Things to see and do Muntenia

This austere 1950 building first housed the Ministry of the Interior, before becoming the headquarters of the Communist Party. It was from the balcony of this building that, on December 21, 1989, Ceaușescu delivered his last speech, interrupted by the crowd. The next day, after a night of chaos, the dictator and his wife fled by helicopter from the roof, and demonstrators invaded the palace. The palace housed the Senate until 2005, when it was returned to its original function.

It is a beautiful church, the remains of a 16th century monastery founded by the Wallachian prince Alexandru II. It is flowery, colourful and well maintained. It is a quiet and restful place, a stone's throw from the wide and noisy boulevards. The chapel is superb, with its interior walls, domes and ceilings entirely covered with polychrome paintings, highlighted by beautiful green columns. This can be reached by driving along the Dâmbovița, from Piața Unirii, and turning right at Bucur Church.

This tiny church perched above the Dâmbovița is wedged between a concrete block and a glass building. It was erected in the ^17th century by monks from the nearby Radu Vodă monastery, on the site of an older church whose construction is attributed to Bucur the Shepherd(Bucur Ciobanul), the legendary founder of Bucharest. Anecdotally, bucur means "joy", making Bucharest the "city of joy". The small hill has been beautifully landscaped, with arbors, flowers and benches making for a very pleasant setting.

There are still three Jewish cemeteries in Bucharest. One, Sephardic, is near the Bellu cemetery, on the other side of Piața Eroii Revoluției. Another Sephardic cemetery is located further south, in the Giurgiului district (șoseaua Giurgiului, 62). With around 40,000 graves, it's the largest. A monument has been erected here for the victims of the 1941 pogrom perpetrated in the capital. Finally, the Filantropia cemetery (bulevardul Mihalache, 91) is reserved for Ashkenazi Jews. Founded in 1865, it contains some 30,000 graves. It also houses an oratory.

This square is above all a vast crossroads where subways, streetcars and buses are constantly crossing. You're in the heart of a working-class southern district. On the other hand, it's a very lively place. Between the blocks and the power plant, you'll see vast markets that attract sometimes impressive crowds. In the south of the city, block districts follow one another: Vitan (home to the Bucureşti Mall), Berceni, Rahova... Ferentari is known as the city's largest Roma district, and is very much underprivileged.

Housed in a handsome, massive neo-Brâncovenesc building dating from 1906, it is divided into fourteen sections: Romanian geology, hydrocarbons, paleontology, paleobotany... The basement contains fluorescent minerals in astonishing colors. You can admire a fine collection of stones from all over the world and learn more about the tectonic plates that episodically shake Romania. There are also numerous reproductions of dinosaurs.

A superb house built in the Tudor style in 1940-1941 for the engineer Dumitru Minovici. Bequeathed to the Romanian Academy by his wife, with a collection of over 900 objects, it has been transformed into a museum. You'll see Flemish tapestries, paintings by European artists, furniture, stained glass, medieval and modern weapons... and a library of rare books. The house is surrounded by a beautiful garden, with sculptures and a pond.

Strada Paris runs through a superb neighborhood. Its streets, named after capitals from around the world, are lined with bold mansions in perfect condition. Some of them house embassies. Few cars, many trees. Ivy, Virginia creeper and arbors create an almost village-like atmosphere. Strada Paris leads to Piaţa Dorobanţilor, the heart of this upscale district, where opulent houses stand side by side with luxurious shops and renowned restaurants.

A paradise for cartography enthusiasts. Opened in 2003, this museum features over 1,000 maps and engravings, dating from the ^16th to the ^20th century: of Romania, continents, cities and even the sky. The changing perception of the world, wars, propaganda... it's all here! The setting doesn't spoil anything: the museum occupies a beautiful neo-Gothic house from the 1920s, adorned with stained-glass windows and ceilings painted... with maps again! A fascinating journey through time and space.

Located south of Cotroceni, at the end of Eroilor Boulevard, it is a building that is hard to miss if you are driving through this part of the city. Very massive and square, it rises on one of the rare reliefs of the capital. Built in 1938 by Duiliu Marcu, it houses on its esplanade a statue in memory of the heroes of the fatherland (Eroilor Patriei), soldiers who fought for the country's freedom during the Second World War. The building housed the Nazi authorities during this period. It is now home to the National Defense University.

