"LA BARIERĂ" ("La Frâncu") INN, VăLENII DE MUNTE, early 19th century
Located on an important road that made the connection between Muntenia and Transylvania, the town of Vălenii de Munte was transit in the past by merchants and sheep who practiced transhumanity taking the flocks to and from the Danube ponds. By the end of the First World War, those who used this route were forced to stop at the customs point here, established since the fifteenth century ("at the barrier"), where the documents were checked. Thus, in the area was created a merchant ford with places that could house the roads overnight.
One of these, the Inn "At the barrier" or "La Frâncu" by the name of the former owners, was built at the beginning of the 19th century and transferred to the Village Museum in 1990. By the materials used and balanced proportions, the inn is representative for the Prahovean Community Architecture.
It is made of stone and brick masonry and has a roof in four fast waters with small fir coats. The facade of the inn is noted through the two wide prispe, with beautifully ornamented wood pillars. Each of the three levels had a different destination in the past. The cellar was used for the storage of food and wine barrels and snacks, on the ground floor the kitchen and dining room was operating, and on the floor was the Hangi's house and a room that could host the claims. Here, it seems that the ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza would have been populated.
In the vicinity, a space is arranged for storing wine barrels, grape task and tuning facility. Next to it, there is the yoke for Potcovit and Stănoaga. Unbelled presence around any inn, they were responsible for travelers to rest and water the traction animals, respectively to ride them.
Today, the "barrier" inn is adapted to museum requirements waiting for visitors everywhere with foods chosen from traditional Romanian cook.
