Romania's 'Engineer Of Heaven' Dies Aged 89

A Romanian engineer who saved 12 historic churches and other buildings from destruction under the reign of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu has died at the age of 89.

The website of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Basilica.ro, reported on January 6 that Eugeniu Iordachescu died on January 4. No other details were reported.

Between 1982 and 1988, the Ceausescu regime carried out a massive reconstruction and modernization of the capital, Bucharest, following the dictator's visit to North Korea. More than 40,000 buildings were demolished in the process.

• Lucie Steinzova
• Stuart Greer
• AFP
• Agerpres
• AP

He was called "the engineer of heaven" for saving a dozen churches from destruction during communist rule in Romania. Civil engineer Eugeniu Iordachescu died on January 4, but he left a lasting legacy on the Bucharest skyline.

Iordachescu developed a unique system to place entire buildings on a structure similar to railroad tracks in order to move them away from areas slated for reconstruction.

In 2016, the Romanian Orthodox Church awarded him the Patriarchal Cross, the church's highest honor for laypeople.

He was given the sobriquet "the engineer of heaven."

Based on reporting by AP, Descopera.ro, and Libertatea