The natural conditions of Craiova offered people possibilities of settlement and favourable lives in these areas in the following succession of civilisations: Pretracic, Traco-Dacian, Geto-Dacian, Dacian-Roman, Dacian-Roman-Byzantinne and, later, Romanian.
     According to the archaeological discoveries at the beginning at the second century a.d., the Romans built here a castrum, first of earth (during the reign of the emperor Traian, 98-117), then of rock and brick (during the reign of Hadrian, 117 -138). Due to the favourable geographical position, to the protection of the Roman castrum and of the military garrison, this settlement has had a blooming development.
     The first documentary certification of Craiova and its surroundings is represented by the map of the Roman emperor Severus Alexander in 225 a.d. where the area is mentioned as Pelendava.
     At the end of the fifteenth century, Craiova was a fair on the lands of the Craiova boyars. The economic power of this important family contained over 100 villages, having an autonomous political status so powerful that the rulers of those periods had to become allied with this boyar dynasty in order to keep their thrones.
     Among the Craioveni family, over the years, several have become renowned rulers, such as: Neagoe Basarab (1512-1521), Radu de la Afumati (1522-1529), Radu Serban (1602-1611), Matei Basarab (1632-1654), Constantin Serban (1654-1658), Serban Cantacuzino (1678-1688), Constantin Brancoveanu (1688-1714).
     After the first half of the sixteenth century, in the documents of that period, Craiova is frequently called town.
     During the reign of Mihai Viteazul, the Great Banie of Oltenia becomes an institution of first rank when the title of Great Ban was given to Preda Buzescu.
     During the Otoman rule, Craiova’s boyars raise against the rulers imposed by the Ottoman Empire.
     Between 1718-1739, the Austrian rule in Oltenia has considerably roughened the economical and fiscal obligations for the urban and rural producers, causing powerful movements of the outlaws and even of the boyars against the Habsburgic administration.
     Craiova, the Bans’ Citadel, fulfilled also the role of capital of Tara Romaneasca (Romanian Country – region of Romania) between 1770-1771.
     The last two rulers of Tara Romaneasca - Grigorie Dimitrie Bibescu and Barbu Dimitrie Stirbei belonged to the great boyars families of Craiova - Bibescu family.
     The inhabitants of these parts, along the years, were tolerant towards other people and faithful to God, thus, the centre of Craiova orthodox church by Craiova’s Archiepiscopy and Oltenia’s Metropolitan Church are in Craiova Municipality. The latest is a monumental palace built according to the plans of architect D. Maimarolu in late French Renaissance style, characterised by mansard roofs, many ornaments and rich decorated interiors.


     From the cultural point of view, Dolj County has 19 museums where there are stored and exhibited values which represent the past and the present of these surroundings. Some of them are:
     The Oltenia Museum in Craiova with the sections of history, archaeology and ethnography set up in 1915, which have over 110.000 museum pieces preserved in collections of: archaeology, numismatics, medal collections, documents, manuscripts, old Romanian and foreign books, photographs, memorial and military objects and funds of some cultural, historical and political personalities in Oltenia. Since 1966, the collection of Ethnography moved in the House of Banie and it exhibits, on the ground floor, tools specific to the traditional trades: hunting, beekeeping agriculture, fishing, animal breeding, processing and production of agricultural products, viticulture and pomiculture, on the first floor, products specific to the traditional arts: wood processing, pottery, woven of carpets, popular clothes and a collection of icons on glass of 54 pieces. In 1923, there was set up the section of natural science where there are preserved 110.765 museum pieces in collections of: Mineralogy, Palaeontology, Botanic, Malacology, Entomology, Ichthyology, Bacteriology, Herpetology, Skeletons, Ornithology, Otology, Mammalogy and Trophies.
     The Art Museum (the Jean Mihail Palace), built between 1899-1907 by the French architect Paul Gottereau exhibits some masterpieces of Romanian and universal art.
