The Balș-Sturza House (Casa Balș-Sturza) is a historic residence on Strada Cuza Vodă in central Iași, now used by the Romanian Post. Its present form dates mainly from the first half of the 19th century, although archaeological research has shown that it incorporates remains of a much older Balș family residence on the same site.
The property belonged to one of Moldavia’s prominent aristocratic families, and substantial masonry uncovered during restoration work revealed parts of a palace dating from the late 17th century. The present house was created between about 1835 and 1850, with Iordache Balș recorded as its owner in 1842. Its appearance was later altered again, including a Classical-style restoration in the early 20th century.
By the middle of the 19th century, the building had begun to take on important public and financial roles. The Bank of Moldavia operated here, and the house was also used for a period as Iași City Hall. In February 1864, Titu Maiorescu inaugurated his series of public lectures here, part of the intellectual culture that developed around the Junimea circle in Iași.
The building has a restrained Classical appearance, with a long symmetrical façade, regularly spaced windows, and a strongly horizontal composition. Its current form reflects both the 19th-century rebuilding and later restoration, while the older masonry discovered inside preserves evidence of the much earlier aristocratic residence hidden within the structure.
During the 20th century the house continued to serve institutional functions. The National Bank of Romania used the building for a period before it eventually passed to the Romanian postal service, and it remains known locally as the Central or Old Post Office.
