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Monumental Ensemble "Heroes’ Way" by Constantin Brâncuşi,Târgu Jiu, Romania

The monumental ensemble of Târgu-Jiu includes the monuments made by our great sculptor Constantin Brâncuşi, the father of the modern sculpture, during 1937 and 1938, namely: The Table of Silence, the Gate of the Kiss, the Alley of the Seats, and the Endless Column, along with a few smaller other works (the chairs placed on the alley of the park where the monument is and the and the benches next to the Gate of the Kiss).

The Ensemble was designed to glorify the "Memory of the heroes of Gorj, who sacrificed their life in the Reunification War" (the test is quoted according to the donation documents), who died in the battles that took place along the Jiu River during the World War One.

The message of this both sculptural and artistic Ensemble, as well as urban and architectural, cannot be fully understood without integrating into it the information related to the Romanian traditions, but also the genius of an artist who also had contact with the specifics of the art of other peoples, especially the Oriental tradition. "Art must be universal and accessible to all," Brâncuşi would say. On one occasion, the artist concluded: "In art, what matters is the joy. You do not need to understand it. Are you happy that you see it? This is enough." Brâncuşi left to his native country the synthesis of his creation as a monumental ensemble, as a tribute to the heroes fallen in the Fight that took place in the area of Jiu River during the First World War.

http://cnipt-targujiu.ro/ro/ansamblul-monumental-calea-eroilor-capodopera-lui-constantin-brancusi-de-la-targu-jiu/

http://centrulbrancusi.ro/categoria/ansamblul-monumental/scrieri-despre-ansamblu/

Romania, South-West Oltenia Region, Gorj County

Type of WWI-heritage

  • Non-Military Site of World War One Relevance

Dimensions

"Coloana fără sfârșit (Coloana infinitului)" / The Endless Column (The Infinite Column) - 29.33 m (17 rhomboid modules) "Poarta sărutului" / The Gate of the Kiss - with a height of 5.13 m, a length of 6.45 m, and a thickness of 1.69 m. "Masa tăcerii" / The Table of Silence - with 2.15 meters in diameter, and a height of 0.88 m.

State of repair/preservation

The restoration of the ensemble was completed in 2003.

Historical WWI Context

The Monumental Ensemble of the "Heroes’ Way" commemorates the heroism of soldiers fallen during World War One. More precisely, it is related to the fights that took place along the banks of Jiu River (known in history as the battles of Jiu), during which the heroic resistance of the inhabitants of Targu Jiu stood out when, on the morning of October 14, 1916, the elders, the women and the children managed to reject the attack of the German troops who wanted to occupy the city, occasioning many casualties among the people of Gorj area.

A history of Romania's participation in World War One can be found on the following website: www.marelerazboi.ro.

State of legal protection

This is an objective included in the List of Historic alMonuments, classified as historical monuments type A (GJ-III-a-A-09465). This objective is proposed for inclusion in UNESCO's patrimony.

Owner

Targu Jiu City Hall

Kind of cultural use of WWI

The works of Brâncuşi are displayed following an axis - the Path of the Heroes - which crosses the city from east to west in a straight line over a distance of 1,500 m and leads the visitor from the Endless Column to the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, the Gate of the Kiss, and, following the Alley of the Seats to the Jiu River, in front of which the Table of Silence invites you to devote to meditation, in silence.

The path can also be run through in the opposite direction, from west to east, from the Table of Silence to the Endless Column: The Table of Silence - the Gate of the Kiss: 160m - The Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul: 810 m - The Endless Column: 530 m.

Opening

The monument can be visited throughout the entire year.

Entrance Fee

None

Public Transport

Targu Jiu is located on the railway line between Craiova and Simeria via Petrosani. There are 15 trains a day between Craiova and Targu Jiu and vice versa. Also between Targu Jiu and Simeria there are 5 trains a day (of which two require changing the train in Petrosani) (http://mersultrenurilorcfr.ro/).

There are regular bus journeys that ensure the connection of the city to other towns and cities in Romania and abroad (http://www.autogari.ro/TarguJiu/Plecari ). There are several bus stations for internal and external routes in Targu Jiu (https://www.targujiu.info/ro/autogari-targu-jiu/ ).

The local transport network is well represented within the city (http://www.transloc.ro/ )

Other heritage sites nearby

Location

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