Bucharest City Guide

Many tourists come across the Romanian Atheneum if not intentionally search for it, but few know who the mozaic figures above it's entrence represent. So let's present them in a couple of words. Carol I In the center we have Carol I, Romania's first king, who reigned from 1866 to 1914, and was elected after the overthrow of Alexandru Ioan Cuza by a palace coup d'état, thus in a political chaos. As he was crowned, Karl swore this oath: "I swear to guard the laws of Romania, to maintain the rights of its People and the integrity of its territory." He spoke in French, as he did not speak Romanian. However, he endeared himself to his adopted country by adopting the Romanian spelling of his name, Carol. In his reign he helped Romania gain its independence, raised its prestige, helped redress its economy and established a dynasty. In the Carpathian mountains, he built Peleș Castle, still one of Romania's most visited touristic attractions. The castle ...

Interested in seeing more then meets the eye? Then this is the tour that will bring it home for you, with places of historical city center you'll enjoy discovering: Length: 2 km Time: 1 hour Start time: 11:00 Piata Unirii Metro — strada Toma Caragiu — strad Ion Ghica — strada Doamnei — strada Eugeniu Carada — strada Lipscani — strada Smârdan — strad Stavropoleos — strada Poştei — strada Sf. Dumitru — strada N. Tonitza — strada Franceză — Curtea veche — strada Covaci — strada Şelari — strada Smârdan — strada Lipscani — Piaţa Sf. Gheorghe — Piata Universitatii Metro Price: 28 Euros / person

A fan of stories of people's lives from the past times? Then choose this tour of stories of the people that once lived on Victoriei Boulevard. Length: 4 km Time: 3 hours Start time: 14:00 Piata Victoriei — Calea Victoriei — The George Enescu National Museum — Romanian Academy — Collections of Art Museum — Stirbei Palace — The Romanian Atheneum — Piata Revolutiei  — The National Art Museum — Grand Hotel Continental — Palatul Telefoanelor — Odean Theatre — The National Military Circle — Capsa House — CEC Palace — The National History Museum Price: 50 Euros / person

Looking for a not-too-long interactive guide around central Bucharest? Then this would be perfect for you: Length: 4 km Time: 2 hours Start time: 12:00 Intercontinental Hotel — The University of Architecture — Sutu Palace — Coltei Church — B-dul Regina Elisabeta — Calea Victoriei — The National Military Circle — Capsa House — The National Art Museum — Piaţa Revoluţiei — The Atheneum — Piaţa Romană — B-dul Magheru — Tache Ionescu Str. — Piaţa Alexandru Lahovary — Dionisie Lupu Str.  — Pitar Moş Str. — strada C. A. Rosetti — B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu — Hotel Intercontinental. Price: 39 Euros / person

The National Military Circle is an imposing edifice built in stages between 1912-1923 by architect Dimitrie Maimarolu with a monumental facade with Corinthian colonnade style and rich decorations. Inside, the decoration are no less impressive. The Sărindar Fountain in front of the Circle stands in remebering that once on this places stood the Sarindar old church, that existed here since the time of Michael the Brave and was rebuilt in the eighteenth century, the time of Matei Basarab (1632-1654). The church was demolished in 1896, after being damaged by earthquackes.

The University of Architecture and Urbanism "Ion Mincu" was built to be the home of the School of Architecture founded by Ermil Pangratti in 1904, between 1912-1927, by architects N. Cerchez and Ciortan Statie.

Alexandru Ioan Cuza was Prince of Moldavia, Prince of Wallachia, and later Ruler of the Romanian Principalities. as he achieved the union of the two. The union was formally declared on 5 February 1862, the new country bearing the name of Romania, with Bucharest as its capital city. Assisted by his councilor Mihail Kogălniceanu, an intellectual leader of the 1848 revolution, Cuza initiated a series of reforms that contributed to the modernization of Romanian society and of state structures. Cuza's reform marked the disappearance of the boyar class as a privileged group, and led to a channeling of energies into capitalism and industrialization. Cuza began facing a mounting opposition after his land reform bill, with liberal landowners voicing concerns over his ability to represent their interests. Along with financial distress, there was an awkward scandal that revolved around his mistress, Maria Catargiu-Obrenović, and popular discontent culminated in a coup d'état. His...

Mihail Kogălniceanu (September 6, 1817 – July 1, 1891) was one of the most influential Romanian intellectuals of his generation. He was several times Interior Minister under Alexandru Ioan Cuza and Carol, and he is best known for drafting legislation to abolish Roma slavery. He promoted Cuza, his lifelong friend, to the throne and advanced legislation to revoke traditional ranks and titles, and to secularize the property of monasteries, which Cuza then enforced. However, Kogălniceanu resigned in 1865, following his own conflicts with the monarch.