Cula Duca, Fortified manor house in Măldărești, Romania.
Cula Duca is a compact, rectangular fortified manor on three levels in Măldărești. The first floor holds a large room, a bedchamber and a hall; the second has two rooms, a smaller chamber and a wide cerdac whose ceiling is divided into three registers, each with a central decorative motif. Defensive features include loopholes on every level, a solid reinforced entrance door and a hatch closing the stair at the cerdac level.
The manor was constructed between 1812 and 1827 by local noble Gheorghiță Măldărescu as a symbol of his family's status. A century later, politician I.G. Duca purchased the property and undertook major restoration work to update its interior and appearance.
The manor displays traditional Romanian building techniques visible in its thick stone construction and defensive design features. Together with neighboring historic houses, it forms a group that reflects how rural nobility once lived and built in this region.
Cula Duca is one of three buildings in the Măldărești Museum Complex, alongside Cula Greceanu and the I.G. Duca Memorial House. The complex is in Măldărești, Vâlcea County. The manor has three levels, and its cerdac (covered gallery) is on the second floor. Access to the upper floors is via a staircase closed by a hatch at the foișor level.
The manor served as a filming location for several Romanian movies and television productions, contributing to the country's film heritage. Its stone walls and architectural character provided filmmakers with an authentic historical backdrop.
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