What city is Bucharest often confused with? Five commonly erroneous capitals. Do you know other situations like this?

The journey through the winter Balkans began with a brief acquaintance with Bucharest - a city in which the Parisian Belle Era, Stalin's Moscow and the dashing 90s were mixed.

We were only in Bucharest for a day, and on this day we were very unlucky with the weather. The faded gray sky is a disgusting backdrop for urban photography, so even the photo had to be slightly tweaked to make the sky not look so dull.

On the other hand, the weather was the best fit for the idea of ​​Bucharest, in particular, and of Romania and Eastern Europe in general as a whole.

It's been 25 years since the fall of Eastern Europe's communist regimes, but the region is still seen by too many through a post-communist lens. That is why stereotypes wander from travelogue to travelogue, from photo report to photo report. Buildings from gray shabby "khrushchev", poverty of the local population, "killed" urban infrastructure, terrible ecology. And so a quarter of a century! It's as if in 1970 someone tried to talk about the FRG or the USSR with the stereotypes of 1945.

Not only tourists, but also the people of Romania themselves find it hard to get rid of the socialist past. The main symbol of Bucharest is the huge Ceausescu Palace, built (and not fully completed) in the last years of his reign. The first question that the people of Transylvania asked us when we mentioned our visit to Bucharest was: “Have you seen the Ceausescu Palace?”

(Photo from the Internet)

Seen. And personally, I don't understand what's wrong with it. At least for a (post) Soviet person. A kind of huge non-hotel "Moscow" or the foundation for a Stalinist skyscraper that was never built. In this, Ceausescu overtook Stalin. The latter was only enough for a foundation pit for the Palace of Soviets. And here at least a couple of base floors were built.

Speaking of the Ceausescu Palace, they like to emphasize that during its construction, half of the Old Town was demolished. At the same time, they usually forget to add that shortly before that, there was a serious earthquake in Bucharest, and the Old City was pretty badly destroyed. The remaining half of the historical building has not yet been restored.

That is why the Old City of Bucharest in some places looks like there was war and devastation not so long ago.

On the central pedestrian streets, renovated buildings side by side with dilapidated facades.

And the 16th-century churches are set off by abandoned houses.

The church is part of the Kurtya-Veke complex, the princely court of Vlad the Impaler (15th century).

This is the same Vlad Tepes, who was also called Dracula and to whom Bram Stoker clung to, creating the world-famous image of Count Dracula.

So the Irish writer, who had never been to Romania, created the most vivid image of this country in the world, which she is now forced to replicate for the sake of tourists thirsty for vampire aesthetics. About half of the range of souvenir shops in the capital is dedicated to Count Dracula. Putin is still far from such popularity.

Despite the slight devastation, the streets of the Old Town have their own European charm and shabby charm.

Too bad it's winter now. It can be seen that Bucharest is a summer city. More precisely, even spring-autumn. At this time of the year, the streets of the center are clogged with cafe tables, summer orchestras and just crowds of strolling townspeople and tourists. Today, everything is deserted and a little sad.

Bucharest is generally poorly adapted to winter. The streets and especially the stairs of the Old Town are cleaned very poorly. You need to walk with caution.

With caution, one should also look at the surrounding roofs. From them and strives to break the peak of snow right on the heads of passers-by. A couple of such mini-avalanches descended before our eyes. Fortunately, without consequences for pedestrians.

In summary: if you are looking for confirmation of the stereotype “Bucharest is a city from the 90s”, you are in the Old City.

But Bucharest is not only and not so much the center of shabby life and the ceremonial socialist architecture of Ceausescu. No wonder the city was called the “Paris of the East”.

Walk along the front of Kalya Victoria (Victory Avenue), where one front building replaces another.

It's amazing when they managed to build all this. Not so long Bucharest was the capital of independent Romania.

And these are the real architectural symbols of the city: the Atenaium concert hall

And the stunning Cantacuzene Palace, now the George Enescu Museum. By the way, the Cantacuzens are not only Romanian, but also Russian noble family.

The porch is of particular admiration.

On Victory Avenue you go out to the Revolution Square.

Here the fall of the Ceausescu regime took place. The speech of the leader from the balcony of the building of the Central Committee of the party was interrupted by the dissatisfied murmur of the crowd. When open clashes with army units began on the square, Ceausescu chose to leave the building by helicopter. Shots were already being fired and barricades were being erected in the square.

In memory of these events, a very strange monument was erected on the square, reminiscent of an olive on a stick (however, the locals still do not call it that).

These days Romania is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the revolution.

(Exhibition at the National Gallery)

Memorable places are scattered throughout the city - street battles were everywhere.

A quarter of a century later, Romanians remember Ceausescu with mixed feelings. Of course, no one can forgive him for the failure of the late 1980s, but at the same time, almost everyone admits that in the 1970s he coped well with the leadership of the country.

In general, it is interesting how Ceausescu was made (primarily by the forces of Western guidebooks and mass media) into a typical Kremlin fosterling, a communist dictator who tyrannizes the free peoples of Europe. Although, in fact, he behaved very willfully in relations with the Kremlin and was only one step behind the “third-strong” Yugoslavia. Ceausescu condemned the defeat of the Prague Spring in 1968, did not support the boycott of the Los Angeles Olympics, and allowed the construction of the Hilton Hotel in the center of Bucharest. But in the end, he turned from the path of Tito to the path of Hoxha - he was carried away by the experience of North Korea and China. This led the country to a bloody revolution, and he himself - to be shot.

The National Gallery is another pompous building on Victory Avenue.

A strange monument rises in front of the building, emphasizing the duality of the ethnogenesis of the Romanian nation.

Emperor Trajan holds in his arms a hybrid of a Capitoline she-wolf and a Thracian snake.

The fact that this is a snake, and not a dog infected with a tapeworm, is visible only if you approach the monument from the side.

That's it. Romanians are, it turns out, Thracians assimilated by the Romans. And no Slavs.

