The history of Bucharest’s administrative organization reflects the social and political transformations the Capital has undergone for more than two centuries. From the plăși of the late 18th century to the current six sectors, the city’s subdivisions have always aimed to ensure control, efficiency, and adaptation to rapid population growth. Each stage – plăși, colors, districts, or sectors – tells part of the story of Bucharest’s urban evolution, illustrating how the city transformed from a marketplace with muddy streets into a modern metropolis.

Administrative division of Bucharest – a brief history

The administrative organization of the Capital has undergone numerous transformations, from the plăși of the late 18th century to the current sectors established by State Council Decree no. 284/1979. This decree, which came into effect on August 1, 1979, reduced the number of sectors from eight to six, a configuration that remains in place today. Before the introduction of sectors, the city had been divided into districts, colors, and plăși – each stage reflecting both the governance needs of its time and the territorial and demographic growth of Bucharest.

The first plăși and the city’s colors

The first form of administrative organization in Bucharest was the system of plăși. In 1798, contemporary documents mentioned five plăși: Târgul, Podul Mogoșoaiei, Târgul de Afară, Broștenii, and Gorganul. These delimited the city’s main areas at the time, corresponding both to the commercial center and to its outskirts.

During the Russo-Turkish War (1806–1812), the plăși were replaced by the so-called “colors” or boieli, five in number: Red, Yellow, Black, Blue, and Green. The territory known as Red, which covered the commercial center and a portion of the right bank of the Dâmbovița River, was the smallest of these and disappeared at the beginning of the 20th century, its territory being absorbed by the other colors.

From colors to districts

After World War I, the city’s rapid growth led to the creation of sector mayoralties, each corresponding to one of the colors. These had their own communal councils and mayors, all coordinated by the general mayor of Bucharest. However, this model was radically altered during the Antonescu regime, when the colors were abolished and then re-established within a short period.

A major transformation took place in 1950, through a new administrative law that replaced the colors with eight districts: Grivița Roșie, 30 Decembrie, 1 Mai, 23 August, Tudor Vladimirescu, Nicolae Bălcescu, V.I. Lenin, and 16 Februarie. This organization was intended to provide more efficient administration and to encourage local initiatives.

From districts to sectors

The 1968 reform introduced sectors as the new form of administrative organization of the Capital. The Municipality of Bucharest was divided into eight numbered sectors, which replaced the symbolic names of the districts. However, this division proved short-lived.

On August 1, 1979, through Decree no. 284/1979, the sectors were merged, reducing their number to six. Sector 1 resulted from the merger of the former Sectors 1 and 8, while Sector 2 was created by joining Sectors 2 and 3. The others were renumbered, so that Bucharest was organized into six radial sectors, each having administrative responsibility for part of the city center.

The current configuration

Today, the Municipality of Bucharest is divided into six sectors, each with its own city hall and distinct administrative role. This structure reflects both the governance needs of a city with over 1.7 million inhabitants and a historical process of adapting the administration to the social, economic, and urban realities of Romania’s capital.