British Travellers in Nineteenth-Century Craiova: Scenes of Local History in a Borderland Territory
British Travellers in Nineteenth-Century Craiova: Scenes of Local History in a Borderland Territory

Summary/Abstract: An attempt to trace the history of British travel to Wallachia and ascertain the exact number of British travellers to Craiova in the nineteenth century might appear at least odd. However, the present article aims to illustrate all those British narrative accounts that include Craiova in their journeys. Also, the purpose of this paper is to introduce the reader to a broad historical context of nineteenth-century Wallachia and underline the main geographical and social features of its capital, Craiova, which, as a borderland territory, had an important military, strategic, and economic role in facilitating the diffusion and development of urban transportation and street improvement. The article mainly focuses on the perspectives expressed by those nineteenth-century British visitors to Craiova (ambassadors, consuls, geologists, travellers, and diplomatists) in their travelogues. Until the mid-nineteenth century, British visitors had manifested little interest in Little Wallachia. During the period of economic growth in Craiova, which occurred between the years 1859, which marked the Union of the Principalities and 1881, which represented the establishment of the monarchy, Little Wallachia and Craiova were visited by various British officials or mere travellers, who left written accounts of their experience in this area. Most of these visitors emphasise the fact that the people of taste and manners that inhabit this territory, which is endowed with so much natural wealth, should be less ignorant about exploiting their natural resources.

• Details
• Contents