BUCHAREST

by Mihai Ruscanu and Ciprian Constantinescu

◦ Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania.

◦ Bucharest was first mentioned in documents in 1459. It became the capital of Romania in 1862,

being the centre of Romanian media, culture and art.

◦ In the period between the two World Wars, the city's elegant architecture and the sophistication

of its elite earned Bucharest the nickname of "Little Paris“. Although buildings and districts in the

historic city centre were heavily damaged or destroyed by war, earthquakes, and above all

Ceaușescu's program of systematization, many of them survived.

History

◦ The history of Bucharest covers the time from the early settlements on the locality's

territory (and that of the surrounding area in Ilfov County) until its modern existence as

a city, capital of Wallachia, and in the present-day capital of Romania.

◦ Between 6 December 1916 and November 1918, the city was occupied by German

forces as a result of the Battle of Bucharest, with the official capital temporarily removed to Iași in the Moldova county. After World War I, Bucharest became the

capital of the Great Romania. In the interwar years its urban development continued ,

with the city gaining an average of 30,000 new residents each year. Also, some of the

city's main landmarks were built in this period, including Arcul de Triumf and Palatul

Telefoanelor.However, the Great Depression took its toll on Bucharest's citizens, culminating in the Grivița Strike of 1933.

Geography

◦ Bucharest is situated on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, which flows into the Argeș River, a tributary of the Danube. Several lakes – the most important of which are Lake Herăstrău, Lake Floreasca, Lake Tei, and Lake Colentina – stretch across the northern parts of the city, along the Colentina River, a tributary of the Dâmbovița. In addition, in the centre of the capital there is a small artificial lake – Lake Cișmigiu – surrounded by the Cișmigiu Gardens. The Cișmigiu Gardens have a rich history, being frequented by poets and writers. Opened in 1847 and based on the plans ofthe German architect Carl F.W. Meyer, the gardens are the main recreational facility in the city centre.

◦ Besides Cișmigiu, Bucharest contains other parks and gardens, including the Herăstrău Park and the Botanical Garden. The park is located in the northern part of the city, around Lake Herăstrău, and includes also the site of the Village Museum. The Botanical Garden is the largest of its kind in Romania and contains over 10,000 species of plants (many of them exotic) and used to be once the pleasure park of the royal family.

Architecture

◦ The city centre is a mixture of medieval, neoclassical and art nouveau buildings, as well

as 'neo-Romanian' buildings dating from the beginning of the 20th century and a

collection of modern buildings from the 1920s and 1930s. The mostly-utilitarian

Communist-era architecture dominates most southern boroughs. Recently built

contemporary structures such as skyscrapers and office buildings complete the

landscape.

Sports

◦ Football is the most widely followed sport in Bucharest, with the city having numerous club teams,

some of them being known throughout Europe: Steaua, Dinamo or Rapid.

◦ National Arena, a new stadium inaugurated on 6 September 2011, hosted the 2012 Europa

League Final and has a 55,600 seats capacity, making it one of the largest stadiums in

Southeastern Europe.

◦ There are sport clubs for ice hockey, rugby union, basketball, handball, water polo and volleyball.

The majority of Romanian track and field athletes and most gymnasts are affiliated with clubs in

Bucharest. The Athletics and many Gymnastics National Championships are held in Bucharest at

the Polyvalent Hall, which is also used for other indoor sports such as volleyball and handball.

Some important monuments…

◦ Bucharest Botanical Garden

◦ Bucharest North railway station

◦ Bucharest Telephone Palace

◦ Museum of the Romanian Peasant

◦ National Archives of Romania

◦ National Museum of Art of Romania

◦ The Fire Tower

◦ Arch of Triumph