Toma T. Socolescu

left a lasting mark on modern Romanian architecture up until the Second World War, both through a significant legacy of remarkable buildings and through his involvement in cultural institutions and architectural literature reflecting the evolution of Romanian architecture. He remains a reference figure in the worlds of architecture and art. More than a dozen of his works have been listed as historical monuments. Education and travels The son, grandson, and nephew of architects, his career choice was nevertheless not an easy one. After a happy and fulfilling childhood, his father died suddenly on 22 November 1897, followed by his mother three years later, on the same date. Orphaned at the age of 17, he was left responsible for his four younger siblings. Toma T. had a natural talent for drawing and devoted his free time to sketching during his last three years of high school. Eager for knowledge, he took full advantage of his father's extensive library and inherited his talent for drawing. Despite the family’s catastrophic financial situation, the dispersion of his siblings, who were taken in by uncles and cousins of the Socolescu family, and the unfavorable economic conditions for architects at the end of the 19th century in Romania, he benefited from free higher education at that time. His uncle, architect Ioan N. Socolescu, would not encourage him to pursue a career in architecture. Toma T. therefore initially enrolled in law studies, which he quickly abandoned to forge his own path and follow his passion for art and architecture. He graduated (no. 42), specializing in civil architecture, religious architecture, and Romanian archaeology, with the highest honors in June 1911. He gained his first professional experiences during his studies. A draftsman at the Central Post Office in Bucharest around 1905, he was then co-opted, still as a draftsman, in 1906 by a leading group of architects led by , , and , who organized the General Romanian Exhibition in Bucharest in 1906. as well as to France, represented significant milestones in his life. He found sources of inspiration for his work in Romania during these trips. World War I He actively participated in the First World War. Enlisted in the 47th Infantry Regiment in 1916, he was quickly transferred to the Bucharest Railway Regiment and later detached to the Danube Defense Group or (). There, he was tasked, along with other architects and engineers, with destroying bridges during the retreat from Moldavia. He also built hospital centers and sanitary facilities, as typhus had ravaged the Romanian army. Around 1917, he joined a battalion of mountain troops. The retreat of the Romanian army to Moldavia allowed him to discover the rural and sacred art of various Romanian regions. Never separating from his notebook of notes and sketches, he made numerous drawings of folk art and traditional architectural styles, which he would later draw inspiration from. Two reproductions of his watercolors depicting houses in Chișinău (Bessarabia) were published in 1926. In 1941, he wrote an article dedicated to ancient Romanian art in Bessarabia, illustrated by his own watercolors. Professorship and writing Toma T. Socolescu, in addition to his private professional activity, was a professor at the University, a position he held from 1927 to 1947. He was one of the rare architects of his time to be so prolific in specialized literature, and not only in the strict fields of architecture or urbanism. He had a strong interest in architectural theory and criticism and published a two-volume course on architectural theory at the Faculty. Between 1922 and 1948, taught this very subject. He published several books and numerous articles in journals such as ', ', ', and ', as well as in various local newspapers. In the monograph of the city of published in 1937 by Mihail Sevastos, he authored the chapters on architecture, the Central Market Hall, urban planning, the history of city maps, and also the section on culture. In 1938, a year later, he published Arhitectura în Ploești, studiu istoric, a historical study on the architecture of Ploiești, prefaced by Nicolae Iorga. The book included the chapters written (by the architect) for the Monograph of the City of Ploești. On 20 March 1958, he submitted to the library of the Institute of Architecture a monograph dedicated to Ion Mincu: , written in two volumes: a 408-page documentary volume and a photo album containing 132 images. Two of his works were published posthumously in 2004: , regarded as the reference bibliography for architecture of that period, and the first part of his memoirs , covering the period from his birth until 1924. He was working on the second part of his memoirs when he died. Public life and official functions He served as Chief Architect of Prahova County from 1919 to 1920 He was awarded for his sanitary military constructions during the First World War, and was made Officer of the Order of the Crown of Romania by royal decree of King Ferdinand I of Romania in 1925. In May 1927, he was also awarded the First-Class for his contributions to education, on the occasion of the inauguration of the main wing of the Palace of the Commercial Schools of . and then vice president in 1944. In November 1953, he joined the organization that succeeded the SAR: the Union of Architects of the People's Republic of Romania. He founded and presided over the Nicolae Iorga Cultural Establishment () during the 1920s and 1930s. He also served as a Municipal Councillor of from 10 March 1926 to 20 March 1929, under Mayor Ion Georgescu Obrocea. In the early 1940s, he was part of the editorial selection committee of the Romanian architectural journal . His approach sought to bring together all people of good will who wished to make knowledge accessible to the greatest number and to beautify the city. In line with this vision, he became a member of the Rotary Club of in April 1937. Primarily a man of the arts and culture, maintained a consistent but limited political engagement. His roles as mayor, municipal councillor, and deputy were above all means to advance cultural, urban planning, and architectural projects. A committed student and patriot, his strong ties with Nicolae Iorga led him to take on responsibilities within Iorga’s political party, the Partidul Naționalist-Democrat. Open-minded and independent in spirit, he also formed numerous connections and friendships with figures from other political backgrounds, notably with Ion Ionescu-Quintus of the National Liberal Party, with whom he was closely associated. He was appointed to the Executive Central Committee of the Nationalist Democratic Party in 1926, and later became Vice President of the party in May 1929, a position confirmed during the party’s meeting of 7 April 1931. He served as Deputy for Prahova County under the same party during the Iorga cabinet, from 19 April 1931 to 6 June 1932. The law was adopted by Parliament and enacted through a royal decree on 15 July 1932. He also served as Mayor of his adopted commune, , from February 1938 to November 1940, and again from February 1942 to January 1945, and was also named Honorary Citizen of the commune of posthumously in May 2018. Life in Păulești Toma T. Socolescu acquired a manor house along with a large adjoining plot of 5 hectares in 1927, in the village of Păulești, located a few kilometers from Ploiești. His family settled there the same year. He regularly hosted prominent figures from Ploiești at the estate. Most of the land was devoted to farming activities. Deeply committed to his role as Mayor (1938–1940 and 1942–1945), in addition to modernizing the commune and building numerous public