Ploiesti is a city of great industrial importance and one of the main centers of oil extraction and processing in Romania. Some old buildings have been preserved in its center, mainly from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The city was founded in the 16th century by Hospodar Michał the Brave. however, no monuments from the old days have survived to this day. It happened due to several factors. In the 19th century, oil deposits were discovered near Ploiesti, and the entire region became one of the world's most important centers of its production. The city quickly changed its character, from a former shopping center on the route to Bucharest, to a typically industrial one.
In 1940, the entire region was hit by an earthquake that severely damaged the buildings. At that time, the primary focus was on the reconstruction of industrial installations. At that time, the local refineries were working for the needs of the German army. It was the second cause of the city's destruction. In 1943 and 1944, Allied air raids caused significant damage not only to industrial plants, but also to buildings.
Today, Ploiesti Center is a combination of post-war buildings and preserved and carefully restored houses and tenement houses from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Among the most beautiful are those that now house museums, the Nicolae Simache ClockMuseum , the Ion Luca CaragialeMuseum and the Nichita Stănescu Memorial Museum . There is also a large Museum of Natural Sciences and the Museum of History and Archeology in the city . They are included among the most important attractions of Ploiesti.
There is also the Orthodox Church of St. John the Baptist , heavily rebuilt after World War II, and the Church of St. A spirit with colorful mosaics.
