Bucharest (Romania), the sights of which will be considered here, unfortunately, until recently, was not a tourist Mecca. During the reign of the dictator Ceausescu, the city acquired a very unpretentious face. The gloomy quarters of ragged Khrushchevs, the faceless concrete Soviet architecture of ridiculous state buildings flooded the whole space, pushing back ancient churches and small squares of the once "Balkan Paris". Therefore, interesting places in Bucharest have to be found with a tourist map or a guide in hand. And the work of such a stubborn traveler will be rewarded. After all, Bucharest is an ancient city, which is fraught with many interesting sights. In addition, according to recent reviews of tourists, in recent years, the capital of Romania has significantly Europeanized. And with the help of financial investments from the European Union, she became more picturesque and well-groomed.
Where is Bucharest located and how to get there
The capital of Romania is located in the very south of the country. The city itself was founded in 1459. And Bucharest acquired the status of the capital only in 1862. From Russia to Romania it is easiest and fastest to travel by plane. Most international flights land at Henry Coand Airport. It is located eighteen kilometers from the city, in the town of Otopeni. Some low-cost flights (Viseire and Gemanwings) accept a small airport named after Aurel Vlaiku, which is five kilometers from Bucharest. From Otopeni to the center of the capital can be reached by train or bus. A train ticket can be bought at the counter labeled CFR in the airport lounge. Shuttle buses deliver trains. The fare for them is already included in the total ticket. Tourists are advised to do this journey by bus, which will cost half as much. Routes 783 and 780 run to Gara de Nord - just like the train. The bus ticket must be stamped. At night, the traveler has no choice. It is better to take an official taxi taxi Fly Taxi. Buses No. 131, 205 and 301 go from the Aurel Vlaiku airport to the city center. Now we will tell you what to see in Bucharest.
Old city
Of course, acquaintance with the capital of Romania should begin with the historical part. This land is very ancient. It was once a province of the Roman Empire. True, the city itself arose only at the end of the Middle Ages. This period dates back to its most ancient sights. "Bucharest" in translation means "city of joy." And you really feel it in the old quarter. Narrow streets framed by pretty houses, small squares create an atmosphere of comfort. Walking around the Old Town, you understand why, before coming to power, Nicholas Ceausescu, Bucharest was called "Balkan Paris." There are many beautiful buildings. Tourists advise to pay attention to the palaces of Kotrochen (1895), Konstakudilo (1900), Royal (1937), the building of the State Bank (1885). Be sure to get to the University Square, Athenaeum, Piazza Republika.
Bucharest Attractions
Photos of the city also showcase many beautiful buildings that continue to fulfill their original function. The buildings of the Architectural Institute and the University are also educational buildings, students are engaged in them. And at the Ateney Hotel you can still rent a luxurious room. There are also historic living rooms in the Old Town . Of particular note is a caravanserai called Hanul-lui-Manuk. But tourists also claim that it is worth a glimpse into the “Beer Cart” - Karul-ku-Bere, built in 1879, and Kurta Veke (Staryi Dvor). Bucharest is also famous for the Presidential Palace. The Arc de Triomphe, of course, is inferior to the Parisian landmark of the same name, but it is also a “mast si” in the Romanian capital. It is dedicated to the courage of soldiers in the First World War. Inside the arch there is a staircase along which you can climb up to enjoy the panorama of Bucharest. For fans of recent history, reviews are recommended to look at the Revolution Square.
Temples of Bucharest
Ceausescu, who razed entire blocks of the "Balkan Paris" to the ground to build his palace and a number of dull five-story buildings, spared the ancient churches. And they are the best preserved historical sights. Bucharest boasts a number of interesting temples and sacred structures. The most ancient are considered the church of St. Aron of the fifteenth century and the monastery of Plumbuit, which, according to the annals, was founded in 1559. Tourists advise to pay close attention to the temples of Stavropolis, St. George the Old, Kroculesku and the Patriarchal Cathedral (1665). From the monasteries it is worth visiting Mihai Voda and Antim.
Palace of Parliament
Bucharest has lost a huge part of its old quarter to build this vanity monument for one family. The palace was conceived as the largest building in the world. But he did not reach the status of the very-most - the Pentagon remains large in area. There are about six thousand rooms in the palace, which was called the "Parliament Building" only for the red words, since the country was ruled solely by the dictator Ceausescu. The building was erected in the eclectic style with a clear attraction to tasteless gigantism. Tourists note that against the background of the high-rise buildings of Soviet buildings, the palace with its marble staircase (which was remade twice for the needs of his wife Ceausescu) looks like a dissonance. The building has twelve floors. They say that eight more go deep into the earth. The Palace of Parliament was not able to catch up with the Pentagon in area, but he surpassed it in accordance with the construction estimate. This is the most expensive office building in the world.
Museums
Are you interested in everyday life in the Romanian outback? To get acquainted with him, you do not need to leave the capital of the country. Tourists claim that in the ethnographic open-air museum of Kotrocen all Romanian rural sights are collected. Bucharest also has an Art Gallery displaying paintings by Monet, El Greco, Rubens, Cezanne, Renoir and Rembrandt. It is located in the building of the Royal Palace (Ploschad Revolyutsii). Worth visiting and other metropolitan museums: History (at the Post Office), Geology, Technology, Biological (Grigore Antipas). On Revolution Square, you must visit the Orthodox Church of Kretsulescu. It perfectly preserved frescoes of George Tatarescu - a famous Romanian painter.
Parks
Green spaces and gardens are also attractions. Bucharest was and remains the greenest city in Eastern Europe. The oldest park is Kismigui. It was defeated in 1845 under the direction of a German landscape architect. Gerastrau Park surrounds the Ethnographic Museum of the Romanian Village. It is good to relax in the silence of the shady alleys in the old Chizhmigiu, Herestrau, Parkul Karol and the Botanical Garden near Kotrochen. If you have several days to visit the capital of Romania , tourists are advised to take a tour in the vicinity of Bucharest. You can visit the ancient monasteries of Snag (here is the tomb of Vlad Tepes, better known as Dracula), Kelderushan, Bilberry, Hheresti estate, Mogoshoyaya and Shtirbey palaces.
City life and pace
Bucharest is a strange capital. There is no fuss and ostentatious gloss characteristic of large megacities. Everything here is somehow at home, even a little provincial. Passers-by will always stop if a tourist asks for directions, and sometimes they will not only show the way, but will also be taken to the desired place.
The national pride of the locals is the Steaua football team (Bucharest). It was founded in 1947 as the Sports Club of the Romanian Army. But after numerous sports victories for the team in 1961, the name “Star” was fixed (in Romanian “Steaua”). This football club was the first in Eastern Europe to win the Champions Cup (1989).