The Story of Mița Biciclista
Mița Biciclista was born in 1885, in Dițești, Prahova, as Maria Mihăescu. She was the daughter of a washerwoman, and when she was 15 years old, she started her career as a courtesan because she wanted to live a different life. She was a beautiful blonde with short hair and blue-green eyes, courted by many men, among whom, according to rumors, were Nicolae Grigorescu, Octavian Goga, and even King Ferdinand. Continue reading to find out the story of the house of Mița Biciclista in Bucharest.
She was known as the first woman in Romania to ride a bicycle, and she earned her fame in 1898 thanks to a journalist in love with her, George Ranetti, who noticed her in one of her bicycle rides on Calea Victoriei.
Mița Biciclista used to go out on the streets and choose her clients, obviously from among those with a lot of money. She lived a luxurious life. She had a carriage with which she walked, a coupe car, and servants from Poland who served her. She used to eat at Athenee Palace and go to the most expensive hairdresser in Calea Victoriei. Mița also went to Paris, where she lived for a while and won a flower fight on the Champs-Elysees, where she competed with one of the beautiful Parisians. The Romanian woman won because she had the whip from the carriage decorated with flowers.
It was also said that Mița Biciclista had romantic ties with King Ferdinand, who offered her the house in Piața Amzei as a gift, a house that today bears her name – Casa Mița Biciclista. Another rumor was that King Manuel of Portugal asked her to marry him, but she refused because of her love for Doctor Nicolae Minovici, the founder of the “Salvarea” society.
In the end, in the 40s, Mița married General Alexandru Dumitrescu, with whom she lived a luxurious life until they faced serious financial problems. Some people said that she dressed her husband badly and sent him to beg, and with the money obtained, she continued her luxurious life.
The House of Mița Biciclista in Bucharest – an architectural jewel
The house of Mița Biciclista is a historical building in the center of Bucharest that was built in 1908 by architect Nicolae C. Mihăescu. The house combines Art Nouveau and Beaux-Arts styles with rich ornaments, balconies, and reliefs with lions and cupids. It was a gift from King Ferdinand I to Maria Mihăescu, also known as Mița Biciclista.
This is one of the 159 monuments of national value in the Capital’s heritage. The house was closed to the public for 80 years until 2022, when it was renovated by a Spanish group, Mantor, with an investment of 4.5 million euros.
The house was reopened in November 2022, with a ball organized by the Romanian Association for Culture, Education and Normality (ARCEN), and now is a space dedicated to the urban creative community, hosting cultural and social events, workshops, exhibitions, and conferences. The house of Mița Biciclista is a landmark of Bucharest that reflects the city’s history, architecture, and spirit.
Mița Biciclista House Address: Biserica Amzei Street no 9