     For its construction there have been used the best quality materials and it was endowed with Lights, Venetian mirrors, painted ceilings, Murano chandeliers, columns and stairs of Carrara marble, wall tapestried with Lyon silk, style furniture and panels. The palace was covered with slate and it was gofted with electric installation and central-heading, early on that time.
     The base of the rich fund of the Museum is formed by the "Alexandru and Aristia Aman" Library to which there were added the donations: Cornetti, Glagoveanu, Nicolae Romanescu, Jean Mihail and the acquisitions of Craiova’s Townhall.
     The Museum is structured in three sections: "The European Art Gallery" (the Dutch school, the Flemish school, the French school and the Italian school); "The Romanian Art Gallery" (from the feudal art to the contemporary art) and the "Brancusi Cabinet" with his youth works: Vitelius, Vanity, Child head, the Thigh, the Kiss and Miss Pogany.
     Others museums from Dolj County: Museums Bailestilor Land, Cernatesti Museum, Plenita Museum, The art and folk architecture Museum from Calafat, the History Museum from Sadova.
     The Library of Craiova, set up by Alexandru and Aristia Aman, together with the other 400 libraries in the area, enrich the cultural life of the county.
     Oltenia Philharmonic, set up in 1904 and the Theatre of Opera and Operetta, functioning since 1850, satisfy through their rich repertoire and interpretation the musical exigency of the votaries of music.
     The National Theatre in Craiova, set up in 1850, has encountered the talent of many great actors and directors and high class repertoires. Its new headquarters was inaugurated in 1973, being built by the architect Alexandru Iotzu. Since 1992, it has conquered the audience of the countries throughout the continents where it has won many prizes. It is also the organiser of the International Theatre Festival "William Shakespeare". The National Theatre in Craiova is the first theatre in the South-East Europe member of the European Theatre Convention.
     The Puppet Show Theatre "Colibri", set up in 1949, is famous on the national and international level. It is the initiator of the international festival "The Puppet Festival" whose first edition was in May 2002.
     The Jitianu Monastery was built under the rule of }erban Voievod (1654- 1658). During the history of Craiova, the Monastery has played an important role as the town’s armies were sheltered here. A rich collection of medieval art objects from Oltenia are inside the civilian building of this monastery.
     The Cosuna Monastery - Old Bucovat from Mofleni District of Craiova was up in 1483 after results in "The list of all churches" from 1840. The first act that mentions about the monastery is a document gived bye Alexandru II Mircea Voivode in 1571. In 1572 the churches was repaired completly by the big }tefan Ban and his sun Parvu.
     At the end of the seventeenth century and the beginning of the eithteenth century, Craiova’s architecture is in Brancovean style, a successful combination of Romanian traditional art, Byzantine and Venetian elements. The churches built in this style still maintain artefacts of Brancovean style, such as the nice endowed catapetasma, the floral borders, the stoops leaned against the columns, the emblem with the Byzantine eagle. Such churches are: the Saint Ilie Church, built in 1720 by Ilie Oteteliseanu and the great tradesmen of the town, the All Saints Church (1700), the Old Saint Gheorghe Church (1730), the Obedeanu Church (1747), the Mantuleasa Church (1786), the Saint Nicolus Church (1794).
     Under the supervision of Matei Basarab in 1652, the Saint Dumitru Church has a special place. Along the time, the church has suffered many modifications without following the style of the old one. The painting was done in three stages by the French painters Emil Menpiot and Bories.
     The House of Banie is one of the oldest laical building in town. It has been restored by Constantin Brancoveanu. It has two levels with rooms on the ground floor, rooms and verandas on the floor and it has been built by the ruler’s masters in popular style. This is where the divan of Craiova gathered and under the occupation of the Austrian it was the residence of the Habsburgic administration. The building has also sheltered: the quarters of Murtaza Pasa (1737-1739), the private residence of the bishop, the first school in Craiova (1750), the courthouse, the first school for the High-school "Fratii Buzesti" (1896-1914), the school for teachers, the Museum of Oltenia (1934-1948) and the section for the ethnography (since 1966).
