Bazil Assan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bazil Assan
|
|
|---|---|
Romanian stamp of 1986 representing Bazil Assan and his expedition to Svalbard
|
|
| Born |
Bazil George Assan
1 August 1860 Bucharest, United Principalities
|
| Died | 16 June 1918 (aged 57) |
| Nationality | Romanian |
| Occupation | Engineer, explorer, economist |
| Known for | Being the first Romanian to travel to the Arctic and around the world |
| Parent(s) | George Assan and Alexandrina Assan |
Bazil George Assan (born August 1, 1860 – died June 16, 1918) was a famous Romanian engineer, explorer, and economist. He came from a rich family in Bucharest. Assan played a big part in helping the Kingdom of Romania become more industrial. He studied engineering, business, and economics. These studies made him want to explore the world. In 1896, he was the first Romanian to visit the Arctic. Then, between 1897 and 1898, he became the first Romanian to travel all the way around the world! He later shared his travel stories with King Carol I of Romania. Bazil Assan passed away on June 16, 1918, in Montreux, Switzerland.
Bazil Assan's Life Story
_(1).JPG)
Bazil Assan was born on August 1, 1860, in Bucharest. His family was very wealthy. His father, George Assan, moved to Bucharest from Moldavia. In 1853, he built the first steam mill in Romania. This mill was known as the Assan Mill. Bazil's mother, Alexandrina Assan, managed the family business after her husband died in 1866. Bazil took over the company in 1884.
Bazil Assan studied engineering in Liège, Belgium. He also studied economics in Montreux, Switzerland. In 1884, he returned to Bucharest to work at his family's company. He and his brother modernized the business. They built two new factories: one for soap and another for paint and varnish. Assan helped Romania develop its industries at a similar speed to other European countries. He also designed a canal between Cernavodă and Constanța. This canal later became the Danube–Black Sea Canal. He wrote an article about his idea in 1899.
Assan was one of the first people to bring an automobile to Romania. He did this with George Valentin Bibescu, who loved planes and cars, and Barbu Bellu. They ordered a car from the FN Herstal brand. Bibescu didn't have time to register it. So, in 1900, Assan received the first car license plate in Romania, which was "1B". However, Bibescu wanted to be first. In 1901, he got the plate "0B", making him the official first car owner.
Not much is known about Assan's personal family life. He married and had three daughters. He named his daughters based on where he was when they were born. His first daughter was named Athenaida, after Athens. The second was Consuella, named after Spain. His third daughter was named Pacifica, after the Pacific Ocean.
In 1904, Assan built a very tall grain silo. It was 41 metres (135 feet) high and became the tallest building in Bucharest at that time. He also built Romania's first factory for edible corn oil. Between 1906 and 1914, he built a beautiful neoclassical house in Bucharest. This house is known as the Assan House. He died on June 16, 1918, in Montreux.
Amazing Expeditions Around the World
Bazil Assan was very interested in discovering the world. His knowledge of business and industry encouraged him to explore. In the summer of 1896, he boarded a Norwegian ship called Erling Jarl. He traveled to the Arctic with other scientists from different countries. Assan and the scientists studied the rocks and natural resources of the Svalbard islands. This trip made him the first Romanian to ever travel to the Arctic!
After his Arctic adventure, Assan embarked on an even bigger journey. Between 1897 and 1898, he traveled all the way around the world. He started from Constanța, Romania. His journey took him through many famous places. These included Constantinople, Alexandria, Ceylon, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Nagasaki, Tokyo, Yokohama, San Francisco, New York, and London. During his trip, he also set up several trade agreements. This made him the first Romanian to travel around the entire globe!
Assan shared his amazing travel stories. He was a member of the Royal Society of Geography of Romania. His expeditions were published there. After returning home, he gave a speech called Călătorie în regiunile polare nordice ("Journey in the northern Polar regions"). He presented this speech to King Carol I and Prince Ferdinand I. A few days later, he spoke to Queen Elisabeth of Wied. In 1899, he gave another public speech. This one was called Călătoria împrejurul Pământului ("Journey around the Earth"). Between December 1897 and mid-1898, Assan made another trip. This time, his goals were more focused on business and culture.
See also
- List of Romanian explorers