As in any decent capital, Bucharest has its own Passage.

It is also empty on the occasion of the holidays.

All the fun now is in front of the university building, where the Christmas market is noisy.

Locals warm themselves with hot wine.

The surrounding streets of Bucharest are very similar to St. Petersburg.

But sometimes you can find blotches of modern architecture.

However, it is much more interesting to consider the experiments of urban architects in the style of functionalism.

Romanian architects, like the Yugoslav ones, have always been distinguished by an interesting look and courage in working with forms.

So in Bucharest, not only historical buildings are interesting

But the socialist

"Soviet" avenues are wide and beautiful

Although it is immediately noticeable that times are no longer Soviet

But still international. We went to dinner at a restaurant of Moldovan cuisine well known in Chisinau.

And we spent the night, walking around the city, with the Turkish anarchist biker Hussein, a big fan of everything Soviet and just a good person.

Alas, we spent very little time in Bucharest, and even in the off-season. It will be necessary to return in the spring and enjoy the city in more detail.
Moreover, the city is terribly cheap, even with the current euro exchange rate, prices in an Irish pub cause a cheerful bewilderment.

I was also struck by the level of culture on the streets (the street is crossed only at a green traffic light, and drivers let pedestrians pass on the roads) and the widespread knowledge of the English language. I wonder how the latter can be connected with the wholesale departure to work in Europe? (Although Romanians work mainly in Italy, and therefore decisively everyone speaks Italian close to Romanian.)

And in general, to what extent does general otkhodnichestvo in more socially and socially developed countries raise (albeit subconsciously) the level of the society's own culture?

We tend to see in this process only mutual evil (they say that in Moscow, Tajiks learn to drink and stop respecting family values, bringing, in turn, only drugs and crime to the capital). But after all, working abroad is also a kind of journey, from which you inevitably learn lessons on how to equip your own country.

And our journey was just beginning.

In many countries, visiting the capital is by no means the most important thing. In general, I believe that the capital is an urbanized, and most importantly, globalized place along with the rest of the world, where it will be difficult to find something authentic, specifically related to this country, and if found, it will not be real. Yes, the capital still deserves its special attention. It is likely that this is most likely a great city in itself, separated from the rest of the country. Yes, remember at least our Moscow. I always wanted to quickly escape from the airport and car bustle deep into the countryside, into the countryside.

Guided by similar principles, I ignored the Jordanian Amman, only briefly glanced at Iranian Tehran and Indonesian Jakarta. For the Romanian plans, of which, as usual, there were a lot, no attention was paid to Bucharest at all. Still, we had to examine all of the above in 11 days. (And we managed about 3/4 of what was planned). Bucharest did not get here in any way, especially since I constantly confused it with Budapest. Initially, generally speaking, I was going to spend the May holidays in Hungary, but when searching for air tickets, it turned out that Budapest somehow didn’t work out, and Bucharest really did. And at some point I either confused, or changed my mind. However, the fellow travelers, returning to Bucharest late in the evening before the morning flight home, said: "Yo-my, how is it?! In Romania without Bucharest?" And we went for a walk all the last night before flying. Therefore, the photo essay is nocturnal.

The main question asked by a foreigner walking along the streets of Bucharest and contemplating its architectural delights can be formulated something like this: "Bucharest - is it eastern Paris or western Moscow?" It was on the clash of communist and elegant capitalist styles that most of the buildings of this distinctive city grew. I was impressed by the building of the Palace of Parliament. Illuminated by numerous lanterns above this building, a huge flock of crows curled gloomily like a funnel. The Romanian Parliament is the second largest building in the world (after the Pentagon). Construction began in 1984 by order of Nicolae Ceausescu. The palace was built mainly from Romanian-made materials. During construction, there was such a demand for Romanian marble that even tombstones throughout the country were made from other materials. Construction was almost complete by the time Ceausescu was executed in 1989. Not only do I confuse Bucharest and Budapest. Ceausescu was never able to make a solemn speech from the balcony of the Palace of Parliament. But instead of him it was soon done by Michael Jackson. Michael greeted the huge crowd of people who had gathered to watch and listen to the pop idol with the words "Hello, Budapest!", which plunged everyone into the deepest shock and confusion ...

Palace of Parliament

triumphal arch of bucharest

We were in Bucharest at night from 9 to 10. Being completely sure that Romania, as an ally of Germany on the Second World Victory Day, does not celebrate in any way, we were pleasantly surprised by the "Victory Salute" that thundered over the Romanian capital. Apparently, the communist years of rule somehow influenced self-consciousness, and now it is also the day of the victory of the Romanian partisans and the people's militias over the official Romanian military policy of those years. It is all the more strange that now in neighboring Moldova

Bucharest (Romania) - the most detailed information about the city with a photo. The main attractions of Bucharest with descriptions, guides and maps.

City of Bucharest (Romania)

Bucharest is the capital and largest city of Romania. It is located in the southeast of the country and is its most important industrial, economic and commercial center. Bucharest is a city with a rich history and diverse architecture, often referred to as "Little Paris" in the past. Now the capital of Romania is developing dynamically, changing its appearance towards modernity, but retaining a unique identity.

Bucharest is known for an interesting fusion of different architectural styles and historical monuments, from medieval buildings and ancient churches to neoclassical mansions and monumental buildings of the socialist era. It is a charming city of picturesque parks, excellent museums and wonderful cultural events, which is the symbol of modern Romania.

Geography and climate

Bucharest is located in the southeastern part of Romania in the center of the Lower Danube Plain. The city is located on the Dymbovice River, about 50 km from the Danube. Bucharest is built on low hills (usually 7 main hills are distinguished by analogy with Rome) and is limited from the north by a chain of lakes. The city has a temperate climate with hot summers and cool (often snowy) winters.

