Ankele House (Casa Ankele) is a historic merchant house on the corner of 1 December 1918 Street and 1 December 1918 Square in the historic center of Botoșani. Built around 1836, it later became the home and business premises of Carol Ankele, one of the city’s wealthy Armenian merchants.
During the interwar period, Ankele operated a large general store and mechanical workshop here. The business sold a wide range of German-made goods, including agricultural and industrial machinery, automobiles, pianos, gramophones and firearms, and was described as the largest shop of its kind in Botoșani.
The house has a Romantic-influenced design and a prominent corner position within the old commercial center. Its cubic form rises over two principal levels, with symmetrical rows of windows along both street façades and masonry balconies projecting from several of the upper-floor openings. The corner room projects outward in a rounded bay, while the window surrounds use pilasters and decorative framing that are unusual within Botoșani’s historic architecture.
The roofline provides the building’s most distinctive detail. An octagonal structure with rounded corners supports a small dome, and heavy metal ornament decorates the roof above it. The name “C. Ankele” is inscribed at the base of the dome, while two sculpted angels hold a circular shield bearing the Ankele family coat of arms.
An underground passage built around 1890 runs from the basement of Ankele House to the neighboring building at 1 December 1918 Street no. 42.
