The Cornoiu Kula is one of the most beautiful buildings of this type in the area. The available data, somewhat uncertain, makes us assume that this kula was built in the 18th century. It is a sure fact that in 1785, Radu Pistescu who did not have any children, names logothete Cornea of Târgu Jiu his heir. Logothete Cornea built the church patroned by Saint John the Baptist near the kula. In 1926, Speranţa Cornoiu sells the property to Constantin Neamţu, the manager of the National Bank, the Craiova branch. Over the years, repairs were carried out in 1840, 1881, and the last ones in 1927-1928, by the new owner, who also built the outbuildings around the kula in the Romanian style and repairs the church. Constantin Neamţu went to France in 1945, probably anticipating the changes that would come in Romania, found under Soviet occupation. The kula was nationalized and was included in the assets of a collective state farm. It was restored in the 1960s, sheltering since then an important 19th century art and furniture collection. In 1975, the Gorj Folk Architecture Museum was inaugurated, the Cornoiu kula being included in this open air ethnographic museum.

Description:

The brick kula, with 80-cm thick walls, has three floors. Two basements and the stairs leading to the first floor are located on the ground floor. There are two entries closed by spectacular doors. A fountain used to exist in the basement, for the use of the besieged. There are three accommodation rooms and a modern bathroom fitted out in the 20th century on the first floor. On the back side of the building there is a gallery leading to an outbuilding shaped as an octagonal tower, initially used for sanitary purposes, similar to Tudor Vladimirescu’s kula house of Cerneţi. On the second floor there is a porch with five massive columns and two on each side supporting semicircular arches. There are three rooms here too. The ceilings have massive wooden beams, the windows were enlarged in the 19th century, but there are still some ramparts, which give the kula a spectacular appearance. The roof is covered with shingles.

https://www.kule.ro/

Free

- The Mansion has a museum

- Guided tours are offered