Practical information

1. The population is more than 1.8 million people (according to an estimate of more than 2 million people). Bucharest is the sixth city in the EU in terms of population, behind only London, Berlin, Madrid, Rome and Paris.
2. Area - 238 km 2.
3. The language is Romanian.
4. Currency - lei.
5. Time - UTC +2, summer +3.
6. Bucharest has one of the most extensive public transport systems in Europe, which is a bit confusing. The city has four metro lines, as well as trams, trolleybuses and buses.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit Bucharest is from May to September.

Story

The first settlements on the site of modern Bucharest were founded in Antiquity by the Dacian tribes. In the early Middle Ages, several Slavic villages were located here. The first mention of Bucharest dates back to 1459. The city is mentioned as the residence of the Vlach prince Vlad the Impaler. Later, the entire princely court began to be located here. At the end of the 16th century, Bucharest was burned down by the Turks.

The name of the capital of Romania is derived from the Romanian word Bucurie, which means "joy". There is also an assumption that the name "Bucharest" is derived from the Dacian (Albanian) word bukur, which translates as "beautiful".

At the end of the 17th century, Bucharest became the capital of Wallachia. In the 18th century, the city was occupied several times by Turkish, Russian and Austrian troops. In 1859 Bucharest became the capital of a united Romania. During the First World War, the city was occupied by German troops. After that, the capital of Romania was moved to Iasi. During World War II, Bucharest was again occupied by German troops and liberated in 1944 during a popular uprising. In 1977, the city was hit by a massive earthquake.

How to get there

Bucharest is one of the largest transport hubs in Southeast Europe. The capital of Romania can be reached on a large number of cheap flights from the cities of Italy, Spain, Germany, Great Britain, France, Turkey, Austria. Bucharest is also connected by direct daily trains to Istanbul, Budapest, Vienna, Venice, Thessaloniki, Moscow, Kiev and by bus service to cities in Serbia, Bulgaria, Moldova, Turkey, Greece.

Shopping and shopping

Numerous shops and brand boutiques are concentrated along the main boulevard from Piaţa Romană to Piaţa Unirii, as well as in small streets adjacent to this area. Many shops can be found in the area of ​​Calea Victoriei and Calea Dorobanţilor.

Shopping malls in Bucharest:

• Băneasa, Soseaua București-Ploiești 42D.
• AFI Palace Cotroceni , Bulevardul Vasile Milea 4.
• Promenada, Calea Floreasca 246B.
• Plaza Romania, Bd. Timisoara nr. 26.
• Unirea Shopping Center, Piaţa Unirii.
• Sun Plaza, Calea Vacaresti, No. 391.
• Bucharest Mall, Calea Vitan 55-59.

Food and drink

Bucharest is famous for its gastronomy from cheap eateries to expensive restaurants. The most popular fast food is Shaorma. In addition to Romanian cuisine, Asian (Chinese, Japanese), Italian, French and Turkish cuisines are also presented.

Traditional Romanian dishes:

• mamaliga - corn porridge (similar to Italian polenta).
• bulz - corn porridge with cheese, bacon and sour cream.
• zacusca - does not require translation :).
• tochitura is a type of stew.
• mici - fried meat (traditional sausages) in sauce with corn porridge.
• ciorba de burta is a white sour minced meat soup.
• ciorba taraneasca is a soup similar to borscht.
• pasca - chocolate or cheese pie.
• saratele - salty sticks.
• pandispan - cake with sour cherries.
• cozonac - Christmas or Easter cake.
• covrigi - hot pretzels with salt.
• langoşi - hot pastry stuffed with cheese.
• gogosi - donut.

Attractions

The Old City or in Romanian Lipscani is the oldest part of Bucharest, significantly rebuilt during the reign of Ceausescu. It is a collection of buildings from different historical periods from the neoclassical mansions of the 19th century to the medieval ruins of the court of the princes of Wallachia. The old town occupies the area between the Dymbovice river in the south, Calea Victoriei streets in the west, Calea Moşilor in the east and Regina Elisabeta boulevard in the north. In recent decades, the historic center of Bucharest has been extensively restored and has many charming old streets.

The Palace of the Parliament is a huge neoclassical building built during the reign of Nicolae Ceausescu. This architectural giant is one of the main symbols of Bucharest. Parliament is the second largest administrative building in the world (after the Pentagon), which contains more than 3,000 rooms and has an area of ​​more than 300,000 square meters. It is built of marble and steel, which is why it is considered the heaviest building on the planet.

The Romanian Philharmonic House is a magnificent 19th century neoclassical building designed by French architect Albert Galleron. The building resembles an ancient Greek temple with a 41-meter-high dome and a peristyle of six Ionic columns. The Philharmonic has a beautiful interior with gilded painted ceilings, cascading balconies and spiral marble staircases.

The Stavropol Church is a beautiful religious building of the 18th century with a wonderful combination of Romanian and Byzantine elements. This small building with bizarre columns was once part of a monastery. The church is Orthodox and contains beautiful frescoes and icons.

Old princely court - the ruins of the medieval court of the princes of Wallachia, founded by Vlad the Impaler. This building dates back to the 15th - 16th centuries and for two centuries was the site of the coronation of Romanian princes. The Old Court Museum contains artifacts found during archaeological excavations.

Revolution Square is the central square of Budapest and one of the symbols of modern Romania.

The Arc de Triomphe is a granite structure from 1936, replacing the wooden arch from 1922, which was dedicated to the Romanian soldiers who fought in the First World War.

The Dimitri Gusti National Museum is a unique open-air ethnographic museum founded in 1936. Reflects the traditional way of life in Romania and contains 300 different structures, including peasant houses, thatched barns, log cabins, churches, workshops and mills.

The National Museum of History is a magnificent museum housed in a beautiful neoclassical building of the former Romanian Post Office. It contains a huge number of unique exhibits on the history of Romania from antiquity to the present.

The Russian Church is an Orthodox church of the early 20th century, dedicated to St. Nicholas. It was built for the Russian diaspora during the reign of Emperor Nicholas II.

