Bucharest is home to the world’s biggest parliamentary building. Originally at The Palace of Parliament but more commonly known today as the People’s Palace construction started in 1984 and took thirteen years to build. An area of s (2.7 sq mi) of the old city centre was flattened to allow the construction including monasteries, factories and a hospital. One engineer set out to save as much as he could.
Today the People’s Palace, both houses of the Romanian Parliament., along with the National Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Communist Totalitarianism and the Museum of the Palace.
Prior to the Second World War Bucharest was known as the “Paris of the East”. The war, the Communist era and an earthquake in 1977 robbed the city of many or the art nouveau buildings. Here and there are places where that former sophistication. The Cantacuzino Palace which now houses the George Enescu museum is one such example which was built between 1901 and 1903 by architect Ion D. Berindey.
Berindey was responsible for a number of famous landmarks during this time including the Bucharest observatory that was built between 1908 and 1910. George Enescu incidently is regarded as one of the greatest musicians in Romanian history. You might even choose to stay in the elegant Athenee Palace Hilton hotel designed by the French Theophile Bradeau. Around and about you will find more examples that listed here. Remember to look out for Bucharest’s copy of the Arc de Triomphe.
Personally, I would recommend seeking out the beautiful churches and chapels that fuse Byzantine, Greek, Ottoman and Renaissance styles. On your list head for The Stavropoleous Church in the old city, St Apostle’s and the Doamnei Church.
If you are interested in looking back in time, you might be interested in watching the TV series “Comrade Detective” on Amazon Prime. Set in 1980s Bucharest it tells the story of two police detectives investigating the murder of a colleague. There is more to this story than meets the eye!
