At Banesti, archaeological finds and building history come together as distinct topics. A fragmentary krater was discovered on the Neajlov near Banesti. Numerous archaeological traces were found between Banesti and Chirculești during surface surveys conducted with students from Iepurești School. A report from 2005 describes these investigations. The accounts of the finds highlight different aspects: the krater is one individually named find, while the surface survey brought numerous traces to light. The archaeological perspective thus ranges from a specific object to a broader search for traces in the Valea Ilfovățului valley. Unlike the buildings, the focus here is on the findspot, object, and method.

Building history in Chirculești, Gorneni, and Iepurești

Place names and dates are important for the buildings, too. The manor house in Chirculești dates from 1864 and is listed as a monument of local interest and an architectural monument. In Gorneni is the “Sfinții Arhangheli Mihail și Gavril” church, built in 1825 and likewise listed as a monument of local interest and an architectural monument. The manor house and church therefore share both designations, but belong to different building types. Chirculești and Gorneni each identify a specific location, while the dates allow for a direct comparison of their building histories.

The “Sfântul Nicolae” church near Iepurești town hall offers another timeline. It dates from 1790 and was rebuilt in 1827. Both dates refer to the same church: 1790 marks its original construction, while 1827 marks its reconstruction. Compared with the manor house from 1864 and the church from 1825, this is therefore not just a matter of a single construction date. The reconstruction shows that a building’s history can span several points in time. Those interested in building history can distinguish the original construction date from later changes.

Museum collection and landscape

Among the notable exhibits in the Iepurești museum collection is a fragment of an American B24 bomber that was shot down near Iepurești on June 28, 1944. The focus here is on the date of a specific event, not the construction period of a building. The aircraft fragment thus adds another topic to the building history and archaeology: a single object can point to an event with a precise date. Together with the churches, manor house, and archaeological traces, it offers a multifaceted view of different kinds of historical evidence.

The commune of Iepurești is characterized by relatively flat terrain and is crossed by the Neajlov. The fragmentary krater was discovered by the river near Banesti. The Neajlov thus appears at two geographical scales: as the specific location of a find and as a river that crosses a commune. For travelers, this distinction is useful: the first reference locates the find, while the second describes the landscape at commune level. This broader view of the landscape complements the archaeological and architectural themes.

Discover more destinations: Varlaam, Malu, Giurgiu, Comana, Potlogi, Daia, Izvoarele, Greaca.

Go to the main travel overview: Giurgiu.