This cemetery is home to Nicolae Ceauşescu's grave, located on the left-hand side. His wife Elena is buried nearby. Not far away is also their son Nicu, who died of cirrhosis in 1996 after a life of debauchery. Their three graves are permanently decorated with flowers and lit with candles by those nostalgic for that period. The cemetery also has a military section, where fallen soldiers are laid to rest. Across the street is the Turkish cemetery, originally an Ottoman military cemetery.

Located near Piaţa Amzei, this synagogue is the oldest in the city still in use. Built in 1840, it is renowned for its architectural style, with neo-Moorish influences, and for the beauty of its interior hall (carved wooden balconies...). Outside, bas-reliefs adorn the tympanums above the doors. The higher one on the façade depicts the Ten Commandments. After a long period of closure, the synagogue was restored in 2007 and is now used by the Lubavitch community.

The Church of the Icon(biserica Icoanei) is located near the park of the same name. It dates from the ^19th century and owes its name to one of its icons: a ^17th-century representation of the Virgin Mary, donated by the Wallachian prince Constantin Brâncoveanu. The white exterior is finely sculpted in places. The interiors are dazzling: the walls are covered with frescoes and gilding is omnipresent. Set back from the main boulevards, the district, characterized by a pleasant lack of architectural harmony, is full of charm.

It occupies a house reminiscent of a ship, built in 1910 by Admiral Vasile Urseanu. As president of the Astronomical Society at the time, he wanted to give as many people as possible access to the sky. The building features a dome with an opening roof, housing the telescope. Today, astronomical observations are made from the roof terrace. Telescopes are used to observe the sun, its eruptions and other stars. The permanent exhibition is open to groups only.

Visitors come here as much for the works on display as for the building that houses them: Casa Melik, named after the family who lived there in the ^19th century. One of the capital's oldest and most beautiful homes, it was built in 1750 by a wealthy Armenian merchant. It serves as a showcase for the collection bequeathed in the 1960s by the Răut couple. In addition to paintings, engravings and drawings by Romanian artist Theodor Pallady, you'll admire European paintings from the ^16th to the ^19th century, sculptures, furniture, pottery and other precious objects.

Everyone knows this building in the middle of a crossroads in Bucharest. It's a fire watch and warning tower, built in 1891 to replace an earlier one erected in 1715. At the time, it housed a large water tank, fire pumps and horses to transport them. It was used by firefighters until 1935, when it became a museum that recently closed its doors.

In the heart of a beautiful residential area, this museum presents the private collection of Armenian merchant Krikor Zambaccian (1889-1962), one of the richest in Romania. Bequeathed to the state in 1947, it includes the country's only Cézanne, as well as works by Renoir, Sisley, Picasso, Matisse and Romanian artists of the late ^19th and early ^20th centuries such as Brâncuşi, Baba, Pallady, Luchian and Grigorescu. A treasure trove displayed in a superb mansion, which this art enthusiast had purpose-built to house his collection.

Located at the intersection of Iuliu Maniu and Geniului Boulevards, very close to Cotroceni Palace, the Monumentul Eroilor din Arma Geniului (Monument to the Heroes of the Weapon of Genius), nicknamed "the Lion" (Leul), is an imposing bronze statue. Symbolizing resistance and courage, it was erected in 1926 and is dedicated to the soldiers who fought in the First World War. The inscription on the pedestal reads, "Tell future generations that we made the supreme sacrifice on the battlefield, for the entire nation. »

At the junction of two boulevards, this church, which looks like an Ionic temple, does not go unnoticed. It's right next to the Greek Embassy. The two buildings were built at the end of the 19th century, as a result of the efforts of the Greek community and its diplomats. The church was recently renovated, hence its very bright façade. In the front garden there is a bust of Rigas Velestinlis, an 18th century Greek writer, who lived in Bucharest for a time. A national hero, he defended the independence of the Balkan peoples under the Ottomans.

It is one of the most distinctive areas of the capital. Around the pretty park and the small church of the same name, this former suburb, mainly residential, has escaped destruction under Ceaușescu. Icoanei, like all the suburbs of old Bucharest, is made up of mahalas, a Turkish word for these eastern-style neighbourhoods, built around a church and which developed without a town plan. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, Icoanei experienced an architectural effervescence: the rich owners competed in inventiveness, mixing styles. Neo-Romanian villas rubbed shoulders with Parisian-style neo-classical residences, decorated with Art Nouveau, Baroque or neo-Gothic elements. Confiscated under communism, many of these mansions fell into disrepair due to legal imbroglios over their restitution. More and more of them are being restored, sometimes in a flashy way, sometimes by cultivating their dilapidated side. The whole has a special, typically Bucharest charm. The Icoanei district is also home to several Art Deco buildings such as the Arcub centre. It is home to a number of trendy bars and tearooms, nestled in beautiful residences. You can extend the stroll to the neighbouring Armenian district, which has similar characteristics. Several agencies offer guided tours of this area, a good way to discover it in depth.

