Mihai Eminescu’s life in Bucharest was marked by turmoil, creation, and suffering, but also by literary relationships that nurtured his talent. From the modest lodgings on Strada Speranței or near Caimata Church, to the more comfortable homes offered by his friends, all these places bore witness to an exceptional literary destiny. Today, Bucharest remains a city of memory, where Eminescu’s footsteps, even though left in a changed city, continue to inspire and keep alive the remembrance of his genius.

Eminescu’s first lodgings in Bucharest

Mihai Eminescu arrived in Bucharest for the first time in 1877, at the invitation of the writer Ioan Slavici, who initially hosted him. For a time, the poet settled in a modest dwelling on Strada Speranței, which had only two rooms and a hallway. “An old woman took care of the house, but Eminescu would not let her enter his lodgings to clean,” notes a piece published by Alin Ion in 2019.

Later, the poet moved into the courtyard of Caimata Monastery, in a simple cell. Historian Lelia Zamani describes the details of his life:
 “It was a small rustic-style house, standing alone in the yard, with a wooden-pillared porch. The house consisted of two rooms, with a hallway in the middle that ended with a small kitchen. An old woman helped him keep house. For food, he ate at Duro’s canteen, on Strada Academiei, at the corner with Strada Doamnei. He rarely left the house except to go to the editorial office, and only occasionally to cafés. At home, the old woman was not allowed to disturb him with her presence, and whenever he left, he locked his door out of fear she might tidy up and scatter his manuscripts. As a result, the house became terribly disordered and dirty, making living there gradually impossible. Under these conditions, the poet left and moved into the courtyard of Caimata Monastery, where he found a sort of monastic cell. There, under low, smoke-blackened vaults, he moved his fir-wood desk, his chests of books and manuscripts. And then everything repeated itself. Days and nights went by without eating or undressing, which inevitably took its toll” (Alin Ion, April 11, 2019).

Relationship with Titu Maiorescu and attempts at adjustment

When his friends realized Eminescu needed support, Titu Maiorescu offered him a place in his home. Yet the orderly life and strict rules did not suit him. Lelia Zamani explains:
 “Mihai Eminescu accepted Titu Maiorescu’s offer to live with him, but for a while, his friends decided to send him to the countryside, where the air and water were healthier. During his stay at Florești estate (Țânțăreni commune, Gorj county), Eminescu was fairly happy, especially because he was alone. Meanwhile, Titu Maiorescu moved his belongings into a large, bright, clean room in his house and arranged them for him. Returning to Bucharest, Eminescu lasted only two weeks with the Maiorescu family. The settled life—with regular meals, concern for health and environment, no sleepless nights and endless coffees—was not made for him. The poet tried, but it was too much” (Alin Ion, April 11, 2019).

This experience pushed him to look for other alternatives and, after several attempts, he rented two rooms near St. Constantine’s Church, eventually moving permanently into Ioan Slavici’s house on Calea Victoriei. The historian continues:
 “Ioan Slavici had received a very strict education from his mother, a severe woman, and he too became very orderly and meticulous. Eminescu respected him and was influenced by Slavici, while Slavici in turn valued Eminescu and fully acknowledged his merits. For a while they lived together acceptably, even though Slavici was rather strict in certain respects, which actually benefited the poet” (Alin Ion, April 11, 2019).

Journalistic activity and workplaces

Much of Eminescu’s life in Bucharest was devoted to journalism. In the autumn of 1877, he joined the editorial team of the newspaper Timpul, at the invitation of Ioan Slavici and on the recommendation of Titu Maiorescu (Pr. Nicolae Dascălu, January 13, 2023). The editorial office was located in the Filipescu Inn, later known as the Dacia Palace, across from the Zlătari Monastery Inn.

Over the years, the poet lived in several temporary houses, including on Șipotul Fântânilor Street and Covaci Street. Camil Petrescu described the conditions of these dwellings: the poet lived “in an old house, with an upper floor, leprous walls, patched-up windows, and a trampled courtyard with wild trees” (Pr. Nicolae Dascălu, January 13, 2023).

These homes were not only living spaces but also centers of creation, where Eminescu wrote his articles and poems, including masterpieces such as Luceafărul, reportedly written on Miercurea Street (today Golescu Street), at the corner with Enescu.

Personal life and relations with contemporaries

Eminescu’s Bucharest life was closely tied to literary circles and his close friends, such as Ion Luca Caragiale and Ioan Slavici. His relationship with Veronica Micle, a widow, decisively influenced his housing choices as well as his emotional and creative state. In Slavici’s house, the poet lived in a strict but orderly environment that allowed him to devote himself to writing, while his relationships with Titu Maiorescu and other members of Junimea stimulated his talent and provided intellectual support (Alin Ion, April 11, 2019).

Illness and his final moments in Bucharest

From 1883 onward, Eminescu’s health visibly declined, affecting his relationships with his hosts.
 “In the spring of 1883, the situation between them worsened. Eminescu was no longer as docile, and Slavici was unwilling to accept anything, especially since he himself was ill. But Eminescu was also gravely ill. Soon he entered Dr. Șuțu’s sanatorium. From there he went to a sanatorium in Vienna, then with his friend Chibici Rîvneanu to Italy. When he returned to Bucharest, Slavici found him completely changed, unable to converse at all. His decline was obvious. He died on June 15, 1889, and was buried in Bucharest” (Alin Ion, April 11, 2019).

His final moments unfolded in deep suffering, and his funeral at Bellu Cemetery was a major event for the literary community and the public of Bucharest. The funeral hymn Mai am un singur dor (“I have but one desire left”) was performed then, leaving a profound mark on the city’s collective memory.

Monuments and Eminescu’s memory in Bucharest

Today, many places in the capital preserve the poet’s memory. The Writers’ Rotunda in Cișmigiu Park holds his marble bust, and in the garden of the Romanian Athenaeum stands the bronze statue inspired by Ode in Ancient Meter (Pr. Nicolae Dascălu, January 13, 2023). On Lipscani Street, a memorial plaque recalls that the poet worked at Timpul between 1877 and 1879, while streets and institutions bearing his name continue to remind the city of his presence.

Lost places and forgotten houses

Many of the homes in which Eminescu lived no longer exist. The Caimata Church neighborhood was demolished in 1890, and the house on Strada Speranței as well as the one near the White Church have disappeared or been altered. Even commemorative plaques, sometimes incorrectly placed, fail to fully recreate the image of the places the poet once knew. Still, his memory lives on in the stories passed down by historians and in research dedicated to Bucharest’s literary heritage tours (Pr. Nicolae Dascălu, January 13, 2023).