29 Bucharest Facts About The Romanian Capital You Should Know

Bucharest is Romania's capital and one of the country's most popular cities.

As per the old saying, the capital of Romania was named after a shepherd named Bucur who used to live in the area. The shepherd fell in love with a woman named Dambovita, which is now the name of Bucharest's main river.

Bucharest gained the nickname 'Little Paris' or 'Paris of the East' during the World Wars because of its elegant style and the refinement of its aristocracy. The name 'New Berlin' comes from the abundance of fantastic street art that can be found all across the capital city.

Romania's capital has a population of approximately 1.8 million people, which is more than Sofia (which has a population of approximately 1.2 million people) and Prague (which has around 1.3 million residents).

History Of Bucharest

Bucharest's history spans the period from the earliest settlements on the locality's land (and that of the surrounding area in Ilfov County) to its modern existence as a city, Wallachia's capital, and the current capital of Romania.

• The first mention of Bucharest is in a document dated September 20, 1459, signed by Prince Vlad III Dracula, who was also considered the founder of Bucharest.
• Before deciding to make Bucharest their capital in 1659, the Voivodes of Wallachia had their capital in Targoviste and their summer residence in Bucharest for three centuries.
• Bucharest was frequently invaded by its powerful neighbors, including the Turks, Russians, and Austrians until the end of the 15th century when the country gained independence.
• The Romanian United Principalities were established in 1862 when the principalities of Moldovia and Wallachia joined. Beginning in 1867, it had its flag, anthem, currency, and foreign policy, although remained a part of the Ottoman Empire.
• On January 24, 1862, Bucharest was named the capital of the new Romania. Surprisingly, following the Crimean War in 1856, a European commission chose the name Romania to honor the country's Latin origins.
• After the Russo-Turkish War, Romania gained independence in 1881, and Prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was crowned King Carol I. His reign lasted until 1914.
• His love for French aesthetics resulted in the construction of tree-lined avenues and huge neoclassical structures.
• Bucharest fell under German hands during the First World War in 1916, and the capital became Lasi, Romania's third-largest city, located in the Moldova area.
• The Wehrmacht took back control of the city in 1940 after the Allies had invaded it. Romania joined the Allies on August 31, 1944, and was immediately bombarded by the Luftwaffe.
• In 1977, calamity struck once more when an earthquake rocked Bucharest, killing almost 1,400 people and destroying countless buildings.
• President Ceausescu, a megalomaniac, presented the concept of reconstructing the city in 1980. This included razing a fifth of the city's structures and replacing them with unsightly Soviet-style structures. A substantial chunk of Bucharest's magnificent history was lost.
• The Revolution overthrew the communist system in 1989, but its scars may still be seen throughout the city.
• Bucharest is still trying to reclaim the magic of its historic center after so much destruction. This is a slow process that has been aided significantly by the country's admission to the European Union in 2007.

Geography Of Bucharest

The capital city of Romania is round in shape and is located on the Dâmbovița River, approximately 37.3 mi (60 km) north of the Danube and the Bulgarian border.

• The capital city is located in the Romanian Plain's southeastern corner, which was once shielded by the Vlăsiei forest area.
• The hills comprises of Mihai Vodă, Cotroceni, Spirei, Dealul Mitropoliei, Văcăreşti, Radu Vodă, and Sf. Gheorghe Nou.
• The Romanian capital encompasses a size of 87 sq mi (225 sq km). The Dâmboviţa bridge in Căţelu, southeastern Bucharest, has an elevation of 183.1 ft (55.8 m) and the Militari church has an elevation of 300.2 ft (91.5 m).
• Lake Floreasca and Lake Colentina run through the city, parallel to the Colentina River. The Cişmigiu Gardens surround a tiny artificial lake in the capital's center, Lake Cişmigiu.

Architecture Of Bucharest

Bucharest is famous for its architecture and palace which includes a mix of styles. The Old Town of Bucharest is one of the city's oldest settlements, with structures dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries.

• The Romanian capital features its own Arc de Triomphe, which was inspired by Paris's famed Arc de Triomphe.
• The Palace of the Parliament, commonly known as the House of the People, is the heaviest structure and the second largest in the world and most expensive governmental complex, after the Pentagon.
• The Civic Centre is a collection of modern concrete structures with marble facades that are centered on a boulevard that was intended to represent the Boulevard of Socialism's Victory.
• In Herăstrău Park, there is an outdoor Village Museum with 272 original buildings.
• Bucharest also has the finest museums in the world like The National Museum of Art, the National History Museum, and the Museum of Romanian History.
• The Memorial of Rebirth is a stylized marble pillar dedicated to the victims of the Romanian Revolution of 1989 that overthrew Communism.

Culture And Food Of Bucharest

Bucharest's cultural scene is expanding in areas such as visual arts, performing arts, and nightlife.

• It hosts several cultural festivals annually with the majority taking place from June to August. The National Opera hosts the International Opera Festival, which features international orchestras.
• The feast of St. Dimitrie of Basarabov, Bucharest's patron saint, is a testament to the strength of Orthodox Christianity in Romania, where a weeklong festival honoring the former hermit draws 100,000 people from all over the country every October.
• In educational institutes, English and French are taught as the primary foreign languages.
• The cuisine is influenced by Turkish and a variety of European cuisines, particularly those from the Balkans and Hungary, and culinary elements from Eastern European and Central European cuisines.
• The category ciorbă includes a wide variety of soups with a distinct sour flavor.
• In Romania, the category țuică (plum brandy) refers to a strong alcoholic spirit.