Romexpo was built on the site of the former racecourse in 1964. The complex, which hosts numerous events, is dominated by the central pavilion and its 93-meter-diameter dome. The Sofitel hotel tower dates from 1994, and the adjoining business center(Centru Internaţional de Afaceri - World Trade Center) is in full development: conference rooms, offices, company headquarters. It is also close to the airport.

Set back from the street, this brick neo-Moorish synagogue was built in 1866. Gradually enlarged, organs and superb stained-glass windows were added. A monument to the victims of the Holocaust has stood in the courtyard on the street side since 1992. The synagogue is still in use. Those interested in the history of the city's Jewish community can also visit two large cemeteries: Cimitirul Evreiesc (Sephardic), Şoseaua Giurgiului, and Cimitirul Israelit Filantropia (Ashkenazi), boulevard Mihalache.

Located in the heart of the Jewish quarter, the museum is housed in a former synagogue, built in the ^mid-19th century by the tailors' union. Renovated and sumptuously decorated from 1910 onwards, looted in 1941, it has been used as a museum since 1978. In addition to a rich collection of objects, documents and photos, the centerpiece of the exhibition is a monument to the memory of the 200,000 Transylvanian Jews handed over by Hungary to Germany, and the 150,000 deported to labor camps.

It's a handsome 100-meter-long edifice that stretches along the banks of the Dâmbovița. Designed by Albert Ballu in 1895 in a French neo-Renaissance style, it was built on the orders of King Carol ^I, who wanted to provide the young independent kingdom with judicial institutions worthy of the name. Damaged by the 1977 earthquake, it was condemned to demolition by Ceaușescu. Renovated in the early 2000s, it has regained its lustre and now houses the Bucharest Court of Appeal. Its facade is decorated with six allegorical sculptures, surmounted by two other statues.

It is from this symbolic point, located in front of St. George's Church, that distances between the capital and other Romanian cities are measured. Some of these distances are engraved in stone. Created in 1938 by sculptor Constantin Baraschi, the monument was demolished in 1952 and rebuilt identically in 1998. It depicts a compass rose, divided into eight sections bearing the names of Romania's main historical provinces: Banat, Bessarabia, Bucovina... In the center is a sphere featuring the signs of the zodiac.

Considered one of the finest examples of Orthodox architecture in Bucharest, it was built by Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu. Seven years after its inauguration in 1707, the voivode was captured by the Turks, who took him and his sons to Istanbul, where they were all beheaded. His wife brought his remains back to Bucharest and buried them in this church. His tomb can be seen here. Destroyed by fire in 1847, the beautifully frescoed building was rebuilt in 1853.

Located in the former Princely Court(Curtea veche), the Church of St. Anthony the Great, also known as the Church of Good News(Buna Vestire), was built in 1545-1554 by Prince Mircea the Shepherd, who is depicted in the frescoes. It has been fairly well restored over the centuries, despite the many damages it has suffered: fires, invasions and earthquakes. You'll notice the elegance and originality of its exterior facade, an alternation of exposed brick and roughcast.

The Church of the Princess(Biserica Doamnei) was built in 1683 by Princess Maria, the wife of the Wallachian prince Șerban Cantacuzino. With its entrance adorned with rich floral decoration, this rectangular edifice heralds the Brâncovenesc style, while retaining the characteristics of the more austere style that prevailed during the reign of Matei Basarab. It is one of those churches that communism hid, literally hemmed in by buildings. Invisible from Calea Victoriei, you have to pass under a porch next to the Pizza Hut restaurant to reach it.

The St. Nicholas Student Church(biserica studenților Sfântul Nicolae) was built between 1905 and 1909, on the initiative of the Russian ambassador of the time. With its golden bulbs, it has the look of a Russian Orthodox church. Seen from Piaţa Universităţii, it is very photogenic. Its iconostasis, the work of Moscow artists, was modelled on that of the Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul in the Kremlin. Today, it serves as a chapel for students.

Located at kilometer zero, this imposing edifice is recent: bombed during the Second World War, the National Theater was rebuilt under the Communist regime. Completed in 1973, it was completely reconfigured and renovated between 2011 and 2015, including its facade. It has no fewer than 6 halls and, in summer, a rooftop amphitheater hosts shows. In front of the building, a beautiful bronze sculpture depicts the best-known characters created by the great Romanian playwright Ion Luca Caragiale, who gave his name to the theater.

