What Romanian buildings inspired the design of Constantin Brancusi’s Endless Column?

Constantin Brâncuși’s Endless Column was not inspired by specific large-scale buildings, but rather by the traditional architectural elements found in rural Romania. Specifically, the design was inspired by the carved wooden pillars of Romanian peasant houses.1

Brâncuși, who grew up in the Romanian countryside, was deeply influenced by the folk art traditions of his homeland, where wood carving was a popular craft used to ornament items such as spoons, cheese presses, and the facades of homes. The Endless Column, first sculpted in wood in 1918, utilized the repetition of superimposed symmetrical elements to embody a sense of spiritual elevation, reflecting the aesthetic of these traditional wooden pillars.21