Arch of Triumph

Built in 1922 to honor the Romanian soldiers who fought WWI, Bucharest’s Arch of Triumph also symbolizes Romania’s latin heritage and its strong ties with France.

The monument was redecorated in 1936 with base-reliefs carved in marble brought from Rușchița – Transylvania.

The sculptures were created by leading Romanian artists – including Ion Jalea, Constantin Medrea and Constantin Baraschi – and ten Italian sculptors.

Every weekend, June through October, visitors can climb to the top of the 90 feet-high structure, via an interior staircase, for a panoramic view of the city.

Revolution Square

One of Bucharest’s areas most often associated with the 1989 unrest that lead to the demise of Romania’s Communist Regime is Piata Revolutiei. Revolution Square gained international notoriety when TV stations around the globe broadcasted Romania’s Communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu’s final moments in power, on December 21, 1989. From the balcony of the former Communist Party Headquarters, Nicolae Ceausescu stared in disbelief as the people gathered in the square, as his request, turned on him. He fled the angry crowd in his helicopter and his 34-years in power ended.

Revolution square’s importance stretches back long before the dramatic events of the 1989 Revolution. On the west side of the square stands the former Royal Palace, now home to the National Art Museum and the small, but beautiful, Kretzulescu Church. On the opposite side of the Royal Palace stands the stunning Romanian Athenaeum, an 1,000-seat music venue known for its excellent acoustics and huge frescoes that depict important moments in Romania’s history.

The Romanian Athenaeum

The Romanian Athenauem – an European Heritage building – was designed by French architect Albert Galleron, who also designed the National Bank of Romania. The construction of the Athenaeum was initiated on February 25, 1873 by the Romanian Athenaeum Society (founded in 1865 by naturalist Constantin Esarcu, physician Nicolae Kretzulescu and historian V. A. Urechia); it was largely financed with money donated by the general public, thanks to a successful fundraising campaign “Dati un leu pentru Ateneu” (Donate a coin for the Athenaeum).

The Athenaeum was completed in 1888. Its high dome and Doric columns resemble an ancient temple. The lobby has a beautifully painted ceiling decorated in gold leaf, while curved balconies cascade in ringlets off a spiral staircase. A ring of pink marble columns is linked by flowing arches where elaborate brass lanterns hang like gems from a necklace. A spectacular fresco, by Painter Costin Petrescu, adorns the concert hall; it depicts 25 historical events concerning Romania’s national identity and pride.
Renowned worldwide for its outstanding acoustics, Romania’s most prestigious concert hall – and home of the Romanian Philharmonic Orchestra – is open to visitors.

National Bank of Romania

The National Bank of Romania (BNR) stands on the site of, well-known at its time, inn (Hanul Serban Voda), open in 1678.

Two fires gutted the building and in 1883 the land was leveled and work to build a home for Romania’s National Bank begun. The new structure, designed by French architects Cassien Bernard and Albert Galleron, was completed in 1885. The neoclassical French-style structure boasts a facade with Corinthian columns and an enormous central hall.

Romania’s Parliament Palace

Built at the special request of Nicolae Ceausescu, leader of Romania’s Communist Party, the colossal Parliament Palace – formerly known as “People’s House” ( Casa Poporului ) – is the world’s third-largest administrative building, after Surat Diamond Bourse (India) and U. S. Pentagon.
It took 20,000 workers and 700 architects to build this masive structure that boasts 12 stories above ground, 1,100 rooms, a 350-ft.-long lobby and eight underground levels, including an enormous nuclear bunker.

The Palace of Parliament is the world’s third-largest office building (floor area) and the third largest in volume (after Cape Canaveral Space Centre in the U.S. and the Great Pyramid in Egypt)
The crystal chandelier in the Human Rights Hall (Sala Drepturilor Omului) weighs 2.5 tons.
Some of the chandeliers have as many as 7,000 light bulbs.

Other facts:
20.000 cars can be parked in the underground of the building,
The underground has two anti-atomic shelters with 5 ft. thick walls and radioactive radiation protection,
There are 1,100 rooms, 34 large function/ conference halls (fixed-seats or open-space),
four restaurants, three libraries, two underground parking and one concert hall.
All the materials used to build the palace have been produced or made in Romania, except:
– a small quantity of exotic wood that cannot be found in Romania,
– the doors of Nicolae Balcescu Conference Hall, a gift to Nicolae Ceausescu from Mobutu Sese Seko, at the time President of the Republic of Zaire (today Democratic Republic of Congo),
– ventilation pumps with special filters, imported from Sweden.

Although Bram Stoker – the author of novel Dracula – never visited Transylvania, the Irish writer relied on search and his vivid imagination to create the dark and intimidating land of Count Dracula, and leading to persistent belief that it was once the home of Vlad Draculea II – Tepes (the Impaler), ruler of Walachia. While the association with prince Vlad Draculea is not very strong, Bran castle continues to hold a strong attraction for all the fans of the Count.
Bran castle overlooks the village of Bran and the open-air Ethnographic Museum consisting of old local-style village houses complete with furniture, household objects and costumes.