Abstract
The Burchi-Zmeu mansion in Iaşi is an old two-floored house, a historical monument located on 3rd Zmeu street, behind the new building of “Petre Andrei” University. The present historical study was elaborated within the restoration project of the monument. In 1808 the building existing on the plot was the property of captain Vistu and was previously part of the lands of St. John Chrysostom monastery. After the big fire of 1827 the nobleman (boyar) Ilie Burchi-Zmeu moved here, the one who gave the mansion its current name. After 1860 the property was inherited by his daughter, Maria, married with colonel, Dimitrie Foti. Until 1906, the house was inhabited by their daughter, Ecaterina Fotty. In 1907 a certain doctor Ilie Şeptilici (1878-1927), the son of Arcadie Şeptilici, and married with Olga Fotty appears to be the owner of the Burchi mansion.
Turing the time, the building on the Zmeu street had more thanone uses. Between 1880 and 1893, the ground floor was the location of the State Archives, while the upper floor was inhabited by a family. In 1920 the building was the property of the Gendarmerie, while in 1940 it was the location of the Institute for Deaf-mutes. After 1945 the property was administered by the Mayoralty of Iaşi, which granted here spaces for various state entities. The institutions headquartered here operated many alterations and repairs of the interior and exterior of the building, which largely modified the appearance of the building and the organization of its interior. The historical and architectural study analyzes all the successive alteration of the monument, in order to attempt the restoration of its original appearance. The paper is, in the same time, a reflection on the opportunity of bringing the building to its original state or, alternatively, to preserve its various stages of evolution, as well as on the requirement of space-organization demanded by its future destination as a museum.