history is not only about political events, but also about passion, art, and dedication. By visiting their homes and estates, we discover not only architecture and landscapes, but also stories of courage, creativity, and philanthropy that continue to inspire today.