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Romania
What To See In Bucharest
Bucharest can be defined as a strange and romantic city. Its paradoxes and charm are gathered from the palpable shadows of the past, as well as from a present in a rather startling evolution. A Bucharest of music, a Bucharest of theatres with first class actors, a cultural Bucharest, but also a religious one, is worth discovering in all seasons.
The Triumph Arch
Raised in 1922 to commemorate Romania's Great War dead, the original construction was of wood, replaced by the present; Petru Antonescu designed concrete structure in 1935. Standing 25 meters high, the Arc has a staircase that allows visitors to climb to the terrace on the top of the monument. The sculptures that decorate the monument were created by leading artists of the day, including Ion Jalea, Constantin Medrea and Constantin Baraschi.
The Historical Centre
Bucharest retains an historic center, but it is something of a miracle that the area still exists. Originally a fabulous are housing the city residences of the Romanian bourgeois, the communist regime was eager to see the demise of the area, and decided to go about it by moving in as many gypsy families as possible. The area, usually known as Lipscani, which consists of a jumble of streets between the river, Calea Victoriei, Bratianu Boulevard and Regina Elisabeth Boulevard, is today in a rather shabby condition, but it is also one of the most fascinating areas of the city to visit. There are markets selling shabby clothing, textiles, antiques, bric-a-brac, and an increasing amount of cafes, restaurants and bars. The area is set for great things in the not too distant future.
MUSEUMS
The Parliament Palace
What is without doubt Romania's most infamous building, the Palace of Parliament (known as House of the People before 1989) was built during the worst period in Romania's recent history. Nicolae Ceausescu wanted the building to symbolize the complete victory of socialism in Romania. The size of the building is astonishing, but cannot be appreciated from street level as much as you might think. Work started in 1984 (Orwellian coincidence?) and continues, in spurts, to this day. Standing 84m above ground level on 12 floors, the structure is nearly as deep underground as it is above and is reputed to have a nuclear bunker (never proven) big enough to have housed the government. Rumors of a metro system have recently been dismissed, but it all goes to show the mystery that still surrounds the place.
Cotroceni Museum
Constructed in the 19th century for Queen Marie (1891-93) the palace has also played host to the Ceausescus (although they didn't live there, they did use it frequently for posh functions). The building itself is surrounded by the ruins of a church Ceausescu had demolished because he thought it spoilt a view; at the end of the tour you see the inscription sitting over the door of the ruin cursing the head of whoever dared to destroy it. In between, the whims and inspirations of Queen Marie betray a prolific, charming executor of rather banal art. Admission costs 50,000 lei (30,000 lei students and children) while a tour in English, French or Italian costs 100,000 lei. Visits by appointment only, and you will need ID.
History Museum
The beautiful and grand neo-classical exterior hides a museum that is in urgent need of restoration and revitalization. Once inside, you'll find exhibits - all poorly presented - that go into detail about the country's history over the past two million or so years. Plenty of skeletons, jeweler, weapons and tools to see, but all arranged in a rather confusing manner. There are also ancient imports from Greece and Rome are placed in context by exhibitions on the empires that crafted them, and separate halls are devoted to the revolutions of 1821 and 1848. The best exhibits are downstairs: the Lapidarium features a plastercast of Trajan's column (perhaps the world's first cartoon history).
Grigore Antipa Museum of Natural History
This fascinating museum has recently expanded and opened up areas to house some newly discovered curiosities. Full of stuffed animals looking a little startled and even a mammoth (dead) and some interesting rocks - or at least as interesting as rocks can be. The first floor deals with sea life and has a few examples of whales, dolphins and seals. Elsewhere you'll come across a beautiful butterfly collection as well as a few cheeky monkeys and stuffed birds. You can currently enjoy an exhibition of living reptiles.
Village Museum
Sadly no longer the proud museum it was a few years ago, thanks to an arson attack in 1997 and then another devastating fire in early 2002 that damaged 15 buildings, five of which were burnt beyond repair. Taking note of the problem, the museum has wisely decided to invest in a security system and fire protection equipment. Still, walking around the grounds and ignoring the ruins, you'll see around 50 cottages, farmsteads, churches, workshops, water mills and roadside crosses from all over Romania. There is a good gift shop, but we believe you're better off going to the one in the Peasant Museum. The open-air museum, founded by Royal Decree in 1936, covers some 15 hectares on the shores of Lake Herastrau, north of the city.