The elegant neo-Gothic building that houses it, the Suțu Palace, is the work of two Viennese architects. Built between 1833 and 1835 by the Suțu family, it is one of Bucharest's oldest aristocratic residences. The exhibition traces the city's history from Neolithic times to the present day. But the museum's main interest, apart from the magnificent mansion it occupies, is its collection of photographs and documents relating to life in the capital in the ^19th century.

This imposing edifice, built between 1911 and 1923, boasts a handsome French neoclassical façade. Its reception rooms (Moorish, Byzantine, Gothic, Norwegian...) are sumptuous, and you can even dine in them: one of them houses a restaurant, offering a real journey back in time. In summer, it also occupies the large terrace. Every June 26, the building is decked out in the national colors to celebrate Flag Day(Ziua drapelului).

Housed in an elegant corner house, this museum reopened in 2017 after a complete redesign. Very well arranged, it presents manuscripts of great Romanian writers such as Mihai Eminescu, but also of foreign authors such as Marcel Proust. You will also discover old books, furniture and writers' objects... The explanations are only available in Romanian, but the museum's layout and the beautiful pieces on display are worth a look.

This museum tells you all about the life and work of the great musician George Enescu (1881-1955). It is housed in the sumptuous Cantacuzino Palace, one of the capital's most beautiful, built in 1901 to plans by architect Ion Berindei. Blending Baroque, Art Nouveau and classical styles, it was the home of Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino, an important politician of the time, nicknamed "the Mogul". Featuring an imposing marquee at the entrance, its interiors are richly decorated. A visit not to be missed, even if you're not interested in Enescu's life.

This elegant brick church was built in 1915, when the capital's Italian community, then numbering some 7,000 people, decided to build their own place of worship. Architects Mario Stoppa and Giuseppe Tiraboschi drew up the plans. Inspired by the Lombard style, the building blends Romanesque, Gothic and Art Deco elements. Outside, on the balcony of the adjoining parish house, you'll notice the beautiful floral frescoes. Today, the church is not really showcased, enclosed between concrete blocks.

It lies at the heart of the quiet and pleasant Amzei district, which links calea Victoriei to boulevard Magheru. Not far away are the French Embassy and one of the city's prettiest markets. The Amzei church dates from 1901 and is characterized by its eclectic style, a blend of French academicism and neo-Byzantine style, with its exterior walls alternating ochre brick and rendered stone. The façade is richly decorated, adorned with beautiful carved stone friezes. Inside, you can admire a beautiful carved oak iconostasis.

The massive neoclassical-style University Palace extends at the entrance to the Boulevard Regina Elisabeta. It was inaugurated in 1869. The four muses adorning the façade were added in 1929, works by the sculptor Emil Wilhelm Becker. Also noteworthy are the statues of teachers and statesmen in the surrounding area. The palace now houses the geography, mathematics, history, literature and other humanities sections, as well as the chemistry section. The University of Law is located at Kogălniceanu and the University of Medicine at Cotroceni.

Built at the very beginning of the 20th century, it dominates the northern tip of the park Cişmigiu. It impresses with its eclectic elegance, blending French Renaissance styles with Baroque influences, with a richly ornamented facade topped by a crenellated roof. The palace, built for Elena Crețulescu (or Kretzulescu), was designed by the architect Petre Antonescu, to whom we also owe the Arc de Triomphe bucarestois. Riddled with debts, the owner sold the building to the town hall in the 1920s. Since 1972, it has housed Unesco services.

Bucharest also has its red bus! The public transport company STB and the municipality have launched a double-decker tourist bus service in the colours of the famous London buses. From piața Presei Libere to the Parliament Palace, the bus travels along the main boulevards and stops in front of some of the city's major attractions: piața Universității, piața Revoluției, Village Museum, CEC Palace... The ticket, valid for 24 hours, allows you to get on and off as many times as you like. An audioguide is available in French.

It comprises several sections, housed in a number of the center's fine buildings: arts, archaeology and history (piața Traian 3), ethnography (strada Polonă 14), natural sciences (parc Monument)... The Carol ^I Museum also manages the Panait Istrati memorial house, located in strada Belvedere, at the entrance to the large park. It was in Brăila that this French-speaking Romanian writer spent his childhood at the end of the ^19th century, born to a Romanian mother and a Greek smuggler father, who was killed when he was still a child.

