CAFENELELE IEȘENE DIN SECOLUL AL XIX-LEA – DE LA SOCIABILITATEA MASCULINĂ LA DEMOCRATIZARE
IAȘI COFFEEHOUSES FROM 19TH CENTURY – MALE SOCIABILITY TO EVOLVED DEMOCRATIZATION

Summary/Abstract: The coffeehouses appeared in the urban space as a form a modern sociability. Imported by France, from Constantinople in 16th century, coffeehouses spread after this, all over Europe in the 17th century. In Iași, the owners of these kind of institutions were, in general, foreigners such as: Turks, Jews, Greeks or Armenians. Coffeehouses occupied an intermediary position between the refined parlours and ordinary pubs. Equality and freedom of expression were the most important characteristics of coffeehouses. Male domains initially, these institutions gradually became democratic, accepting women. In the last quarter of the 19th century, café-chantant accepted not only men and women but also members of whole family, at certain prescribed hours. Coffeehouses didn’t have an united social structure. The lack of selection or exclusivity in favour of diversity contributed to the downfall of their social structure. Despite this, coffeehouses remained an important meeting place, a veritable site of the bourgeois public sphere.

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