facilities, he supported villagers in need. He also organized and financed free agricultural training in viticulture and fruit cultivation for all residents of the commune, which he held on his own farm, located on the grounds of the manor. Thanks to his zootechnical knowledge and his decision to import bulls from Switzerland to develop a more productive breed, he enabled Păulești's dairy production to double. Communist period Intellectual and a member of a respectable family from Romania, Toma T. Socolescu was a significant political figure in the Prahova County. He refused to join the new communist organization of architects established in 1947, which became, in December 1952, the "Union of Architects of the RPR", replacing the Société des Architectes Roumains (SAR). for France around 1944-1945 worsened the family's situation in the eyes of the communist authorities. Considered a "class enemy" he was threatened, blackmailed, and persecuted by the communist authorities, particularly by the Securitate (the Romanian political police). He avoided imprisonment, but his movable and immovable property was confiscated (nationalized) or stolen in the 1950s by the local communist authorities. Families from the respectable Romanian society particularly suffered from the policy of persecution, restriction, isolation, and even imprisonment, imposed by the communists against people considered suspicious or hostile to the regime. Forced into retirement from his position as a professor at the University in 1947, banned from practicing architecture, he was later expropriated and expelled from his estate in on 21 February 1952 and moved in with his son Toma Barbu Socolescu in Bucharest. The family was harassed and mistreated by the Securitate until its disappearance in 1960. Benefiting from a modest pension with no other income, but still seeking an occupation, he was forced to accept a position at state institutes. He worked until the age of 74, first at the Institute of Urban Planning and Constructions (ISPROR), then, from 1953, within the framework of the Central Institute for the Systematization of Cities and Regions (ICSOR), where he was seconded to the Department of Historical Monuments for four years. On 12 February 1957, he was forcibly retired with a reduced pension. primarily through the three monographs on the subject that he wrote and revised from 1949 to 1959. Architectural contests Practicing architecture as a freelance profession, he won numerous awards in public competitions: • First prize for both subjects: standard plans for a small wooden church with a single bell tower and a larger one with multiple bell towers, Pantocratorul, 1907. • Second prize for the project of the Normal School of Buzău, in 1911. The first prize was not awarded as only two architects participated in the competition. • First prize in the competition for the unification of the facades of the ' and ' newspapers' buildings, in which more than 30 architects participated in 1914. as well as in the '''' magazine in 1916 and 1924. • First prize in the competition for the Palace of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of , in 1920, following the acquisition of neighboring buildings by the Chamber of Commerce. The project was only partially executed between 1930 and 1935. The Chamber was abolished by the communist regime in 1949, after 84 years of existence. The palace was heavily affected by the 1940 earthquake, and later destroyed during the communist period. However, a dependency of the Chamber, the '''' cinema, built by Toma T. in the 1930s, was spared and is still visible. • First prize in the competition for the '' (or initially Banca Românească) building in , in 1923. The project and photographs of the bank were published in the '' magazine in 1926. The work was completed. • First prize in the competition for the Orthodox Cathedral of the city of Târgu Mureș in 1924. The cathedral was built, but according to the plans of another architect who had failed in the competition. • First prize in the competition for the City Hall Palace of Bucharest in 1925, in collaboration with architect . This success was an occasion to celebrate the architect in Ploiești. No construction ultimately took place, as the City Hall settled in the '''', a building constructed in 1910 by architect Petre Antonescu. • First prize in the competition for the Casino of the refinery in , in 1937, with his son Barbu Socolescu. The project was published in the '''' magazine in the July–October 1937 issue. The project was never realized. • First prize in the competition for the city halls of Predeal. The work was not executed. • The architect also claimed to have won the first prize in the competition for the Palace of Labor in the city of , a project which he stated would have been executed. He also won the first prize for his design of the Central Market at the official Architecture and Decorative Arts Exhibitions in Bucharest in 1930. and 1933. Genealogy The family of '''', formerly part of Făgăraș or Țara Făgărașului is a branch of the family of Muntenia, which lived in the county of Dâmbovița. A '', great boyar and son-in-law of Mihai Viteazul (1557–1601), had two religious foundations in Dâmbovița county, still existing, Cornești and Răzvadu de Sus. He built their churches and another one in the suburb of Târgoviște. This boyar married Marula, daughter of , also known as , sister of Prince Antonie-Vodă. was recognized by as his illegitimate daughter, following an extra-marital liaison with . is buried in the church of Răzvadu de Sus, where, on a richly carved stone slab, her name can be read. Nicolae Iorga, the great Romanian historian and friend of Toma T. Socolescu, found ancestors among the founders of the City of in the 12th century. In 1655, the Prince of Transylvania George II Rákóczi ennobled an ancestor of Nicolae G. Socol: ", and through him his wife , his son , and their heirs and descendants of whatever sex, to be treated and regarded as true and undeniable NOBLEMEN.", in gratitude for his services as the Prince's courier in the Carpathians, a function "which he fulfilled faithfully and steadfastly for many years, and especially in these stormy times [...]". Around 1846, five come to Muntenia, from , in the territory of . One of the brothers was architect Nicolae Gh. Socol (??-1872). He settled in around 1840-1845, and named himself ''''. He married , from the suburb. He had a daughter (died in infancy) and four sons, two of whom became major architects: Toma N. Socolescu and . The lineage of architects continues with Toma T. Socolescu, and his son Toma Barbu Socolescu. The historian, cartographer and geographer evokes, in 1891, the presence of Romanian boyars of the first rank '''', in Bucharest, descendants of from . Finally, Constantin Stan also refers, in 1928, to the precise origin of Nicolae Gheorghe Socol: == Architectural and urbanistic work ==

