Palace of Culture

"The Palace of Culture at Iași is one of the most elegant architectural wonders in all of Romania. Inaugurated by King Ferdinand in 1925, the palace initially served a judicial function. Modern innovations incorporated in the design included timekeeping technology synchronizing twenty-five interior clocks to the three-faced clock in the tower above the entry gate and Bois-Ciment, a novel oak-like construction material invented by famous Romanian engineer Henri Coanda. The Palace of Culture houses four national museums: the History Museum of Moldova, the Ethnographic Museum of Moldova, the Iași Museum of Art, and the Ștefan Procopiu Museum of Science and Technology. Other notable features of the palace include the Voivodes Hall, honoring the rulers of Romania's past, and the Gothic Hall with its impressive floor mosaic inspired by the rosette of the thirteenth century abbey church of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives, France. Visitors can join a tower tour to see the inner clockwork mechanisms. After hours, the lit palace exterior is a magnificent sight to behold. The palace and museums are regularly open Wednesday-Sunday year round. Tickets are available through the official website below."