Eugeniu Carada, the founder of the National Bank of Romania, was a writer, journalist, politician and above all a patriot.
He was born in Craiova on December 1 lth 1836, and was the closest associate of Ion C. Brätianu (Prime Minister of Romania). He actively took part in major events of 19th century national history: the Unification of Romanian Principalities in 1859, the instatement of Prince Carol I on the Romanian throne in 1866, The Russian-Turkish War of 1877 — 1878 that lead to the independence of Romania.
Even though Eugeniu Carada refused the position of Governor in 1880, at the establishment of the National Bank of Romania, he worked as a director with the institution from 1883 until his demise in 1910. In this capacity, he got involved, among others, with the construction of the Old Palace of the NBR, the establishment of the printing shop for Romanian banknotes and the organization of territorial branches of the bank of issue.