The architect began his career as an independent architect in , continuing the work of his father and grandfather. His early days were difficult, as he describes in his memoirs: "Working alone both at the drawing board and on-site, building directly with craftsmen from Ploiești and lacking extensive technical knowledge, compounded by my lack of experience — especially since I had only worked in one of the architectural firms in Bucharest that handled major projects, assisted by skilled and well-equipped contractors — it was very difficult to start this snail-paced profession." was one of the key figures and a staunch advocate of the Romanian national architectural style, also known as the style or Neo-Romanian style. His work was particularly influenced by the Brâncovenesc style. He was deeply influenced by Ion Mincu, whom he regarded as his mentor and declared himself his disciple, the founder of Neo-Romanian architecture, and a lifelong defender of Mincu's work and legacy. However, Socolescu’s work was not defined by a single style but rather by eclecticism. He succeeded in enriching the Neo-Romanian style and diversifying it by embracing technological innovations, including reinforced concrete, while integrating emerging artistic trends such as Art Deco and Modern architecture. Clear examples of his work include the market halls in Ploiești, the tower of Saint John the Baptist Cathedral, and the primary school in . On her book on the architects Socolescu, explains that always adhered to certain principles in all his works, whether they were individual houses or apartment buildings: He works tirelessly to beautify and to construct public buildings for the entire Prahova County. Interested in archaeology, he studies and preserves old houses and churches, publishing studies and surveys in this field. He also plays a central role within the leadership of the Society of Romanian Architects and is actively involved in the cultural and social life of his hometown. He even served as mayor from December 1919 to March 1920. For him, the artistic component of architecture is a fundamental element of this art. In 1938, concluding his historical study on the architecture of Ploiești, Toma T. Socolescu wrote: In Ploiești Mayor of Ploiești just after the 1916–1918 conflict, while simultaneously holding the position of chief architect, was tasked with addressing the city’s major supply issues. During his short four-month term, he reshaped the vision for the city and laid out development and transformation axes that would give a new dimension. He was the initiator of the project to expand the city’s boundaries, incorporating the refineries located on its outskirts. This allowed the city to benefit from the taxes these facilities were obliged to pay. As a result, the city’s budget tripled, by planning major changes: he decided to relocate the meat and vegetable market, until then held in makeshift stalls in front of the town hall, to a paved market area within the old market hall, located in front of the current market hall. He also proposed revising and completing Lindley’s alignment plan, transforming it into a true systematization plan, and proposed the creation of a second neighborhood market, known as Anton Măcelaru. He also looked to the future by planning the construction of a modern market hall and a new City Hall, as the current one had become inadequate. He further requested the recovery of a portion of the Domaine Bereasa or '''', today’s Bereasca district, from a previously executed expropriation, with the intention of creating a communal park in an elevated position, close to the nearest gateway to the city center. This proposal, however, was not pursued by subsequent mayors. He would later carry out in the 1930s, as an architect, one of the key elements of the plan he had envisioned 15 years earlier as a municipal official: the construction of the . Almost all of the architectural projects not completed during his brief term were carried out by the mayors who followed. Throughout his life, he contributed to the improvement of the city of in terms of urban planning, hygiene, and development. From 1932 to 1935, in collaboration with architects Ion Davidescu and Simion Vasilescu, he developed a new systematization plan for the city. This plan aimed to give greater importance to green spaces, road and rail traffic, and, more generally, to organize the city’s harmonious growth. The plan defined optimal urban development and population density, the distribution of public and cultural institutions, schools, and green areas. It also detailed the regulations that would correspond today to land-use plans. Similar plans were drawn up by the architect, assisted by his son Toma Barbu Socolescu, for the towns of Câmpina and Mizil in the 1940s. These projects were implemented until the communists took control of city planning in 1945. This type of plan, standard in urban architecture and present in all major cities, known as systematization, should not be confused with the large-scale destruction carried out by the communists, also referred to as systematization. In Păulești He was also actively involved in the small commune of Păulești following his move there in 1927. He served as mayor from February 1938 to January 1945, a term interrupted by the Legionary regime between November 1940 and February 1942. His second mandate was also cut short by the communists in January 1945. In just five and a half years, he built nearly all of the public buildings, bridges, and monuments in the commune, including the town hall, the primary school, the communal stable, the public baths, and a Trinity monument made of carved oak, mounted on a base decorated with a bronze bas-relief, in 1939. The Trinity monument was damaged and deteriorated during the communist period, after losing its base and being relocated to the entrance of the cemetery. He also created various landscaped areas, including the commune’s park, known as '''', and in particular, a chestnut-lined alley that ran through the park and led to the cemetery. The works finally resumed in 2009. In 2007, in recognition of the contributions made by the architect, the commune's secondary school was renamed '' (Architect ''). At the end of May 2011, a solemn ceremony paid tribute to the architect with the inauguration of a bust in his likeness, placed in the courtyard of the same school. == Cultural and artistic work ==

Wishing to develop the cultural life of his city, launched numerous initiatives that provided the of Prahova with its first museums and cultural institutions. Supported by the enlightened personalities of and by Nicolae Iorga, he founded its first history museum, its first public library, and its first fine arts museum. Regional Museum of Prahova Around 1914, with the help of , who interceded with Ion Duca, then Minister of Education, saved from destruction a historic building dating from the 18th century, preserved in its original form: the house of the merchant and coppersmith (''''). In 1919, as chief architect of the , he took the initiative to found a "small regional ethnographic and religious art museum" After launching a public appeal and a successful fundraising campaign, Known as '''' since 1953, the museum was renamed on 18 June 2005 as . Popular University Nicolae Iorga A political and cultural companion of Nicolae Iorga, actively participated in the Summer Courses established by the historian in Vălenii de Munte in 1911. In addition to designing the plans for the classrooms, As the Summer Universities of gained fame and scale, their opening ceremonies drew major political figures and serving ministers, including Take Ionescu, Ion C. Inculeț, and . King Ferdinand I, Prince Carol, and Princess Elisabeth of Romania also attended Iorga's lectures. On 17 August 1938, Maria Tănase performed during the closing ceremony. Popular Library Nicolae Iorga also founded in 1920, partly through a public subscription, the '''', initially installed on the upper floor of the right wing of the municipal baths building, a building designed by his father, Toma N. Socolescu. As head of the Management Committee, he continuously expanded the library's collection, notably thanks to generous donors. Inaugurated on 20 March 1921, it originally held 1,250 volumes. in the former Palace of Justice, which had been converted by the communist regime into a Palace of Culture. Museum of Fine Arts Alongside the development of the Popular Library on the upper