Youth Theatre

The "Stejarul" Biological Research Centre is a branch, without legal personality, of INCDSB Bucharest and was founded in 1957 by the decision nr. 2271/1.11.1956, as a branch of the Faculty of Biology and Geography from the A. I Cuza University, Iasi, Romania. The current headquarters is in a house on the list of historical monuments in the city, built at the beginning of the 20th century.

The "Buna Vestire" church in Piatra-Neamţ, located on 1 Decembrie 1918 street, has a rich history of three centuries. The history of this place of worship begins in 1719, when the boyar Iordache Dărmănescu, together with his wife, Safta, built a church in the area, which originally belonged to Gârcina. Since then, the neighborhood took the name of Dărmănești. But, as a boyar church, until 1930, it was led by monks. Both founders are commemorated annually, in the Annunciation service. A lesser-known thing from this old church should be mentioned: here is the icon of the Mother of God with the Child, dressed in silver, whose first mention dates back to 1661. However, the icon is much older, and the year 1661 appears as the year in which it was performed the first miracle mentioned in the eight medallions that are on the edge of the icon. On this small icon, there was also a small medallion, which may have been made of precious metal, because it is also found written: "Imagination and measure of the holy and miracle-working icons of the Most Holy Mother of God from Caplunpvschie". Photo & text credit: www.viatanemteana.info

The Annunciation Church in Piatra-Neamț was built between 1779-1787 from wooden beams, arranged horizontally and "ended" in a dovetail, on a stone foundation and covered with thatch. In 1999, the church was relocated from Bistrița (a neighboring locality), under the care of Archimandrite Ciprian Zaharia, the abbot of the Bistriţa Monastery, on the Cozla hill, to a place where the "Draga Hermitage" was located in the past, but which burned.

 The house was built in 1898 by Dimitrie Corbu (former mayor of Piatra-Neamț in 1899, 1905, 1907 and 1913). The columns, capitals, ornamentation, tall rooms, the shape of the building itself and the shape of the roof betray an architect conquered by the Baroque style.   Luminița Moscalu, the director of the "Victor Brauner" High School in Piatra-Neamț, described the beautiful building as follows: "L-shaped ground floor building". The main entrance has a large portico, two Ionic columns, capitals with volutes, two massive pillars with two engaged columns, connected by arches in full girdle. The ornamentation of the stucco cartouches is done in roroco style. It specifies eclectic architecture with a dominant baroque". Photo & text source: www.mesagerulneamt.ro

Built in 1929, in the center of the city of Piatra-Neamț, and registered in the National Heritage list, the beautiful building of the Military Center is known among the residents of Piatra as the "Gendarmerie". In the past, the location served the two institutions. Unfortunately, it is currently unused and in an advanced process of degradation. But even so, many details can still be admired on the main facade and the street facade.

In the northern part of the city rises the Cozla hill, with altitudes of 657m at the point called "Trei Coline" and 679m at the point "Trei Caldări" (close to the village of Gârcina). Mount Cozla has the shape of an elongated peak from north to south and is made up of layers of different marls, clay shale, layers rich in fish fossils and algae, also represented at the Museum of Natural Sciences in Piatra Neamț. From the point called "Trei Coline" start tourist routes that lead to Dărmănești, to Cârloman or to the area of stone marmites called "La Trei Caldări" by the locals. It is good to know that this route is approved and is very accessible to the general public. You will find here, in an isolated rock, three round hollows with a diameter of approx. 60cm, whose origin has not met the consensus, considering that we are either facing a karst phenomenon, or periglacial, or with the character of aeolian marmites formed by the long action of the winds. On the Cozla hill, springs of chloride-sodium and sulphurous mineral waters were discovered in 1882, characterized by the analyzes made at the time by Petru Poni, and which were used in the treatment of digestive and circulatory ailments. Over time, irrational exploitation led to their clogging. The viewpoint on the Cozla hill plateau is one of the most impressive. You will be able to admire the whole city, the valley of Bistrița, but also the imposing Ceahlău Massif. On foot or by gondola, this place is not to be missed! Remember that the view is even more impressive at sunset.

In addition to the construction of the "Nicu Albu" Public Garden and the transformation of the access road into a pedestrian alley, in 2023 the modernization of the viewpoint on Cozla Hill will also be completed. This has been and will become an important tourist attraction. The project for the viewpoint on Mount Cozla is in the execution phase and it is estimated that by the end of the year the project will be completed. Several works will be carried out, including a small playground (with hanging swings, climbing net) in the mezzanine, the extension of the observation area, the refinishing of the parapets and the mezzanine wall with natural stone. Also, the ambient lighting system will be restored and surveillance cameras will be installed.

Nicu N. Albu (1853-1908) was an important Romanian businessman and politician - mayor, prefect, deputy, senator, honorary citizen (posthumously) of Piatra Neamț municipality (1996). The new public garden at the base of the Cozla hill, which will bear his name, is in the process of being completed in the space of the old zoo. This will become a valuable place dedicated to both the local community and tourists from the city.

At Piatra Neamț, the first railway line was built to connect the city to Bacău under the law of May 15, 1882 and was put into operation on October 15, 1885. The first station of the city being currently called Gara Veche (located in the neighborhood of the same name). The Old Station building was built after the normalization of the Bacău – Piatra Neamț line was completed in 1893. Initially, the railway was built with a gauge of 1,000 mm., and the passenger building - inaugurated on February 15, 1885, was of the terminus type. Bringing the line to a normal gauge of 1,456 mm was carried out by engineer I. Bacalu from Piatra Neamț, and the works were led by engineer Romulus Băiulescu. The current Piatra-Neamț railway station was inaugurated on October 2, 1913 and is an important and valuable historical monument, being the work of the Italian entrepreneur Carol Zane, the one who also built other buildings in the city: the Theatre of Youth, the Precista Church, the Art Museum and the current headquarters of the Cucuteni Museum. A really important moment that had the CRF Piatra-Neamţ Station in the foreground was when the famous filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola was going to film here, in 2005-2006, several scenes from the movie "Youth without youth".