QUARTIER ICOANEI
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.
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