I visited 3 "coules" or culas while driving around Romania. From the little information about this rural tWHS and based on the photos from other reviewers, I was going to skip them since I had quite a fair share of WH locations around Romania already on my "to visit" list. That said, just after visiting Horezu Monastery WHS, John Smaranda texted me to remind me that I should really put in a small effort to take in the nearby locations of Cula Duca and Cula Greceanu. I asked him again whether it was worth the small detour, and he sparked my curiosity be replying "Depends on your expectation level!". Well, I had no expectation at all and I wanted to avoid more near misses, so I drove towards Măldărești, Vâlcea, in the Oltenia region of Romania.

Visiting times are quite restricted and like other place in Romania, even during summer, an old lady with the keys lets you in for a small combined fee or you can call her number displayed near the gate (closed on Mondays). Apart from the etymology of the word "cula", the Ottoman influence is very clear upon viewing Cula Duca from a distance. By visiting the interior of the different floors you get a glimpse of the now tranquil rural setting enjoyed by nobility, but the lofty thick walls and exterior of these tower houses hint quite well at how nobility had to make sure their safety was guaranteed at all times. They were originally built as homes for the ruling Boyar class to defend against violent raids by rebels from the south of the Danube during the 18th century and also against riots by local population against the Boyars. Inside Cula Duca, on the first floor, there are a number of information boards on all the different locations and culas, put forward as a tWHS. While going up or down the stairs, you'll also notice some rural geometric designs mixed with Christian figures, which are quite similar to the interior art of the wooden Maramures church at Ieud, and they also reminded me a bit of the Decorated Farmhouses of Sweden.

The ground floor and attic were mainly used as storage places while the first and second floors had living quarters with long dining tables for banquets or receptions and splendid panoramic views, since the tower houses were often the highest buildings and were built at strategic points to watch the different passages. Most tower houses had thatched roofs and were completely white-washed, with intricately carved embrasures for ventilation. The only recurring decorations were the nobility coat of arms, often next to the chimney, as well as the pretty architectural designs of the windows and/or balconies in the upper floors. Cula Greceanu, apart from being the oldest cula in Romania (built approximately in 1517), is quite special above all for its lovely (albeit modern, around 1934) mural paintings by Olga Greceanu of “sponsors”, drawing her inspiration from the portraits painted at the entrance of the Măldăreşti church, which is located in the close vicinity of the cula.

These 2 culas reminded me of the wonderful Skenduli and Zekate town houses in Gjirokastra, Albania. Most probably, they are the "star location" among the different locations, as my positive experience here was not repeated at the other location I visited after visiting the tWHS at Targu Jiu: Cula Gheorghe Tătărescu at Curtișoara. This cula is now on the premises of the Gorj Folk Architecture Museum and has been relocated from its original position at the village of Poiana in the commune of Rovinari. The cula is made up of a ground floor and an upper floor, but it lost most of its original form following some important changes made in the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century when it is turned into a modern dwelling. The walls of the building are very thick, with large windows and a shingle roof. The entrance is guarded by stone lions and goes through a walled arch gallery. The inside areas of the building were redecorated as commissioned by Aretia Tătărescu. Although this cula was not on par with the other 2 locations I had visited previously, and could have easily be seen from the street without the need to pay a ticket, it was a pleasant continuation to the tWHS I had just visited in Targu Jiu, since Constantin Brâncuşi apparently lived in this cula during the construction of the monumental ensemble in Targu Jiu (1937-1938). Photography is supposed to be allowed only outside the 3 culas I visited.