Almost square in shape, the beautiful central square, piața Traian, has a park at its center, where you'll see a large blue clock and the Sfânții Arhangheli church, an ex-mosque converted in 1831. Nearby, you can also visit the superb and imposing Buna Vestire Greek Church (1872), with its colorful stained-glass windows and paintings. From the piața Traian runs the strada Mihai Eminescu, the city's only pedestrian thoroughfare, bustling with shops and onlookers. The large park(Grădina mare) and the harbor esplanade along the Danube are also pleasant spots.

Struck by communist systematization, the central square (piața Dacia) is brightened up by the Italian-style town hall, built in 1904. Cuza Street Vodă, which starts to the right of the town hall, is lined with pretty houses in a variety of colours. The backbone of the city, the Unirii Boulevard is dedicated to road traffic and shops, while the Boulevard Bălcescu, which crosses it, connects Dacia Square to Crâng Park, the green lung to the west of the city. The main market, vast and colourful, is always very lively in the morning (strada Locotenent Godeanu).

It was built in 1500, when the city became an episcopal residence. In the first courtyard there is a theological seminary, built in 1838 in neoclassical style, and a small museum of cult objects and ancient icons. Through a large painted porch, you reach the inner courtyard, where the Episcopal cathedral of the Assumption, built in 1504 and rebuilt in 1649, stands. The Episcopal Palace, built in 1844, faces it. At the entrance to the complex, a vast church was built, destined to become the centre of local religious life.

The downtown park, created in 1881, has retained its former glory thanks to the wealthy mansions that surround it, such as the Palace and Caraiman hotels. It is home to centuries-old trees and a modest natural history museum. In the northern part, there's a World War I cemetery, where American airmen who fought in Romanian skies are buried. The tip is occupied by an elegant casino, built in 1912 on the initiative of King Carol ^I. Guided tours of the interior are available.

Only a few ruins remain of the princely court, built in the ^mid-13th century and rebuilt in the following century, when Curtea de Argeș became the capital of Wallachia. But the Byzantine church of St. Nicholas, founded in the ^14th century by Prince Basarab ^I (whose statue sits enthroned at the entrance), is perfectly preserved. Its white brick and pebble façade is particularly elegant. Inside, the recently restored murals are truly original! In particular, you'll see a rare depiction of a pregnant Mary.

Commissioned by Prince Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino, one-time Prime Minister, the castle was built in 1911. Its facade is a fine example of neo-Romanesque architecture, while the colorful interior features stained glass, stucco and woodwork. The 2nd floor houses an art gallery where exhibitions are held. The castle has also seen a resurgence in tourist interest since the airing of the hit TV series Mercredi (Wednesday), since it was here that the scenes set at Nevermore Academy were filmed.

Located in the heart of the village, this small museum with an old-fashioned charm exhibits splendid examples of precious stones from different regions of the country, mainly from Maramureș. We spend a pleasant moment discovering quartz and other minerals of extravagant size and colour, of strange beauty. The collection includes some beautiful amethysts. Descriptions are available in French and, at the exit, a small shop allows you to leave with pretty crystals and miniature mine flowers as a souvenir.

Despite the few factories and gray buildings at the bottom of the valley, the resort itself is quite pretty. Along the main road (bulevardul Libertății), you'll notice the House of Culture (Casa de Cultură, no. 93), built entirely of wood, and right next door (no. 95) the pretty Orthodox church founded in 1889 by Carol ^I and his wife Elisabeth. To the east of the station, at the edge of the forest (strada Zamorei 1), you can also admire Cantacuzino Castle, a magnificent early ^20th-century building in neo-Brâncovenesc style.

To the south-east of the Princely Court, this museum, which occupies a fine mansion, illustrates the evolution of writing and printing in Romania: its appearance in Târgoviște thanks to the erudite prince Radu cel Mare, the printing of the first Bible in Romanian at the end of the ^17th century, the gradual transition from the Cyrillic alphabet to Latin... Among the manuscripts on display is the oldest preserved Romanian text. You'll also see a fine ^18th-century printing press.

Close to the Gare du Nord railway station, the former prison, in operation from 1941 to 1977, is infamous for the atrocious experimental re-education-through-torture program that political opponents underwent here between 1949 and 1951. The same program, in which everyone was both victim and torturer, was later applied in the Aiud and Gherla prisons in Transylvania. A memorial was built there, and opened to the public in 2014. The premises have been left virtually untouched, with documents and testimonies. An emotional visit.