floor of the same building, founded and expanded a pinacotheca by acquiring reproductions of Western European painters as well as original Romanian oil paintings and watercolors. He was assisted by a group of Ploiești intellectuals, including lawyer, art collectors, writer and politician Ion Ionescu-Quintus, and historian Dumitru Munteanu-Râmnic, as well as by successive mayors of the city, including , a major merchant and mayor of between 1931 and 1932, who provided substantial financial support to the project. Within the framework of the Nicolae Iorga Cultural Institution, The opening address was published in full in '. It was not until 1965 that the museum was relocated to its current building: the ' Palace, the former Prefecture of the județ. In ' and in ' one can find photographs, a list of all the painters exhibited, and selected notable works present in the museum in 1938. At that time, it was housed in the former municipal baths. but they are not displayed in the museum's galleries. Exhibitions and Painting was also a painter, watercolorist, and draftsman. He produced numerous watercolors which met with a certain success. Among his close friends was the Romanian painter , originally from in , for whom he built a house in the same village in 1926–1927. He purchased many of Tomescu's works, which he later donated to the ''''. In the spring of 1916, the architect organized an exhibition of architectural projects, watercolors, and church furnishings, held at the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest. The painter Toma Gheorghe Tomescu, a friend of the architect, exhibited his oil paintings and watercolors there. Nearly all of the paintings by the architect and Tomescu were sold. The architect , one of the founders, together with Ion Mincu, of the Neo-Romanian style, wrote an article in the '''' journal, mentioning the architect's projects. This was the first and only exhibition of . == Archaeology and heritage conservation ==

completed his studies in civil and religious architecture, with a specialization in Romanian archaeology. He consistently demonstrated a strong interest in the history of architecture and the preservation of architectural heritage. In addition to his work on the renovation of historical churches, he collaborated multiple times with Nicolae Iorga, President of the Commission for Historic Monuments since 1919, to safeguard significant ancient buildings in the județ of Prahova. His main achievement in was the renovation, around 1919, of the house of the metal trader, , built in 1785. It is considered a typical residence of a merchant from in the 18th and 19th centuries. Classified as a historical monument, the ' became the first History Museum of the city of , a museum founded by . After changing its purpose and name, the museum is now known as the '. The church was dated to the first half of the 18th century, based on research by Ioan C. Filitti. He saved icons and religious art objects, which he deposited at the county museum. They may now be found in one of the museums that merged in 1955 into the institution: ', an institution to which the Hagi Prodan House is affiliated. In 1929, The church, named Saint Visarion ('), is classified as a historical monument. Probably in 1925, he conducted archaeological studies and surveys of the '' in , a typical house of early 19th century merchants. The house, located at No. 6 , later became the Ion L. Caragiale Museum'' on 30 January 1962. The building is classified as a historical monument. located at No. 71 , in . The work was carried out over a period of 24 years between 1912 and 1936, due to a lack of funding. The frescoes alone cost a million lei at the time, a considerable sum, and were exclusively created by the Italian painter Umberto Marchetti, hired by King Carol I to decorate the churches of the Crown's domains. The carpentry and furniture were designed by Socolescu, particularly the solid oak wood paneling running along the walls. The 1940 earthquake caused the collapse of the large tower. The 1977 earthquake damaged the walls. Two phases of reconstruction and consolidation took place, in 1946 and again between 1977 and 1994, including the restoration of the frescoes. The original neoclassical-renaissance style frescoes were lost during renovations carried out between 1966 and 1967 by another painter. Also in , he renovated, restored, and carried out exterior embellishments on the Saint Haralambie Church, between 1931 and 1932. It is located at No. 65 . The church originally had three wooden towers, including one large one, all of which were destroyed, along with the roof, in a fire in 1925. The architect radically changed the appearance of the church by only reconstructing the small towers on the façade and adding a highly ornate porch in Brâncovenesc style. He also reconstructed a reinforced concrete ceiling. The church underwent further consolidations and transformations after the 1940 and 1977. In 1979, the priest in charge of the parish had the large tower, which had previously existed, rebuilt. However, this addition was made without the approval of the civil authorities. The new Saint Church, in or , a commune of Blejoi, was also reconstructed by around 1937-1938 in the suburbs of , near the Văleni barrier (), on the side of the Vega refinery. The church has undergone several renovations and reconstructions since the architect's work. It suffered significant damage, particularly to its frescoes and paintings, during the 1940 earthquake. It was struck again, though more lightly, by the bombings of 1944 and quickly repaired. Byzantine-style frescoes, painted by the artist , adorn all the walls of the church. Between 1933 and 1938, partially reconstructed the Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God and the Holy Emperors Constantine and Helena ('''') in the village of , within the commune of Tomșani, under the supervision of the Commission for Historical Monuments. The new church was inaugurated in November 1938. The altar and porch of the church are classified as Historical Monuments. and other Gothic churches in Transylvania. A part of the two surveys of the Hagi Prodan and Dobrescu houses were published in the first specialized work on the history of Romanian archaeology, written by architect in 1937 and prefaced by Nicolae Iorga. == Legacy ==

is still studied at the Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism and remains an architectural reference in Romania. He is among the great builders who shaped Romania’s modern urban structure and contributed to a form of beauty that was widely recognized up until the end of the interwar period. There is a technical industrial high school in named after his father, the , and a technical college of architecture and public works in Bucharest named after his uncle, the . There is also a street in still bearing his father’s name (''''). The architect-professor re-emerged from obscurity in October 2010, when commemorations marking 50 years since his death were held in and . In addition, various ceremonies were organized between 2009 and 2011, including the installation of a bust in front of the Central Market Halls of Ploiești on 14 January 2011, the renaming of the park located in front of in front of the same halls after the architect, as well as the posthumous awarding of the title "Honorary Citizen of the City of Ploiești" on 29 September 2010. but also due to the actions of the communist regime and Nicolae Ceaușescu, who systematically sought to erase all traces of Romanian soul and architecture through the "Systematization" program. As with many properties stolen by the Romanian State during the communist totalitarianism