Peasant Museum
In most people's opinion, the Peasant Museum is the best museum in Bucharest and one of the best in the country. Well laid out and presented exhibits tell you all you need to know about the diverse and fascinating history of life around the country over the past few centuries. Voted the European Museum of the Year in 1996, you will be come across a couple of wooden churches from the northern Maramures province, hand painted Easter Eggs, terracotta pottery, icons and clothing. April sees the opening of two more permanent exhibitions that dig deeper into the country's rural culture. Talks are also held (in Romanian) on various related topics that take place on the first three Saturdays of each month. If you like what you see (and you will), then go to the excellent museum shop.
CHURCHES
Antim Monastery
The splendid Antim Monastery, with its elegant dome and gold finish stands as a symbol of strength in the area around the Civic Centre. Highlights include the scenes of the Nativity and Revelations beautifully executed in 1812 (the time when most of the buildings were in the monastery were constructed). The palace building to the left of the entrance was moved 20m to make place for apartment buildings. The monastery still functions, and while the priests seem not to mind being asked questions about their home, there are certain areas that are not open to the public.
Domnita Balasa Church
To say this church has been the victim of bad luck would almost be an understatement. Built in 1885, the church is named after Constantin Br⮣oveanu's sixth daughter, who built an earlier church on the site in 1744, but which burnt down soon after. In 1751 a second church was built but that was also later damaged during an earthquake in 1838. Building work almost immediately started on a third church, but that too proved unstable and just 40 years later the edifice was replaced by the current, orange-colored, neo-Romanian building. Serious cracks that crept their way into the building following another earthquake in 1940 have since been were repaired, but were damaged again in the earthquake of 1977. Be cautious when viewing.
Old Court Church
Dating back to 1559 and next to the ruins of the Vlad Tepes citadel, the Old Court Church is the oldest church in Bucharest. Noted for its old Walachia architecture and frescoes (which are as old as the church) a venture inside is an astonishing step back in time.
Patriarhia
Set atop one of the city's few hills, known as Mitropoliei, the Patriarchal Cathedral has been the centerpiece of the Romanian Orthodox faith since the seventieth century. Built to a design based on the Curtea de Arges, near Pitesti, it has undergone a number of facelifts, but the overwhelming majority of the cathedrals structure is the original, built between 1654 and 1658.
Stavropoleos Church
Small, old and very warm, Stavropoleos was built in 1724 by Greek monk Ioanikie Stratonikeas. Currently under going much-needed restoration (it's going to take a long time) you will come across beautiful stone and wood carvings that characterize the edifice. Most things have been well preserved and the atmosphere is so relaxed you could almost fall asleep. The icons have been painted on wood and use plenty of gold leaf. The courtyard outside (beautiful on a warm afternoon) has a curious collection of tombstones dating from the 18th century as well as the occasional priest doing his stuff.
ART GALLERIES
Dominus
Art gallery on the left side of the National Theatre with plenty of mainstream paintings and sculptures.
Galeriile Orizont
Large shop-cum-gallery selling landscapes, small sculptures and glassware.
National Art Museum
The country's largest, and most impressive art collection is housed inside the splendid former royal palace, first built in 1812 as a private home by the wealthy trader Dinucu Golescu. When his sons fell in to financial ruin some years later, they were forced to sell the building to the state, which carried out huge modifications, adding a number of new wings. It became a royal residence in 1859, when it became the sight of the court of the first prince of the united principalities, Alexandru Ion Cuza. Although slightly remodeled in the 1930s, the building we see today is more or less the original, revolutionary damage notwithstanding. Indeed, some parts of the building have only recently been reopened after the mindless vandalism of those mad days in December 1989, when the building was ransacked by the iconoclastic mob, which saw the building (named the Palace of the Socialist Republic during the communist period) as a symbol of the regime. It would be impossible to describe the wide variety of works on show, but rest assured that all of Romania's greatest painters and sculptures are well represented, including Theodor Aman, Constantin Brancusi, Gheorghe Patrascu, and Gheorghe Tattarescu. The museum also plays host to a fine collection of Old European Masters and contemporary European works.
Zambaccian Museum
A chance to see the large collection belonging to the now deceased patron Zambaccian (you'll see the requisite portraits) that includes the only Cezanne in Romania as well as the best of Romanian painters Luchian, Tonitza, and Pallady.
Revelioane exotice
