Ana Racoviță, who would later become known as Ana Davila, was born in 1834 in Craiova, into a family that carried the noble heritage of the old Romanian boyar lineages. She was one of nine children born to Ana (Anca) Racoviță, née Golescu, and Alexandru Racoviță, a descendant of a family that had given several rulers to Wallachia and Moldavia. Through her grandparents, Dinicu and Zinca Golescu, Ana inherited not only noble blood but also a deep sense of civic duty and patriotism.

Childhood in a noble family

She spent her childhood with her sisters on the family estate at Golești, in Muscel County, where Romanian traditions blended harmoniously with refined education. 

Under the watchful eye of her grandfather, Dinicu Golescu, the girls learned the art of embroidery, weaving, and traditional costume making, skills that Ana cherished throughout her life and later passed on to the orphaned girls under her care. 

The serene environment at Golești shaped her gentle but determined character, instilling in her a deep moral conscience and a natural inclination toward charity.

Marriage to Dr. Carol Davila and a life dedicated to others

Fate brought Ana together with Dr. Carol Davila, a French physician who had come to Wallachia to organize the country’s modern medical system. A bond quickly formed between them, built on mutual respect and a shared vision of public service. 

The two married in April 1861 at the Golești estate, in a ceremony remembered for its simplicity and authenticity. Ana chose to wear traditional Romanian folk garments at her wedding, a symbolic gesture of her love for her homeland’s customs, as later recalled by her daughter, Elena Perticari.

Once she became the wife of Dr. Davila, Ana refused to limit herself to the ornamental role that society often imposed on women of her rank. In 1860, her husband had founded a charitable asylum for orphaned girls, offering them shelter, food, and education. Ana soon took over the administration of this institution, devoting herself entirely to its mission.

The “mother” of 330 orphans at the “Elena Doamna” Asylum

For 14 years, until her tragic death in 1874, Ana Davila was the heart and soul of the Orphan Girls’ Asylum on Cotroceni Hill. She succeeded in turning the institution into a model of philanthropy and education. 

Working closely with the ladies of Bucharest’s high society, among them Elena Cuza, the wife of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza, Ana gathered the support needed to expand the asylum. Elena Cuza even initiated a public fundraiser to build a new and modern building, which was named the “Elena Doamna Asylum” in her honor.

Under Ana’s guidance, the asylum became a sanctuary of hope. The girls received not only food and shelter but also an education tailored to their abilities. 

Those inclined toward academics attended normal school courses, while others were trained in practical trades such as tailoring and weaving. As the historian G. M. Ionescu wrote, “This unpaid directress was a true mother to the children, in every sense of the word.”

Ana personally oversaw every aspect of the girls’ lives — from clothing and meals to moral and intellectual education. She was both a nurturing presence and a respected authority figure, capable of instilling discipline, dignity, and a sense of purpose in her protégées.

A family united by love and culture

Together with Carol Davila, Ana raised four children, instilling in them the same discipline and kindness she showed to the orphans. Their eldest son, Alexandru Davila, would later become a celebrated playwright, stage director, and director of the National Theatre in Bucharest, carrying on the family’s dedication to public life and culture. 

Their daughter Elena, who married into the Perticari family, became a writer and family biographer, preserving precious memories of her parents. Their other children, Zoe (married Cuțarida) and Pia (Carol Nicolae Davila), grew up under the same example of modesty, integrity, and compassion.

The Davila household was one of love, education, and altruism. Carol, devoted to his medical reforms, and Ana, driven by humanitarian ideals, formed a couple whose legacy is deeply tied to Romania’s modernization.

The tragic death of Ana Davila – a fatal mistake

But fate was merciless toward this remarkable woman. In January 1874, during a medical conference at Colțea Hospital, Ana Davila began suffering from a severe headache. One of the attending doctors, Dr. Bernath, offered to bring her some quinine powder, a common remedy for migraines at the time. Yet what followed was a tragic accident.

In a moment of carelessness, the doctor mistakenly picked up a vial of strychnine — a deadly poison, instead of quinine. The bottles were stored on adjacent shelves, and the error went unnoticed. 

He handed Ana the powder, believing it would relieve her pain. Unaware of the fatal mix-up, Ana left the hospital intending to buy gifts for her daughter Elena’s upcoming birthday. Minutes later, as she reached a shop in central Bucharest, she suddenly collapsed and died on the spot.

Her sudden death shocked the entire Romanian society. Ana Davila was only 40 years old when she passed away, leaving behind a devastated husband and hundreds of orphaned girls who had lost the woman they called “mother.”

A legacy of compassion and philanthropy

After Ana’s death, the orphan girls’ asylum was cared for by her husband, Dr. Carol Davila, with the support of Queen Elisabeth of Romania. Under the Queen’s patronage, the institution later evolved into a pedagogical institute, continuing Ana’s mission of educating and empowering young women.

Tragedy struck again a few months later, in April 1874, when the royal family lost their only child, Princess Maria. The little princess was buried in the garden of the “Elena Doamna” Asylum, the place so dear to Ana Davila’s heart, as a symbolic gesture of shared sorrow and compassion. In 1916, when Queen Elisabeth passed away, the child’s remains were transferred to the royal necropolis at Curtea de Argeș.

Ana Davila remains to this day a symbol of devotion, generosity, and true nobility of spirit. In an age defined by strict hierarchies and social conventions, she chose to use her privilege not for personal comfort but for the good of others. The asylum on Cotroceni Hill, which she led with love and discipline, stands as one of the most beautiful chapters in the history of Romanian philanthropy.

A model of dignity and compassion

Ana Davila’s death did not mark the end of her ideals, it marked the beginning of a legacy that continued through the generations she inspired. Her example encouraged many women from Romania’s aristocracy to dedicate themselves to charity work, establishing schools, hospitals, and asylums.

To this day, Ana Davila is remembered as a luminous figure, a blue-blooded lady who chose to place her nobility at the service of the poor and the forgotten. Her story is not only one of love and sacrifice but also a timeless lesson in empathy and civic responsibility.

Alongside her husband, the great physician Carol Davila, Ana’s name continues to be honored as a symbol of compassion and modern humanitarianism in Romania. 

In a world often marked by haste and indifference, her example reminds us that true nobility is not measured by titles or wealth, but by the good deeds that leave a lasting imprint on the hearts of others.

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