period, only a portion of its properties have been partially restituted after long years of struggle against the State and local authorities, in a state of semi-ruin or advanced degradation, within an incomplete legal framework that do not guarantee a proper and honest restitution of the confiscated assets. It should be added that the Romanian situation is peculiar due to a law enacted by Ion Iliescu in 1995 (Law 112/1995), passed after the fall of the communist regime, which allowed tenants of many nationalized properties to buy at a very low price the apartments or houses they occupied, making the restitution in kind of the properties to the rightful owners extremely difficult or even impossible, as with the Socolescu manor in Păulești, or for his building in Ploiești, totally disfigured by a Russian reconstruction in the early 1950s. His manor in was nationalized Starting in 1949, devoted part of his time to writing his memoirs. The first part of his memoirs, "", In 1955, he completed a much more important work: "", which became the bibliographic reference for architecture of that period. around 1953–1956. A complete copy of this monograph was gifted by the architect in 1958 to the University of Architecture and Urbanism. The first page of a small booklet he wrote in French in 1941, a translation of the article '' written in the Arhitectura'' journal the same year, includes a summary written solely for his essay published in the bulletin of the Polytechnic School of Bucharest, and which outlines the architect’s credo: died on 14 October 1960, in Bucharest, at his son Toma Barbu Socolescu’s home, leaving the second part of his memoirs unfinished (the period after 1924). He is buried in the family tomb at the Bellu Cemetery in Bucharest. == Notable Architectural Works ==

In Ploiești • Palace of the Commercial Schools, located on at the time, now known as . The palace is situated at No. 98. It was built between 1924 and 1938 thanks to the efforts of successive presidents of the Chamber of Commerce of . It was inaugurated in 1938, in the presence of King Carol II. Beginning in 1938, it housed all boys' commercial schools under the name '. It ceased its commercial educational activities permanently with the rise of the communist regime in 1948. The building suffered no damage during the 1940 earthquake, nor during the aerial bombings of in 1943–1944. was a member of the city’s civil defense commission and insisted that two red crosses enclosed in circles of 30m be painted on the roof of the building. After hosting various educational institutions following the American bombings of 1944, it now houses the Ion Luca Caragiale National College. It is classified as a historic monument. The building is located on at No. 8. Construction began in 1925 and was probably completed around 1931. It was inaugurated on 2 October 1932, in the presence of the Minister of Public Instruction, Religion and Arts, Dimitrie Gusti, along with numerous local dignitaries. Although preserved, the building was affected by the earthquakes of 1940 and 1977. Designed with all necessary amenities for teachers and their families, it also included a theater-cinema hall, a bookstore, and a printing press in the basement. It has long since ceased to house the teaching staff. Nationalized in a severely dilapidated condition. By then, most of its contents had been destroyed, removed, or vandalized under the stewardship of the city of , which was responsible for the nationalized property from 1962 to 1989. Having changed ownership several times since then, the building has been undergoing major rehabilitation since the summer of 2010, although interspersed with long periods of abandonment. It is classified as a historic monument. that left a lasting mark on the city. The contract for the construction of the new halls was signed between the architect and the municipality in 1912 and approved by the municipal council on 9 November 1912, under the presidency of Mayor Scarlat Orăscu. The project nearly failed to materialize due to a reversal by Mayor , who in 1929 improperly awarded the plans and construction to another company, despite the existence of a contract signed in 1913 between the architect and the city. challenged this new contract and won the case, notably with the support of his friend and lawyer . After a preliminary design was presented to the municipal council in 1913, the project did not officially begin until 1929. Construction began in June 1930 and was completed by the end of 1935. Built in reinforced concrete and based on the most modern principles of hygiene and logistics, the construction gained attention throughout Europe. The project was exhibited at the Bucharest Architecture Salon in both 1930 He specifically studied the market halls in Geneva and Basel (Switzerland), Stuttgart, Frankfurt am Main, Leipzig, Munich, and Breslau (Germany); as well as the food departments of major department stores in Berlin, and market halls in Reims, Dieppe, and Lyon (France), the fruit hall in Milan (Italy), and the halls in Budapest (Hungary). In an article published in ' in September 1936, detailed his project, its objectives, layout, and operation. The market halls of became a new symbol of the city. Although partially damaged by Anglo-American bombings in 1944, the building was reinforced in 1980. Its original and modern 1930s architecture, combining aesthetics and harmony, was widely recognized across Europe. The entire structure is classified as a Historic Monument. • ', located at the intersection of and , across from what was once the central square of the city: '. Later known as the '''', The structure consists of reinforced concrete frames, with brick masonry walls and turrets. The structural engineering and execution of the monument were carried out by engineer . Constructed between 1923 and 1939, the cathedral was intended to honor the fallen of the First World War and reflects a broader national-religious impulse. The bell tower is classified as a Historic Monument. with construction halted by the outbreak of the Second World War. The larger project—intended to replace the existing church with a more monumental building—was never realized. Work resumed in 2008, inspired by the original plans of . The façade was particularly innovative for its time, and two monumental statues sculpted by flank the entrance. The interior furnishings are remarkably crafted. Preliminary designs and architectural plans for the cathedral were published in the 1924 and 1925 issues of the journal ''''. In 1960, the communist authorities sought to disrupt the harmony of the site and reduce the visibility of the bell tower by constructing a massive, grey, styleless seven-storey block in front of it. • , in collaboration with French architect . The first project was drafted and construction begun before the war, The Palace was inaugurated on 26 November 1933, in the presence of King Carol II. In 1953, the building was repurposed as the Palace of Culture, while still housing the Court of Appeal. Damaged by the Anglo-American bombings of 1944 and the March 4, 1977 earthquake, it was structurally reinforced during the 1980s. Restoration, structural consolidation, and renovation efforts have been ongoing since 2006 and remain unfinished to this day. the building is listed as a historic monument. in , located at No. 4 . The plans were approved by the Ministry of Education in 1926. The central section, along with the wing facing , was built between 1928 and 1929. The second wing, opening onto , along with the Carrara marble staircase, interior marble decorations, carved oak doors in the main hall, and the exterior wrought iron gates, were completed between 1932 and 1942. Despite all these major interventions, the building has retained both its architectural style and visual harmony. It now houses the , formerly known as '''' since 1933. == Other Works Completed (Non-Exhaustive List) ==

