In the heart of Bucharest, at 18 Nicolae Bălcescu Boulevard, stands an imposing building, today home to the Metropolitan Center for Education and Culture. Many Bucharest residents know it as “Dalles Hall,” but few are aware of the dramatic story of the family behind this institution.

The beginnings of the dalles family and the tragedies that marked it

The Dalles family, of Greek origin, was among the wealthiest in the capital. Ioan I. Dalles and his wife Elena owned numerous properties in the busiest commercial areas of the city—Lipscani, Gabroveni, and Șelari Streets—rented either fully or partially to merchants. These revenues ensured a prosperous life, and the family seemed destined for fulfillment and stability. However, fate struck them with unusual cruelty.

In 1873, their first child, George, died at only two years old. In 1886, the father, Ioan G. Dalles, passed away, leaving Elena widowed. The tragedies continued: in 1892, their daughter Dora died at only 17, and in 1914, the youngest son, Ioan I. Dalles, died at just 35. Left alone, Elena Dalles chose to transform her pain into generosity, dedicating part of her fortune to cultural and educational causes.

Elena Dalles’s will and the vision of a cultural institution

On May 16, 1918, shortly before her own death, Elena Dalles wrote a will bequeathing several family properties to the Romanian Academy, with clear instructions that they be demolished and replaced with a cultural building. She wanted the new foundation to bear the name of her late son, Ioan I. Dalles, keeping his memory alive.

The will is striking for the clarity of its provisions. Elena requested that the new building be “beautiful and spacious,” with halls dedicated to art exhibitions—painting, sculpture, architecture, and traditional Romanian embroidery. 

She also envisioned spaces for exams, concerts, musical performances, and lectures of the People’s University of Bucharest. With this act, the widowed Dalles gave the capital not just a cultural institution but also a place meant to educate and elevate the civic spirit of Romanians.

In 1921, after her death, the will was read, and the Romanian Academy began preparations to carry out her philanthropic vision.

The construction of the Ioan I. Dalles foundation

Between 1929 and 1932, the Romanian Academy managed to complete the project. The expropriated lands were settled, and the building was erected according to the plans of architect Horia Teodoru. The construction was carried out by engineer Emil Prager, one of the most renowned contractors of the time, under the supervision of G. Balș, who presented a detailed report to the Romanian Academy.

On May 29, 1932, the “Ioan I. Dalles” Foundation was officially inaugurated. The event became a landmark in Bucharest’s cultural life. Among those present were the Patriarch of Romania, Miron Cristea, the city’s mayor, Dem Dobrescu, members of the Romanian Academy and their families, government officials, and a large audience.

Dalles Hall – a hub of interwar cultural life

In the years following its opening, Dalles Hall became a cultural epicenter. Between 1932 and 1946, figures such as Nicolae Iorga, Octavian Goga, Gala Galaction, Constantin Rădulescu-Motru, Tudor Arghezi, George Călinescu, and Dimitrie Gusti held lectures there. It was a place where ideas flourished and the public came to hear the leading intellectual voices of the era.

The stage also hosted memorable concerts. George Enescu performed there 26 times, alongside other great musicians such as Dinu Lipatti, Constantin Silvestri, Ion Voicu, and Virginia Zeani. The art exhibitions introduced audiences to works by Nicolae Grigorescu, Ștefan Luchian, Ion Andreescu, and Iosif Iser, confirming Dalles Hall as a pillar of Bucharest’s cultural scene.

Changes after the war and during the communist period

After World War II, in 1948, the foundation and its assets were transferred to the Ministry of Arts and Information. Later, in 1962, the People’s University of Bucharest was established, financed by the Local Trade Unions Council and coordinated culturally by the State Committee for Culture and Arts.

That same year, academician Tudor Vianu was appointed rector, lending the institution strong intellectual prestige. After his death, leadership was taken over by acad. Remus Răduleț and later acad. Radu Voinea. Under state guidance, the People’s University soon became a methodological model for similar institutions across the country.

By the 1970s, it was renamed the Cultural-Scientific University and grew into Romania’s most important adult education institution under communism. Lecturers included Mihai Ralea, Liviu Ciulei, Grigore Moisil, and Victor Eftimiu, all contributing to the shaping of a national cultural conscience.

Rebirth after 1989 and the continuation of a philanthropic mission

The fall of communism brought further changes. In 1990, the institution was renamed the Free University of Bucharest, but in 1991 it reverted to the traditional title of People’s University of Bucharest. In 1995, to honor Elena Dalles’s testamentary wish, it became the “Ioan I. Dalles” People’s University.

In 2009, the Romanian Academy granted its official patronage to the institution, confirming the enduring connection between Elena Dalles’s legacy and Romanian cultural values. In 2019, by a decision of the Bucharest City Hall, it was reorganized as the Metropolitan Center for Education and Culture “Ioan I. Dalles,” while keeping its historic mission intact.

Dalles Hall today – a vibrant space for bucharest’s culture

Today, the “Ioan I. Dalles” Metropolitan Center is a landmark institution in Bucharest’s cultural landscape. Located at the city’s kilometer zero, it offers vocational and professional training courses, language programs, general culture lectures, as well as theater performances and concerts. It also hosts art exhibitions, festivals, fairs, book launches, and debates, supporting both independent artists and emerging talent.

The building includes several modernized spaces, such as Dalles Hall with 344 seats and the I.C. Brătianu Hall with about 180 seats, used for performances, conferences, and cultural events of great diversity.

The center’s mission extends beyond formal education. It promotes democratic values, lifelong personal development, and community spirit. It also runs social responsibility campaigns and leisure activities for both young people and seniors.

A legacy of grief transformed into culture

Looking back, the story of Dalles Hall is, above all, the story of a mother who lost all her children and chose to turn her grief into an act of generosity. Through her will, Elena Dalles not only left behind a building but created a cultural legacy that continues to enrich Bucharest to this day.

Every lecture, concert, or exhibition at Dalles Hall is, in essence, a tribute to her son Ioan I. Dalles, who died at just 35. Out of personal tragedy, one of Romania’s most enduring cultural institutions was born.

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