Romania’s monument ‘ambulance’ races to save the country’s historical structures

Micasasa’s mayor Pacurar repairing the roof of the dilapidated Brukenthal Castle. For him, saving the village’s most significant and perhaps most neglected historic building holds a poignant significance. Photos: AP

On a scorching summer day in the remote Transylvanian village of Micasasa, 39-year-old Romanian architect Eugen Vaida is busy coordinating a team of volunteers helping to breathe new life into a centuries-old castle on the brink of ruin.

“It’s in an advanced state of degradation and it’s a monument of national importance, ” Vaida, who in 2016 launched the Ambulance for Monuments project, said.