In Ploiești Houses, villas, and apartment buildings • Villa of pharmacist , brother of the writer Calistrat Hogaș. During its construction, the architect reserved the ceiling of the salon for the painter to create a fresco. Built in 1907, it was destroyed during the anglo-american bombings of 1944. It is the smallest known work by the architect. • House of the schoolteacher , built in 1908–1909. It is still clearly visible today. • House of priest , located on , now called , near the South Railway Station, built around 1908–1909. likely built around 1910, at the beginning of , which was razed by the communists. was a slightly curved street running from the city center to the Palace of Justice. The street disappeared in two stages: the first half near the Palace of Culture was demolished between 1968–1969 to make way for the current administrative complex. The other half was demolished after the 1977 earthquake. • Residential house of , located at No. 18 . was one of the most important mayors of between 1911 and 1914, later serving twice as senator. Built around 1911–1913 in the French Art Nouveau style, fashionable at the time. Its interior was luxurious. The house was confiscated by the communists and turned into a workers' canteen, and later into a children's polyclinic (still functioning as of 2024). The building is listed as a historic monument. between 1914 and 1916. The building was heavily damaged during the anglo-american bombings of 1944, and its remaining structure was demolished during the 1958 systematization campaign. The original Union Square (') was also erased from the cityscape during the massive urban restructuring under the communist regime. A small street named ' still exists nearby, but it is lifeless and hidden behind a massive Soviet-style concrete building known as the "administrative palace," constructed after 1965. Since this major urban overhaul, has lacked a true city center. After the fall of communism, the urban structure imposed by the former regime proved unsustainable, and the city has struggled to regenerate or establish a vibrant downtown. As of June 2025, the area that once formed Union Square is gray, deteriorated, largely deserted after dusk, and marked by urban neglect. Businesses are limited to a McDonald's, a dozen Turkish-style fast food outlets or pastry takeaways, a multitude of political party offices, empty, very rarely visited, and which occupy considerable space, two pharmacies, three mobile phone shops, a pole dancing club, and numerous adult gaming parlors that have proliferated in the last decade. A handful of other establishments, including two or three cafés and a dusty bookshop, manage to survive in a district increasingly populated by the homeless and virtually abandoned by Saturday afternoon. • ' house, ', built between 1913 and 1915, destroyed by the 1944 American bombings according to the "Memoirs" of . The house, initially without a floor, would have been raised by one floor during the communist era. • '''' villa on . Its construction was carried out around 1913-1915. The villa was razed by the 1944 anglo-american bombings. was renamed . The new house that replaced it at number partially preserved the original walls and fence gates. • Villa of Dr. L. Fridman formerly at the intersection of and , its address is now , No. 8 Built around 1913-1915, it was nationalized, The architect heavily indebted himself to banks to build it. He installed his office there and worked until the American bombing partially destroyed it in 1944. The building was deeply transformed and disfigured by the Russians in the 1950s, after its confiscation The remarkable original façade no longer exists and was replaced by a much more sober style. • Rental building of '' in the former market (Obor''), at No. 1 on . Built in 1928, it was nationalized The block of buildings where it is located escaped communist destruction. • House of M. Obrien, . Built after World War I, and before 1937, it was destroyed by the 1944 anglo-american bombings. • Rental building ', probably built in 1922 as attested by an inscription in the entrance hall, located at 36 (former ). After being nationalized, The house is one of the few remains of a very old and typical neighborhood in the city center of , totally razed and rebuilt between 1960 and 1989, without any architectural style, with only concerns being the uniformization of housing, densification of urban space, the social rapprochement city-countryside and the erasure of the past. Furthermore, the building closely resembles the rental building that he had constructed a few years earlier at No. 2 on . Built between 1920 and 1924 for the printer , nicknamed ' (or stocky in Romanian), the building was nationalized Despite its obvious architectural interest, the good general preservation of its façades, its roof and the rare preservation of its original windows, the building is neither classified as a historic monument (a procedure which depends only on the city’s initiative, which has not found it necessary to do so for over thirty years), nor the subject of any rehabilitation project by the city hall. it was heavily damaged by the 1944 anglo‑american bombings, but was rebuilt almost identically by shortly after the bombings. • Family vault of '''' at the cemetery. It has since been demolished. • House of '''', a prominent merchant and vice‑president of the Ploiești Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 1933–1934. Built at number on in 1927–1928, it is perfectly preserved, furnished and restored by his grandson , despite confiscation and interior degradation by tenants during the entire communist period. the latter regularly visited his friend and chose all the interior decoration at the time of finishing. Also at the initiative of , the house was listed in category A of historic monuments on 4 October 2010. Upon his death in 2019, the house was put up for sale by his heirs, who unfortunately got rid of the interior furniture and antique trinkets and porcelain chosen by , thus losing the soul of its rooms and an ambience frozen in the 1920s. the villa was acquired by a new owner in 2023 and is currently under renovation. The hotel was originally built by his grandfather Nicolae Gh. Socol. It was eventually demolished by the communist regime in the early 1960s. • Theatre and later cinema . Its construction took place in 1927, Historian Lucian Vasile describes the building’s distinctive features on his website republicaploiesti.net: . Renamed ' following its nationalisation it became home to the ' from 1955. It was first transformed and modernised by the communists in 1954. By 1957, following extensive renovations which further modernised the stage and increased the capacity to 600 seats, the building's exterior remained recognisable. Following the earthquake of 4 March 1977, the building was entirely disfigured and buried at the base of a Soviet-style apartment block, as part of the communist systematization plan. It was renamed '''' on 6 September 1991. The street on which the theatre is located underwent multiple name changes: from the 19th century to the 1920s, until around 1948, from 1948 to the 1960s, until 1996, and finally since 1996. • Gateway of the fairgrounds, constructed around 1930, probably during the term of Mayor , later becoming the entrance to the racetrack. Destroyed by the 1944 Anglo‑American bombings, the present gate is a pale replica of the original. • Luxurious renovation