The house with a tower in the center of Petroșani is the kind of building that makes you stop to admire it and inevitably prompts you to wonder about its story. Its story begins in the last century. An imposing building with a tower reminiscent of old neo-Gothic castles, the house was the central point of the Ianza colony, a settlement established as a result of the industrialization of the Petroșani area; an industrialization with a distinctive style, as seen in the overall photographs – the workers brought here from the disadvantaged regions of the empire were housed in quaint buildings, whose only symmetrical multiplication designated them as a district with a clear function and purpose.
In the Ianza colony lived affluent individuals, officials, or administrative personnel of the mining companies in the Jiu Valley, and the house had a commercial ground floor and rented upper floors. Built in 1903, Casa Ianza is the most representative construction in the colony, an architectural gem in its time, erected by Vasile Ianza, the chief magistrate of the Petrosani district, and later, after the Union, the prefect of Greater Romania.
Although the plan shows a simple rectangular blade with two semi-hexagonal exits, these actually indicate a complex construction, with volumes placed on vertical axes of varying heights, with round, small and large rectangular windows, a wealth of shapes perfectly and discreetly framed in the overall architecture. Brick frames and other decorative elements delineate windows and floors, giving the facade a sober, elegant air undermined by the cheerfulness of the steep-roofed turrets.
The castle needs an understanding eye and a diligent hand. The building proudly carries the signs of the passage of time; the beauty of architectural details and the high degree of uniqueness in the construction's appearance still stand out. However, the house will need renovation to restore its former glory. The current owner, a great-grandson of Vasile Ianza, has reclaimed the castle and has dedicated a significant part of his life to trying to rehabilitate it and bring it back to the center of Petroșani's life, as it deserves. Today, the building is partially transformed into an art gallery, showcasing the versatility of this special space in search of a new beginning.