Antimsky Monastery is a functioning monastery built between 1713 and 1715.

Caru "cu Bere" - a magnificent neo-Gothic building with an Art Nouveau interior, built in the late 19th century. Within its walls is one of the most famous restaurants in Bucharest.

Domnica Balas is a beautiful 19th century church, famous for its exceptional acoustics, oil paintings by Viennese artists, German stained glass windows and marble statues.

Since ancient times, the land on which modern Bucharest is spread was covered with dense oak, beech and hornbeam forests, later called Wallachian codri. The first people appeared on this territory back in the Stone Age, and in the ancient period, the Thracian-Phrygian Dacian tribes settled here, traces of settlements of which were discovered by archaeologists in the vicinity of the Romanian capital.

In various legends, the founding of the city is disputed by several heroes: a shepherd named Bukur, the semi-mythical Radu Negro - the first prince of Wallachia, as well as a very real character - Mircea the Stary, the Wallachian governor and ruler, who expelled the Turks from his country in the XIV century. In Romanian, the city is called București, and its name is similar to the word "buku-rie", meaning joy.

The first written evidence, which mentions the city of Bucharest under its current name, dates back to 1459 and is a letter confirming the rights of the local aristocracy to the land. The document bears the signature of the stern ruler of Wallachia, Vlad Tepes, whose name in popular culture is inextricably associated with Count Dracula, the character of legends and legends skillfully synthesized in the world bestseller by Irish writer Bram Stoker. From the historical document it follows that by this time Bucharest was already the residence of the legendary Wallachian ruler. It is also known that the city walls built under Vlad Tepes in the 15th century are not the oldest in Bucharest, and his residence was built on the territory of a fortress built a century earlier.

During the reign of Prince Vlad Tepes, Bucharest was not the capital of Wallachia, but it was a reliable outpost in the Lower Danube Plain, protecting Wallachia and its capital Targovishte from the persistent encroachments of the Ottoman Turks. In the second half of the 15th century, Bucharest became known as an important economic and political center, and in fact was the second most important city in Wallachia.

In the 16th century, it found itself at the epicenter of dramatic historical events, turning into the arena of fierce battles with the Turkish conquerors. In 1595, the ruler Mihai the Brave defeated the enemy, driving the Ottomans out of Wallachia for a while, but, retreating, the Turks thoroughly devastated and burned most of Bucharest. However, the city was quickly restored, and in 1659 it became the capital of Wallachia, which by that time had already finally fallen under the vassalage of the Ottoman Empire.

In the second half of the 17th century, Bucharest was actively developing, trade and handicraft flourished here, inns were built, the first printing house was opened, and the central streets adjacent to the Prince's Court were built up. In 1688, Konstantin Brynkoveanu, a brilliant statesman, erudite and innovator, ascended the throne of the gospodar. His reign was marked by the creation of a new style in the architecture of Wallachia, called the Brynkoveanu style or the Brynkovyan style. The works of architecture of that era are marked by the influence of both oriental architecture and the buildings of northern Italy, and show the flowering of decorative forms. The ambitious and extremely wealthy ruler, gravitating towards a luxurious, brilliant lifestyle, erected in his vast country estates and in Bucharest itself, where at that time more than 50,000 citizens already lived, numerous residences, which he called not houses, but palaces, following the Western tradition. traditions. Under Brâncoveanu, the central street of Bucharest, known today as Kalya Victoria, was built up, religious buildings were erected, the first hospital was opened, as well as the grandiose Academy at the monastery of St. Sava, which was later transformed into the University of Bucharest.

By the middle of the 19th century, Bucharest acquired its original, unique appearance, showing impressive contrasts. Brightly lit streets, smart shops, palaces and respectable mansions coexisted here with gloomy dirty streets, real slums, where, ignorant of such benefits of civilization as sewage and running water, small artisans and workers lived.

After the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, the Berlin Congress recognized the independence of the Romanian Principality, and Bucharest officially became the capital of this sovereign state. Twice, during the First and Second World Wars, the city was occupied by the Germans, during the last war, it was repeatedly bombarded by the allies in the anti-Hitler coalition, since Romania fought on the side of Germany.

From 1947 to 1989 Bucharest was the main city of the Romanian People's Republic, later - the Socialist Republic of Romania. Today Bucharest is the capital of Romania.

Population

Bucharest is one of the most densely populated cities in Eastern Europe. A tenth of the population of Romania lives here, and today the number of capital residents has already exceeded 2,400,000 people. More than 97% of local citizens are Romanians by nationality. The second largest group of the population is the Gypsies (1.5%), less than 1% are Hungarians, Jews, Bulgarians, Germans, Poles, Albanians, Chinese.

About 96% of the inhabitants of Bucharest profess the Orthodox religion, 1.2% adherents of the Roman rite, 0.5% are Muslims, 0.4% are Greek Catholics.

Currency

The monetary unit of Romania is the Romanian leu (RON), equal to 100 bani. Banknotes are issued in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 200, 500 RON, coins - 1, 5, 10, 50 bani.

If you have euros or dollars with you, you can exchange them at one of the banks or exchange offices (casa de schimb) in Bucharest. Give preference to exchange offices located in hotels, large supermarkets, as well as at the airport and train station. It is recommended to exchange large amounts only in banks, while you will most likely be asked to present your passport. Receipts issued at banks and exchange offices should be kept until the last day of your stay in the country.

Credit cards of the main payment systems are accepted in all major hotels, supermarkets and restaurants in Bucharest.

Safety

In the 90s of the last century, at the junction of the eras of collapsing socialism and emerging capitalism, Bucharest earned an unimportant reputation. Even today, despite the fact that Romania is a member of the European Union, many Europeans consider its capital a dirty and unsafe city. This attitude is well demonstrated in a joke in which a Frenchman responds to the comparison of Bucharest with small Paris with the words: “Thank God that Paris is not big Bucharest.” Nevertheless, if we talk about the historical center and business districts, the capital of Romania is a fairly calm place, in the Old Town, even at night, you can feel safe.

