The Former National Bank of Romania (Fosta Bancă Națională a României) is a historic bank building in central Focșani, opposite the Putna Administrative Palace. Built in the 1920s for the local branch of Romania’s central bank, it now houses the Vrancea Chamber of Accounts, a regional office of the Romanian Court of Accounts.
The National Bank of Romania established its Focșani branch in 1890, during a period of commercial and financial growth in the city. After initially operating from rented premises, the bank purchased a property in 1893 from merchant David Alpern and converted the existing houses into offices. As banking operations expanded, these premises became increasingly inadequate, prompting the bank’s governing board to approve the construction of a larger headquarters in 1914. The project was delayed by the First World War, during which several neighboring buildings were severely damaged, but the bank gradually acquired the adjoining properties and cleared them for redevelopment.
Construction of the new headquarters began in 1925 according to plans by architects Șt. Constantin and Radu Dudescu. The building was designed specifically for banking activities, with a basement, ground floor, and upper story. The ground floor accommodated the public banking hall, counters, and offices, while apartments for the branch director and cashier were arranged upstairs. Central heating was installed in 1934, further modernizing the facilities. The branch operated from the building until its closure toward the end of the 20th century, after which the premises were used by other financial institutions before becoming the headquarters of the Vrancea Chamber of Accounts.
The building combines Neo-Romanian architectural influences with classical elements, giving it a formal appearance appropriate to its original banking function. Its substantial masonry construction, imposing entrance, and carefully proportioned facade are characteristic of the institutional architecture of the interwar period. Inside, the original layout included thick walls, heavy doors, and a spacious public banking hall designed to accommodate financial transactions securely.