     After 1780, Craiova has had great modernization, meaning building of roads with bridges and the extension of the network of drinking water fountains, of which the most famous are: the Jianu Fountain, built around 1800 by the boyar Hagi Stan Jianu; the Purcarului Fountain, built by the tradesmen of pigs Pavel Teodor and Chir Miron Bulucbasa in 1818; the Popova Fountain, which still exists since the beginning of the seventeenth century. Besides these fountains, there still exist today the ones in the Chiriac market place and Mantuleasa.
     The University of Craiova, former quarter of the Palace of Justice was designed in 1890 by the architect Ion Socolescu in neo-classic style. It functiones in the present quarter since 1965. The set up of the University of Craiova was approved in 1947 and it is, historically speaking, the fifth university in Romania.
     Craiova’s Townhall, the former Bank of Commerce, is a special building. It was designed by the architect Ion Mincu and finished in 1916 by his student Constantin Iotzu. The building is rich in its decorations, Venetian mosaic.
     The quarter of the Prefecture and Council of Dolj County, the former Administrative Palace is an impressive building with popular architecture. It was built between 1912-1913 by the architect Petre Antonescu.


     The Romanescu Park, monument of landscape architecture, is one of the most famous tourist objectives in Craiova. The Park is uniquely in Romania and is one of the most interesting achivements like this from Europe.
     Nicolae Romanescu was the founder of this important urban works. The project was rewarded with the Gold Medal at the International Exibit in Paris in 1900. The works following the plans of the French architect E. Redont took up almost three years. There were used dearing construction solutions, new for that period, such as: suspended bridge, the castle in ruins, the bridges across the river, the rocks imitations, the citadels, the gazebos, the islands for the swans, the pier, as well as planting valuable species of trees. The total area of the park is over 96 ha of plantations (trees, rammel, shrubs, lawn), a surface of water of 4 ha, a hippodrome over 20 ha, roads, alleys over 35 km and a zoo with various species of birds and animals.
     The Botanic Garden is mainly used as a study base for the students of agronomy and horticulture, but also as a recreation place. It was set up by the botanist Alexandru Buia. The garden has an area of 17 ha and it is structured on different sectors: ornamental (almost 4,5 ha), systematic, the earth flora and economical.
     The Jiu Alluvial Plain, parkforest on over 60 ha, on the left bank of Jiu river represents a pitoresque vegetal and touristic area.


     The Ciumela Forest-Poiana Mare (5 km away from Poiana Mare, on DN Calafat-Bechet), forest preserve representing an old willow forest, appreciated for the wood and size of the trees (unique in Europe).
     Ornitological Preserve-Ciupercenii (south of Calafat), an important nesting spot for many species of birds, being the only place in the Danube meadow without dikes.
     Palaeontological Preserve-Bucovat, near Craiova, with a famous fossil site.
     The Wild Peony Preserve-Plenita (59 km away from Craiova), unique in the Romanian landscape.
     The Cosoveni Forest (10 km west of Craiova on DN 6), is a hunting area for pheasants and deer.
     The Radovan Forest (30 km away from Craiova on DN 56).
     The Braniste Forest-Grey oak.
     The Cobia Forest is near of Segarcea town populated with pheasants.


     Monument of 1877-Calafat, in memory of the Independence War, from the Danube banks (near Calafat) the first cannon volleys were fired upon Vidinul.
     Cobuz Monument-Calafat, in honour of the heroes of the Independence War.
     Monument of 1907-Craiova, in the Romanescu Park, in memory of the peasants who died for a better life.
     The Statue of Mihai Viteazul, the Voivode of the first Union.
     The Statue of Alexandru Ioan Cuza-Craiova.
     The Statue of Voivode Barbu Stirbei.
     The Statue of Nicolae Titulescu - Romanian diplomat.
     The alley of the writers and art men.
     The Statue of Buzesti Brothers.
     Nicolae Romanescu Bas-relief.
     The Independence Monument.
     The Statue of Tudor Vladimirescu - Craiova, in memory of the leader of the 1821 Revolution.