But the outskirts of Bucharest, especially the Ferentari district, which is inhabited mainly by gypsies, who are credited with close ties with crime, are indeed not the most suitable place for walking.

In Bucharest, tourists, like in any other large city, should be wary of thieves. Basically, they operate in transport, usually during peak hours, on the open terraces of restaurants and cafes.

In no case do not use the services of street money changers - basically, these are scammers.

Geography and climate

Bucharest is located in the southeastern part of Romania in the center of the Romanian Plain, which lies between the foothills of the Carpathians and the Danube. It is generally accepted that the city, like Rome, was built on seven hills: Mihai Voda, Patriarchate, Radu Voda, Cotroceni, Spiraeus, Vacaresti, St. George. Today, the capital covers an area of ​​about 228 km², which corresponds to about a tenth of the entire territory of the country.

From the northwest to the southeast, Bucharest is crossed by the Dymbovitsa River, a tributary of the Danube, which carries its waters to the Black Sea, 45 km from the Romanian capital. For several centuries Dymbovica was the main source of drinking water in Bucharest, but often threatened with floods. As early as the beginning of the 18th century, its waters were called pure and sweet. Over time, she lost her enviable qualities, but still periodically heated city streets. In 1986, to protect against floods, a dam was erected on the river and an artificial lake Morii was created, which is the largest in Bucharest. It is located 6 km from the center of the capital and covers an area of ​​about 246 hectares. In its northern part is the island of Lakul Morii. In 2011, volunteers planted hundreds of trees here, and today the island is a popular recreation area.

The meanders of Dymbovitsa formed a whole chain of picturesque lakes in the north-east of the city. The largest of them are lakes Floryaska, Tei, Herestrau. In the very center, surrounded by gardens and parks, there is an artificial lake Cismigiu. This corner is one of the most charming in the city.

Bucharest, bordered by a necklace of lakes and adjacent forest, seems to grow out of this landscape, and the change of seasons does little to change the colorful appearance of the city. In spring and summer, as well as in early spring, its parks, flowering gardens, boulevards, front gardens look extremely attractive, and it is no coincidence that the period from May to September is considered the best time to visit the Romanian capital.

Bucharest has a temperate continental climate with fairly mild winters and hot summers. The coldest month is January (average daily temperature is -2.9 °C), the warmest is July (+22.8 °C).

Spring in Bucharest comes into full force in April - this is the time when flowering begins, and the weather becomes extremely comfortable for walking. In May, the air warms up to +20...+22 °C, but it often rains this month.

It also rains in June, but in July-August the weather is usually dry and hot. During the day the air temperature can reach +35 °C.

September in Bucharest is sunny and warm (+24 °C). By mid-October, the weather begins to deteriorate, the sky becomes overcast and gray, it often rains. In November, the daily temperature drops to an average of +10 °C, the amount of precipitation increases.

Winters in Bucharest are usually snowy, but the temperature drops below 0 °C only slightly. Severe frosts are rare here.

Architecture and city districts

Several centuries ago, Bucharest occupied a relatively small area on the left bank of the Dymbovitsa River. Today this area is called the Old Town, but this definition does not mean that old buildings predominate here. Actually, the architectural appearance of the historical district, as, indeed, of the entire Romanian capital, is distinguished by eclecticism and contrasts.

Almost until the middle of the 20th century, French classic motifs dominated the architecture of Bucharest, which is why it was called the little Paris of the East. Wide boulevards, as well as the most spectacular palaces and villas of the capital are the creations of French and local architects who worked on the improvement of the city in the second half of the 19th century. The destruction brought by the Second World War, as well as the demolition of architectural monuments in the 60s and 70s, initiated by the dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, destroyed part of the former beauty of the city. By order of the authoritarian ruler, many factories, industrial enterprises were built throughout the capital, including its center, and next to them - gloomy gray reinforced concrete building-boxes for the workers to live.

The heritage of Ceausescu - architectural confusion of magnificent pre-war buildings and socialist buildings - is a distinctive feature of modern Bucharest. Sometimes it is even hard to imagine that a real architectural masterpiece can be hidden behind some clumsy bulky building: an ancient temple, a boyar mansion or a palace.

The planning of the development of the Romanian capital began to take shape as early as the 17th century. Then the center of Bucharest was the Prince's Court, and the streets radiated from it in a radial direction. Today the capital is divided into 6 administrative sectors, designed in the form of wedges, expanding as they move away from the historical center. They are numbered clockwise, starting from the first, located in the north of the city. Each of the sectors is divided into quarters, the main of which are indicated in all city guides.

• Victoriei is the area around the square of the same name in the center of Bucharest. This is one of the liveliest corners of the capital, where palaces, government buildings, museums, hotels, elegant shops are located. The street with the same name, Victoriei, stretching for 3 km, is the main and most beautiful street in the city.
• Lipscani is an old street and at the same time the name of the historical core of Bucharest. Today it is a trendy area with numerous cafe-bars, shops, one of the centers of nightlife.
• Baneasa is a fashionable area in the northern part of the city. Luxurious residences, large shopping centers, modern hotels are located here.
• Dorobanti is another upscale neighborhood that is home to many high-end restaurants, as well as a number of embassies housed in elegant mansions.
• Herastrau is the largest park in Bucharest, located in the northeast.
• Pipera is a quarter where the offices of transnational corporations are located, as well as elite residential complexes.
• Cotroceni is an elegant area with beautiful villas and mansions. Here is the Presidential Palace, the Botanical Garden.
• Tei is a residential area located near Lake Tei.
• Crangasi, Drumul, Taberei, Militari are residential areas built in the western part of Bucharest.
• The Civic Center is an area developed at the end of the last century in the south of the capital. There is a gigantic Palace of Parliament, a number of state institutions.