of the Central Bank of 's ground floor, completed before the 1929 financial crisis, the peak of Romanian banking activity in 1931–1932. Designed by Leonida Negrescu in the style of Charles Garnier, built for and owned by banker . • Cinema '''', still standing on . Originally built as a brewery It was constructed for the Chamber of Commerce of , under President Gérard Joseph Duqué around 1933. Decommissioned and abandoned in the 2000s, the building was renovated in 2009–2010. The main Chamber structure, predating this expansion, was severely damaged by the 1940 Vrancea earthquake and later demolished. • Rural inn ('') at barrier Bucov, No. 2 on . Likely one of the architect’s last works (1938–1939). Built to shelter market traders and peasants, it was later moved to the city outskirts following the construction of the central market halls. Originally surrounded by stables, the one-story Romanian‑style villa featured a large oak‑pillared terrace and tiled roof, a stable for 40 animals, and a small administrative building at the back. During the National-Legionary dictatorship, it served as a shelter for Transylvanian refugees, then housed the Cernăuți nervous disorders hospital after the Soviet invasion of Northern Bukovina. Officially named the Rural Inn Hospital'', it was severely damaged during 5 April 1945 bombing and evacuated to Filipeștii de Pădure. In October that year, a unit for Soviet troops opened there. From 1951, it operated as the county neurology department. The building continues to function as a hospital to this day In Prahova county Houses, villas, and apartment buildings • Two houses for members of his family: , a major oil magnate • Pharmacy and rental building of , . Probably built around 1920. The entire building was demolished after the 1977 earthquake. • Villa of Dr. , , around 1920, also called the lion house. The villa remains visible, unchanged, on at the level of the . • Manor of Gérard Joseph Duqué at , on the southern border of the commune with the city of , built from 1920 to 1935. The house was commissioned by lawyer , then transferred to Gérard Joseph Duqué in debt repayment; it was redesigned by the architect following the new owner’s wishes. The manor has undergone multiple modifications and simplifications since its construction. Only certain typical parts still bear witness to the architect’s creation. • Villa in , in 1923. • Villa in , in the quarter. A photograph of the villa was published in the journal '''' in 1925. • Villa in , in the quarter, built in 1925. Located in at No. 22 . Built by for his wife Florica. The house was probably sold by the architect around 1945. Renovated in the 2000s, it has been virtually unaltered. Photographs and an interior plan of the villa were published in 1925 and 1941 in the journal ''''. • House of his friend, painter in around 1926‑1927. • House of in , built around 1927, • Houses of agronomist engineer (strada Monumentului No. 2), The house of , built around 1928, is today • Villa in , renovations in 1930. The exterior appearance of the villa has been altered since, particularly the tower, rebuilt during the communist era in a different style, on which clocks were added. It is still visible at No. 112 , at the intersection with . A 1916 edition of the journal '''' presents plans and sketches of the villa. • Villa of lawyer , later owned by his daughter , in , at No. 4, built in 1934. • Villa , , around 1934‑1935. The villa is in very good condition. Public buildings • Construction of the necessary buildings for the Nicolae Iorga Establishment, The three buildings are listed as historical monuments. • Town Hall of Câmpina: renovation and expansion around 1914-1915. This was the former house of Zaharia Carcalechi built by his grandfather Nicolae G. Socolescu, restored by his father Toma N. Socolescu. The building was demolished to make way for a new town hall in 1922, which was itself destroyed by the Communists around 1980, as part of the reconstruction of the city's old center. • Courts of Drăgăneşti, Gorgota, and Poienarii Burchii, built in 1913-1914, all based on the same model. • First Instance Court, of located at , number 26. Built starting in 1923, the building is in poor external condition and is abandoned, with construction taking place between 1922 and 1928. The construction is remarkable and strongly features Neo-Brâncovenesc style. In May 2022, the mayor of the city, , proposed the demolition of the town hall building in a municipal council meeting, with plans to rebuild it in the original style, arguing that its reinforcement is too costly or impossible (the building is assessed to be at maximum seismic risk). Due to the vehement opposition of the residents, elected representatives, and the actions of the Pro Patrimonio association, who want to preserve this "architectural gem," the mayor changed his mind and abandoned the demolition plan. The controversy led to the initiation of the process to classify the building as a historical monument by the . The procedure, during which any physical alteration to the building is prohibited, is still ongoing. • First instance court By 1931, the construction was completed and the '''' began its activities. The building is still active without respecting the original dimensions or harmony of the windows. Finally, the building's exterior insulation smoothened out all the façade decorations and erased any trace of its original style. The school building, surrounded by a metal fence in a hybrid style of the communist era and mock-historic design, now houses the "Ferdinand I" College, but now resembles more of a barracks or penitentiary. • Royal House in Vălenii de Munte. The foundation stone was laid by on 15 July 1930, in the presence of the architect, the Princess, and the Minister of Finance Mihai Popovici. A project board can be seen in the 1930 edition of the journal ''. The project was never fully realized. The house was ultimately used differently from its original purpose and became home to the Popular Universities under the Princess Elena Foundation ()''. The villa was completely destroyed by the communists after the 1977 earthquake. • In , almost all the buildings, bridges, and public monuments, including the town hall between 1937 and 1940, the primary school between 1939 and 1944, the communal stable, and public baths. Religious buildings • Monument of the Trinity, The monument no longer exists. • Church of Our Lady, Source of Life ('''') in the commune of Izvoarele, Prahova, construction began in 1931 and was only completed in 1945 due to a lack of funds and the war. • Church of the Assumption ('''') in the commune of Boldești-Scăeni, constructed between 1936 and 1939, The church's roof and towers were significantly altered several times starting in 1941. The building endured every major earthquake since the one in 1940, as the region is highly seismic. Of the original two massive towers (at the façade and rear), only one remains; the other was replaced by two smaller ones. • Funerary chapel of 's family it now serves as the town cemetery's chapel. • A Trinity monument Unfortunately, the building has been disfigured by unsightly insulating glazing, probably just after its construction. • Villa located on , published in the journal '''' in 1924. Part of the street was demolished in the 1980s for the construction of the monumental and controversial People's House, as demanded by the communist dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu. The villa was destroyed during this process. • The residential building of the Tillman (or ) brothers. The building still stands. Before the communist era, it was located at No. 54 , at the intersection of (now ) and . It is now situated at the intersection of and , not far from (United Nations Square), which was known during the Interwar period as (Senate Square). The building was constructed in 1926. Its style is very similar to that of the '''' building in , designed around 1923. The structure has lost part of its upper façade gable, thus diminishing its prominence and beauty. It is highly probable that the 1940 and the 1977 earthquakes severely affected this structure, leading to its simplification. • Villa of engineer in the ', built between 1923 and 1926. The park is located in a triangle bounded by , (formerly ), and . The villa was located at on . Now demolished, it was entirely razed in 1942 to make room for another villa, which bears no resemblance to the original house. Only two photographs of the villa were published in the journal ', one in 1926, and another in 1941. • Villa , built in 1927, located on (also spelled Kogălniceanu), . The street is now named . The villa is located at No. 26, on a small square called Rondul Francis. Two photographs of the house were published in the journal '''' in 1930. A small pavilion with a roof, built atop the tower, is now missing, probably due to the 1940 and 1977 earthquakes. The house is classified as a historical monument. Other counties Public Buildings and Religious buildings • St. Nicholas and Alexander Church ('''') in , a commune in , built in Neo-Romanian style, located on , near the Town Hall. The construction and interior fittings were completed between 1912 and 1916. The oak furniture was exhibited at the Romanian Athenaeum during an exhibition organized by the architect in 1916. The frescoes and interior paintings were completed in 1932. In 2022, it was moved from the "B" list to the "A" list of Romanian historical monuments. Being in an advanced state of deterioration, its restoration began in 2023 under the guidance of Father Rizea, who fought for over 30 years not only to have the monument moved to the "A" list but also to secure the necessary funding for many preservation or restoration actions that were required. • Boys' High School in Buftea (Ilfov County). Built between 1929 and 1934. It is located at No. 5. Its exact name (as of 2009) is Barbu Știrbei Buftea Economic High School. == Architectural works designed but not executed ==

Among the ten competitions won by the architect, only two were executed: the '''' and, partially, the Palace of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, both located in . In addition, numerous projects were never realized, including the following: • Project for the institute of south-east European studies, under the direction of professor , in Bucharest, probably in the 1930s. It was published in the journal '''' in 1920. • Project for a public garden on '''' in , offered free of charge by the architect to the city in 1922. mayor selected the plans of another architect. the garden was inaugurated in 1926. The building called "Palace of culture" since 1953 is in fact the former palace of justice built by architects and Ernest Doneaud. • Church projects for the town of (around 1956), with his son Toma Barbu Socolescu, as well as for the commune of in 1944. • Project for the town hall of . == Publications ==

Books • • • The book contains many of the chapters written (by the architect) for 's monograph by Mihail Sevastos. • Toma T. Socolescu is one of the authors of the monograph. He wrote the chapters on architecture, the central market halls, urban planning, the history of the city’s maps, as well as popular culture (visual artists, museums, and the 'Nicolae Iorga' library). The book also includes many of his drawings and watercolors. • • • , sous le titre roumain: '''', Paul Juillerat, collection , , 1927 • Articles and drawings • In the (BCMI), three important articles: • Saint Nicholas Church () in , archaeological studies and surveys. Published in 1908 in the first issue (3rd trimester), under the title "Architectural Notes", pages 114-119. • in , archaeological studies and surveys. Published in 1916, • Portraits of deceased architects including , , Dimitrie Herjeu, Toma N. Socolescu and . • '''' (Travel notes in Italy). An illustrated article of 7 pages in the issue of 1925, pages 30–36. • Drawings and watercolors of old Romanian houses. • A profession of faith in which the author defends the idea of an art concerned with preserving the national cultural wealth and the Romanian national genius, while pursuing progress and modernity. The architect rejects any idea of international architecture. He published this article in French the same year. • An article defending the idea of creating an Institute dedicated to the protection and development of Romanian architecture: "A Romanian Architecture Institute", in the issue of 1943-1944. • In the journal '': an article on Romanian architects who studied at the Beaux-Arts de Paris''. • In the journal '''': • Travel notes on Romania and Italy. • Literary articles on the Countess de Noailles (Brâncoveanu), Auguste Rodin, Octavian Goga, etc. • Studies on some old buildings and historic monuments of , including: : - An article on the ruins of the old Saint Nicholas Church (''''), located at 105 , in 1915 : - An article on an old house, in the style of the Hagi Prodan residence, located on , opposite the Saints Voivodes Church (), in 1915. The church is located at number 23. • • On the specific subject of the Central Market Halls, the masterpiece of , several articles have appeared in Romanian journals and newspapers as well as in various European reviews: • Romania: a lengthy article in the newspaper Urbanismul, two issues of the review '''', and other publications: • • In the journal ': , ', five interior and exterior photographs of the halls, 1931–1933, pages 40–41 and page 86; and , ', article, plans, drawings and photographs, July 1936, number 6, pages 13–16 and pages 21–30. The July 1936 issue article is reproduced in full on pages 597–603 of the ' but also on urban planning, on local politics, on art and culture, on transportation, even agriculture, as well as obituaries. == Bibliography ==

• Prahova County Department of the Romanian National Archives. • Official documents from Romanian institutions, including the official Romanian newspaper (Monitorul Oficial). • Library of the Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urban Planning. • and family archives (Paris, Bucarest) including a photographic collection. • , Historian, Senior Advisor at the National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives (CNSAS) since 2025, former Expert and head of department at the Institute for the Investigation of Communist Crimes and the Memory of the Romanian Exile (IICCMER), president of the Association for Education and Urban Development (AEDU), author of the specialized site on the city of and its history: RepublicaPloiesti.net. • , civil and industrial construction engineer in , technical construction expert for 35 years. Born on 18 March 1929, in , Mr. Ilie personally knew and studied his work from 2004 until his death in 2024. • and Vincent Gérard Duqué, grandson of Gérard Joseph Duqué, in . Mr. Duqué’s grandfather was a friend of the architect. Both were active members of the city’s Rotary Club. == External links ==

• (a) Toma T. Socolescu, , , Bucharest, 2024, 1 vol., 232 pages, . • (f) RepublicaPloiesti.net, , historien, Président de l'Association pour l'Éducation et le Développement Urbain (AEDU), Créateur (août 2009) et auteur du site consacré au passé de la ville et à son architecture. • (g) , '''', Caligraf - Bucarest, 2011 and - Bucharest, 2013, 1 vol., 264 pages, 2011: and 2013: . • (h) and , '''', , 2010, • Other references: