Cula Duca Măldărești

The Duca Kula in Măldărești, Vâlcea County, is part of the village's ensemble of kulas, alongside the Greceanu Kula, and is one of the most representative examples of this type of architecture specific to Oltenia. Kulas are fortified boyar tower-houses, built between the 18th and 19th centuries, in a troubled time when the lesser boyars needed dwellings able to withstand the attacks of robber bands and raids. With thick brick and stone walls, small windows on the lower levels, an open loggia on the upper floor and defensive loopholes, the kula combines the function of a home with that of a fortified refuge.

The Duca Kula, with its interiors furnished in traditional style and its shaded porch, offers a vivid picture of the life of Oltenia's rural gentry. Today the ensemble operates as a museum. Practical note: visit the two kulas together and combine the stop with the nearby Horezu Monastery, a UNESCO monument and a centre of traditional pottery.