The recognized tourist center of Bucharest is the Old Town with its famous squares, churches, narrow pedestrian streets of Stavropoleos, Lipscany, Blanar, still keeping the atmosphere and flavor of ancient centuries. The northern districts of the Romanian capital are also popular among travelers with their wide green boulevards. Famous lakes and parks are located here, as well as spectacular manor quarters where you can admire luxurious mansions and villas built in the 19th century.

Sights of Bucharest

The hallmark of Bucharest is the cyclopean building of the Palace of the Parliament. This grandiose building, causing conflicting comments, began to be erected under Nicolae Ceausescu in the 80s of the last century. The dictator intended it to be a symbol of the communist regime, but its construction served as one of the catalysts for the outburst of popular anger that provoked an uprising in 1989.

Enormous funds were spent on the construction and interior design of the House of the Republic, as the palace was previously called. In addition, to implement this ambitious project, it was decided to demolish several ancient churches, architectural monuments, as well as residential buildings, which required the relocation of 40,000 citizens. Today, anyone who wants to pay from 25 to 45 RON can go on a tour of the endless pompous mansions located on 12 ground and 8 underground floors. Tourists like to look at luxurious halls with ceilings covered with gold leaf, decorated with marble, gilding, and stucco. In the Hall of Human Rights, which covers an area of ​​625 m², you can see a giant crystal chandelier weighing almost two tons, a pompous dining set that includes a huge oak round table and 60 oak chairs, and in the Hall of the Union, decorated with marble-framed mirrors, the imagination is amazing a colossal carpet weighing three tons.

The Palace of the Parliament could accommodate the residence of the Romanian Parliament itself, branches of several higher educational institutions, the Constitutional Court, museums, libraries, restaurants. Traveling exhibitions and concerts are often held here.

The palaces of Bucharest, built in the 19th century, are very elegant and in no way resemble the aforementioned monstrous building of the socialist era, which entered the Guinness Book of Records due to its size. The extravagant but elegant Kretzulescu Palace, for example, combines baroque, neo-gothic, and French classicism in its architectural appearance. The Cantacuzino Palace, recognized as an architectural heritage and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, is an example of French classics, which are complemented by neat interspersing of Art Nouveau and Rococo styles. The Cotroceni Palace, which is the residence of the President of Romania, was created in the Brâncoveni architectural style, which is characterized by openwork arches, light flying structures, a large number of decor, and oriental elements. Most of the palaces in Bucharest are open to the public, and many of them have museums.

Not far from the Palace of the Parliament, the beautiful and atmospheric active Antim Monastery is practically hidden in the courtyards, which is an excellent example of the use of decorative forms in architecture. Its façade is adorned with a portico with ten columns, which are distinguished by the richness of the stone carvings. The window frames are no less impressive. The monastery was founded by Metropolitan Antim Ivireanu, a major cultural figure of the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

In the center of Bucharest, very remarkable temples of the 18th century have been preserved. Facing onto Victoria Street, contrasting with the new buildings, stands the Kretzulescu church, erected in 1722 at the direction of the daughter of Constantin Brâncoveanu, Safta Kretzulescu. The building is distinguished by the elegance of forms and the skill of developing sculptural details.

One of the many churches erected under Constantin Brâncoveanu is the church of St. George, built on the foundations of an older 16th-century church, and therefore called the New Church. For a long time it was not known who was buried in one of the two burials located inside the shrine. Only in 1914 did scientists pay attention to the fact that some kind of inscription was woven into a purely ornamental pattern. They managed to decipher it, and then it became known that under the marble slab the ashes of Konstantin Brynkovyan himself were buried: it turned out that his wife managed to take the remains of the ruler from Istanbul, where he was executed.

Nearby is the Church of Stavropoleos - a true pearl of Romanian architecture of the XVIII century. It was erected in 1724 by the will of the monk Ioanikiy, who soon received the rank of Metropolitan of Stavropol. At the end of the 19th century, the church underwent restoration, which, however, almost did not change its appearance. The portico of the temple is supported by six columns of carved stone, and the facades are divided into two horizontal registers by garlands of flowers and leaves. The upper register is decorated with colored medallions. The church is harmonious in its size and is distinguished by an amazing elegance of forms, a precisely adjusted ratio of volumes.

Among the most interesting monuments of Bucharest is the Church of Mihai Voda, located on the right bank of Dymbovitsa. The temple was built in the 15th century, and reconstructed in the 16th century under the reign of Michael the Brave. It is distinguished by a surprisingly slender silhouette and elegant decor created by alternating brick and plaster.

In the heart of the capital of Romania is the university - an old educational institution that grew out of the schools of the 17th-18th centuries. In the so-called Greek academies, teaching was conducted not in Romanian, but in Greek. At the beginning of the last century, several more were added to the main building. During one of the bombings in 1944, part of the old building was significantly damaged. After the war, restoration was carried out, but the original sculptural design of the majestic facade of the building was lost forever. Opposite the entrance to the university, monuments to prominent figures of Romania were erected, which, in alliance with the strict and majestic architecture of the building, form a single monumental ensemble.

Another attraction of Bucharest is the Roman Athenium concert hall, which resembles a temple with its appearance. It was built in the very center of the city at the end of the 80s of the last century according to the project of the famous architect Albert Galleron. Its magnificent appearance combines a Greek pediment, Ionic columns and a huge Byzantine-style dome, decorated with numerous decorative elements. The hall itself is luxuriously decorated with a huge fresco encircling it, which depicts key events in Romanian history.

Athenium is famous throughout Europe for its amazing acoustics and the fact that the International Music Festival named after George Enescu, the founder of the modern Romanian composer school, violinist and pianist, is held here every year. A symphony orchestra regularly performs here, and chamber music concerts are held. Ticket prices are from 25 to 70 RON.

