Elena Ghica (b. Bucharest, Romania 1828 – d. 1888, Florence, Italy), was a Romanian writer. She was also known as Dora d’Istria, pen-name of duchess Helena Koltsova-Massalskaya. She received her education first in Dresden, then in Vienna, then in Venice, and finally in Berlin. In 1849 and married the Russian duke Alexander Koltsov-Massalski making her the duchess Helena Koltsova-Massalskaya. They lived for several years in Russia, mostly in Saint Petersburg, but her health deteriorated and she travelled to sunnier climates of Switzerland for a few years, then Greece and Florence, Italy where she lived for a few years, She published a number of works that not only showed her proficiency in Romanian, Italian, German, French, Latin, Ancient and Modern Greek, and Russian, but also her knowledge of scientific topics. She worked towards women’s emancipation.
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Address: Asociatia Dora D’Istria, Strada Măguricea nr. 25, Bucharest, Romania