Palaces to visit Muntenia

Dating from the ^14th century, the remains of the former princely court(Curtea Veche) are Bucharest's oldest monument. The complex was at the heart of the medieval city. It was under the reign of the Wallachian voivode Vlad Ţepeş (who inspired the character of Dracula), between 1456 and 1462, but above all under that of Constantin Brâncoveanu (1688-1714), that the princely residence enjoyed its greatest influence. Damaged by fire and earthquakes, the prestigious buildings were gradually abandoned by the end of the ^18th century.

This imposing 1900 building, one of the most beautiful in the capital, was designed by French architect Paul Gottereau. Built in an eclectic style reminiscent of the Petit Palais in Paris, it is one of the symbols of French influence on Romanian architecture in the early ^20th century. Its richly decorated facade is dominated by a large central dome, which illuminates the hall. The monumental entrance arch, supported by four columns, houses a clock, framed by Hermes and Demeter. Today, the palace houses the headquarters of the CEC Bank.

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.