History buffs will be interested in visiting the open-air museum in the historical part of the city to see the ancient princely courtyard of Kurtya-Veke. The remains of the residence of the first rulers of Wallachia, dating back to the 14th century, were discovered during archaeological excavations carried out in this part of Bucharest in the middle of the last century.

Museums

Curious tourists will be delighted with the number and variety of museums that await them in Bucharest. One of the most famous and visited is the National Museum of Art of Romania, located in the former residence of the Romanian kings - a majestic and beautiful palace built in 1812 in the neoclassical style. Its treasury contains more than 60 thousand exhibits - creations of Romanian and foreign artists and sculptors of different eras, among which there are masterpieces of the great masters of European painting.

The National Museum of Modern Art is located in the Palace of the Parliament, occupying part of its western wing. Painting, sculpture, interesting installations, video art are presented here. Acquaintance with fine arts can be continued at the Museum of Art Collections, the Zambatsyan Museum, Theodore Pallady Museum.

Among the numerous historical museums, the most famous is the National Museum of Romanian History, housed within the walls of a luxurious neoclassical building, formerly known as the Postal Palace, and then as the Central Post Office.

The way the Romanians are reverent about their culture and traditions can be felt at the National Museum of the Romanian Peasants. In its collection you will see folk arts and crafts, original utensils, furniture, costumes. The basis of the exposition of the Museum of the Village, which is spread out in the open air on a vast territory, is also a peasant theme. There is a whole collection of three hundred houses brought from different regions of Romania.

The cost of visiting museums in Bucharest is approximately the same - about 10 RON.

Gardens and parks

Bucharest is especially charming due to its landscaped gardens, blue lakes and parks. The largest of the parks, more precisely, a whole park complex is located south of the center of the capital. It was opened in 1906 and subsequently received the name of Freedom Park and Karol Park. The project of the park area was created by the French landscape architect Edouard Redon. The park is immersed in greenery, being a great place for leisurely walks.

Not far from the city center, but already from the north, is the Cismigiu Garden. It is half the size of Freedom Park, but no less beautiful. Until the beginning of the 19th century, there was a swamp here, which was drained in the 30s by order of General Kiselev, the head of the Russian imperial administration in the Romanian principalities, who decided to equip a city garden on this site. Cismigiu Garden first received guests in 1860. There are many picturesque corners here: lakes; fountains; a terrace of roses - red and white, tea and pink, filling the air on summer days with the finest aroma; the Roman circle is a round alley where sculptures of prominent Romanian poets and writers are located. In the garden, it is pleasant to walk along secluded paths, go on a boat trip on the lake, go rollerblading, drink coffee and have a snack in one of the pretty cafes or restaurants with an open terrace.

Another magnificent park in the northern part of the capital, Herestrau, is set up on the shore of the lake of the same name, chosen by handsome black swans. It is here that the ethnographic Museum of the village is located. In addition, the garden has a summer theatre, exhibition pavilions, a boat station from where pleasure boats leave. Here, vacationers are waiting for many open cafes and miniature restaurants, and in winter there is a skating rink.

Lovers of an active lifestyle can have a good time in Tineretului Park. One of the best jogging tracks in Bucharest is located here, a playground with attractions is open for children, and you can rent a bike. Good playgrounds for children can also be found in the Izvor park, not far from the Palace of Parliament.

Near the Cotroceni Palace, on a hill, there is the Botanical Garden of Bucharest, covering an area of ​​about 17 hectares. More than 10,000 plants grow here, including rare and those that are on the verge of extinction. The garden is divided into zones with rose gardens, sectors with conifers, palm trees, orchids, magnolias, irises, and medicinal plants. A visit to the Botanical Garden will cost you a symbolic amount - 5 RON.

shopping

The main shopping streets of Bucharest are Calea Victoria, Calea Moshilor, Calea Dorobants. Many shops are located on the boulevards that cross Rimskaya Square. Here you can find a range of goods that can be found in any European capital, but at sales prices in Bucharest are much more attractive, and for a very reasonable price, you can completely update your wardrobe here.

To feel the city and buy something authentic, go for a walk through its markets, they are located on Obor, Dorobancilor, Amzey squares. The latter is the main food market of the Romanian capital. Here, take a look at the cute Cat Work store, where you can buy original women's clothing and accessories, which are sewn in very limited quantities.

In the Old Town, in the Lipscany quarter, it is interesting to visit glassblowing workshops. They are located opposite the National Bank. Traditionally, tourists buy here Gale vases with a remarkable relief decoration, which are made in the old way. Another popular Romanian souvenir is local porcelain and elegant wicker baskets. There is an antique fair in the Old Town, where hand-made craftsmen sell cute jewelry, and you can also find old things.

If you are interested in original embroidered homespun items made by Romanian craftswomen, dolls in folk costumes, traditional Romanian utensils, head to the National Museum of Romanian Peasants. In addition to these things, in the museum shop you can buy delicious souvenirs: Romanian wine, plum tincture - tsuyku, kashkaval cheese or a very spicy burduf cheese smelling of pine needles. It is made from sheep's milk and aged in pine bark.

Cuisine of Bucharest

The capital's cuisine is not much different from Romanian cuisine in general. It is characterized by simple, but tasty and hearty dishes, such as hominy - a thick porridge made from corn flour, which is served as a side dish for meat, chorba soup puree, miniature lamb or beef fried sausages mititei, shish kebab mich, papanashi dessert delicacy. All this assortment can be found in the establishments of the La Mama restaurant chain, scattered throughout the city. A hearty lunch here will cost about 25 RON.

One of the most popular restaurants among Bucharest guests is Cara cu Bere. It is located in the pedestrian area of ​​the Old Town, near the monastery of Stavrapoleos. The best dishes of Romanian cuisine are presented here at quite reasonable prices, although they are higher than the average for the city - 45-60 RON per person. The restaurant boasts a 150-year history and authentic interiors. In the evenings, incendiary folk music sounds here, and folklore dances are performed. During the tourist season, places here should be booked in advance.

