The Citadel Square
In September 2015 I began a new project, based on an architectural theme: the replica of the Citadel Square from Baia Mare in which the St. Stefan Church Tower, a project from 2014, would be included.
The square was rehabilitated in three years and was inaugurated in May 2015, thus, becoming the main attraction of the town. The rehabilitation was made to the inside of the tower; the walls former position of the old St. Stefan Church were identified using black stones. These walls were demolished in 1847. Some glass cases were built, through which the old ruins of the walls can be seen. The other three churches from the square (long gone) were identified by the walls of stone and by the glass cases (through which the old ruins can be seen). A buttress was built round each church. It was also possible to show the ground’s level through these cases (the square has been heightened with 2-2.5 metres over the last 150 years. With this rehabilitation the square’s historical details have been capitalized.
I’ve tried to create an exact replica of the square with all the possible details that could be made with LEGO bricks, including the 14 trees. The creation won’t include the actual surrounding buildings and it will be completed with the identification of its wall, but it will include the parking space, the sidewalks and the two streets. I’ve also replicated the lifted square and its glass cases covering the ruins.
Having received all the inscriptions of the rehabilitation design of Cetății [Castle] Square, I managed to create and produce stickers to recreate these inscriptions on LEGO pieces, whether they be information boards, metal cutout signs, or actual adhesive labels in the square.
As the public lighting design of Cetății Square had participated in a world-wide specialist competition, where it had won 3rd Prize, I decided to recreate, with the help of 120 LED lamps, all the floodlights that produce the enchanting night-time atmosphere of the actual square. However, I did not illuminate the tower of St. Stephen’s Church.
Although I made this model solely with LEGO pieces from toys, I tried to obtain as serious a result as possible in terms of the architecture, thus I opted to not populate the square with LEGO figurines, excepting a few more important characters that have a close connection with Cetății Square. I will let you discover who these are by yourselves.
The model was first exhibited on May 20, 2017, during the European Night of Museums at the Maramureș County Museum of History and Archaeology. I would like to thank the museum’s entire team as well as Ms Ildikó Mitru (9OPTIUNE) for all the study material and informational support provided during these two years.
While I have dedicated The St. Stephen Church Tower to historian Neagu Djuvara, I am dedicating The Citadel Square in it’s entirety to historian Lucian Boia.
Technical details
- Dimensions: 145 cm x 87 cm x 78 cm
- Pieces: 11 974
- Project worktime: 24 months
The LEGO model vs. The real tower
Vestiges.
I raised the entire model to achieve the depth of the showcases where, with the help of some LED lights, the viewer can also see the replicated archaeological vestiges
The outline of the walls.
I built the outline of the former St. Stephen’s Church by respecting, as much as the LEGO bricks allowed it, the Gothic shape of the walls and buttresses
St. Catherine’s Church.
I built the walls and pavement of the former St. Catherine’s Church as they currently appear in the square
St. Martin’s Church.
I built the walls of the former St. Martin’s Church, including the showcase and the inscriptions with the church’s history, as they are visible at present
The entrance to the Church of the Holy Trinity.
The geometric shape of my work included part of the entrance to this church as well, and, as it has a particularly beautiful architecture with interesting decorations, I decided to recreate the columns of the entrance
Stairs and ramps.
Although they had varied and complex shapes, I decided to build all six stairs leading to the square, as well as the two ramps; the third one, from Turnului [Tower] Street, was not part of my model’s geometrical shape
Trees.
Fourteen in number, some of them are classified as secular trees. I tried to recreate them as faithfully as possible, one of them having a more distinctive color.
Parking.
From the gifted Spanish creator, Mario Sánchez (MSP! on Flickr), I have received a car he had designed especially for the parking area of my replica of The Citadel Square.
PHOTO GALLERIES
Overall view
Details
Inscriptions
The Lighting System
Characters
Making Of
The Citadel Square in real life