We recommend trying traditional delicacies at affordable prices (from 20 RON per person) in the Beraria Gambrinus and Clubul Taranului restaurants.

In Bucharest, there are many cafes and restaurants with Italian cuisine, where you can always treat yourself to pizza, pasta, ravioli, risotto. Judging by the reviews of gourmet travelers, the best pizza in the city for only 5 RON is sold at the Latin Pizza restaurant, located in the very center of Bucharest, near a copy of the Capitoline Wolf sculpture. It is always the freshest, and its size is simply huge. French, Hungarian, Greek, Spanish, Mexican, Turkish, Chinese cuisine is also popular in the city.

The national fast food of Bucharest is personified by pretzels and donuts, which are called kovrigi and gogosi, respectively. They are prepared in mini-bakeries literally at every step. The cost is from 1 to 5 RON, depending on the filling. Those wishing to treat themselves to a more satisfying fast food can look into one of the common establishments that sell kebabs and falafel. One serving will cost approximately 6 RON.

Where to stay

In Bucharest, you can stay both in a modern comfortable hotel and in a hotel whose appearance and interiors betray its socialist origin. Prices for accommodation in the capital of Romania largely depend on the distance of the hotel from the center. However, no matter how low the price is, it is undesirable for tourists to stay far from the central areas - this is a matter of comfort and urban features of Bucharest, besides, it is quite difficult for visitors to navigate there.

Preference should be given to areas located in the Old Town, as well as to the north of the center. On average, for a double room in a three-star hotel, you will have to pay from 300 RON, in a four-star hotel - from 400 RON, in a five-star hotel - from 800 RON per day.

In Bucharest, there is the possibility of accommodation in boarding houses - family mini-hotels with all amenities and a friendly homely atmosphere.

You can stay in the vicinity of the capital by renting a guest house or apartment from 80 to 120 RON per person per day. Approximately the same amount will have to be paid for staying in motels - they are equipped at the entrance to Bucharest. In most areas of the Romanian capital, there are quite decent hostels. You can rent a separate room by paying from 100 RON, a bed in a dormitory room will cost 8 RON.

Transport

The public transport system in Bucharest is well developed. Here you can move on modern comfortable buses, trolleybuses, trams. The cost of one trip is 1.30 RON, a daily pass will cost 8 RON, a week pass will cost 17 RON. The fine for ticketless travel is solid - 50 RON. Opening hours of ground transport - 05:00-23:00.

The metropolitan metro has three lines and operates from 05:00 to 23:30. Magnetic cards are required for travel, they can be bought at kiosks at the entrance. The cost of two trips - 4 RON, ten - 15 RON. It is convenient to buy a daily ticket with an unlimited number of trips for 6 RON.

In the warm season, it is quite convenient to travel around Bucharest by bicycle. Many areas have excellent bike paths with fences, markings, and bicycle traffic lights. Bicycles can be rented at the parking lots at the parks, the cost is 20 RON for 2 hours. In some hotels, bicycles are provided to guests free of charge.

Tariffs for public taxis in Bucharest are quite democratic - from 1.4 RON / km, they are all equipped with meters, you can distinguish them by the "checkers" on the side door. Private taxis have the letters "R" and "RO" on the roof. Meters in them, as a rule, are not installed, and you should agree on a price with the driver in advance. Depending on the time of day, the price can reach up to 3.5 RON/km.

To feel free to move around, you can rent a car. It is convenient to do this directly at the airport upon arrival or at the hotel. Offices of rental companies, international and local, also operate in the city center. Daily rental of an economy class car - from 45 RON, executive - from 100 RON.

It should be taken into account that the traffic in Bucharest is quite intense, and the road infrastructure is not yet up to par. Parking may be difficult due to lack of spaces, especially during high season. Cars here are often left right on the sidewalks, lawns, and even on the far right, the road lane. Large organized guarded parking, as a rule, is available only at large hotels and shopping centers. The cost of parking is 2-7 RON/hour. Parking lots are not equipped with parking machines, so you need to pay in cash with representatives of service companies.

How to get there

16 km from Bucharest, in the suburb of Otopeni, is the international airport. Henri Coanda. It receives flights from most countries in Europe and the Middle East. Direct communication between Moscow and Bucharest is carried out by two airlines: the domestic Aeroflot and the Romanian Tarom. Planes take off from Sheremetyevo Airport. The flight time is about 3 hours, the cost is 200-250 euros (with a return ticket). A flight with transfers will cost less, and there are a lot of such options. The lowest prices are offered by Air Moldova (change in Chisinau), Pegasus and Turkish Airlines (change in Istanbul), Aegean (change in Athens).

There are no direct flights between St. Petersburg and Bucharest yet. From here you can fly to the capital of Romania with transfers in Vienna, Paris, Warsaw, Istanbul. The last option is the most attractive in terms of price - from 210 euros.

From the airport to the center of Bucharest can be reached by bus, train or taxi. Bus number 780 (06:00-24:00) will take you to the main railway station Cara de Nord, bus number 783 (round the clock) takes travelers directly to the city center - Unirii Square. The bus stop at the airport is located opposite the arrivals terminal, tickets are also sold here, which must be stamped in the cabin. Their cost is 3.50 RON.

If you want to get from the airport to Bucharest by train, which may be advisable due to frequent traffic jams when entering the city, use the free shuttle that will take you to the railway station, which is 2 kilometers away. From there, the train takes 40 minutes to Cara de Nord Station. Ticket price - 6 RON.

Near the exit from the terminal there is a taxi rank - public and private. You can get from here to Unirii Square by paying from 30 to 80 RON. The price depends on the time of day and the status of the car company.

It takes a long time (about 2 days) and inconvenient to get from Moscow to Bucharest by train, with a change in Chisinau. The bus ride through Chisinau will take the same amount of time.