Izvor Park, one of the most recognizable green spaces in central Bucharest, hides a fascinating and dramatic history. Located on the right bank of the Dâmbovița River, near the Palace of Parliament, the park is the result of radical urban transformations that completely reshaped an old area of the city — the Uranus district. Before becoming a park, this area was known as Mihai-Vodă Hill, dominated by the imposing Mihai Vodă Monastery, one of the most valuable medieval landmarks in Bucharest.

From Mihai Vodă Hill to a Transforming Bucharest

In 1984–1985, during the massive urban redevelopment campaign ordered by the communist regime for the construction of the Civic Center, the hill was leveled, and the entire Uranus neighborhood was wiped out. 

The monastery’s cells and dozens of homes were demolished, while the Palace of the State Archives, built between 1900 and 1916 after the plans of architects Petre Antonescu and Cristofi Cerchez, was completely destroyed. In the monastery’s courtyard there once existed an important archaeological site with Bronze Age remains, which was also lost during the works.

The only buildings saved were the church and the belfry of Mihai Vodă Monastery, moved in 1985 through a spectacular engineering operation. The structures were shifted 289 meters east and lowered by 6.2 meters from their original level. 

Thus, they were “hidden” behind apartment blocks on Sapienței Street, where they can still be seen today. After the demolitions, what remained on the site of the former hill was an empty stretch of land filled with rubble — a painful memory for the residents who had been displaced.

Unfinished Projects and Rebirth Through Nature

After the ground was leveled, the authorities planned to build a massive conference and reception hall to complement the monumental ensemble surrounding the Palace of Parliament. The project, however, was never completed. 

After the 1989 Revolution, the area remained undeveloped for a while — an empty field in the heart of Bucharest that reflected both the grandeur and the scars of forced communist urbanism.

Only in the early 1990s did the City Hall begin to landscape the area. Paths were laid, grass and trees were planted, and the space was officially named Izvor Park. The name, meaning “spring” or “source,” refers both to the nearby Dâmbovița River and to the idea of rebirth — a fitting metaphor for the transformation of a once-devastated area into a place of life and relaxation.

Today, Izvor Park covers approximately 170,000 square meters. Of these, 28,902 square meters are paths, while over 141,000 square meters are covered in grass. The four main alleys together stretch for more than 3 kilometers and are often used by joggers and cyclists. The park is bordered by Națiunile Unite Boulevard, Libertății Boulevard, B.P. Hasdeu Street, and Splaiul Independenței, near the Izvor metro station.

Administrative Changes and Controversies

Over the years, Izvor Park has gone through several administrative stages and has not been free from controversy. In 2005, the General Council of Bucharest decided to transfer the park’s administration from District 5 to the Administration of Lakes, Parks, and Recreation Bucharest (ALPAB). 

A few years later, in 2009, new decisions were passed that would have returned several parks — including Izvor — to the district authorities. The decision was contested by then-mayor Sorin Oprescu, and the Bucharest Municipal Court eventually annulled it, keeping the park under ALPAB’s management.

In 2008, the park became the subject of public debate when the “Bucharest City Challenge” auto event was organized. Part of the Formula 3 “Bucharest Ring” circuit’s grandstands were installed inside the park, and several trees were cut down to make room for the infrastructure. This led to protests from environmental organizations and residents. 

A year later, in 2009, a similar controversy erupted when 32 large trees were felled to make way for the Holocaust Memorial. To offset the loss, artist Peter Jacobi — who designed the monument — planted 125 new trees in Izvor Park, roughly five for every one that had been removed.

Izvor Park — Between Urban Development and Nature Preservation

Despite these controversies, local authorities and civic groups have carried out numerous planting campaigns over the years, gradually transforming Izvor Park into a greener, more welcoming space. In 2009, under the “Bucharest in the European Green Space” project, 30 plane trees were planted. 

The following year, in 2010, a modern playground was inaugurated on a 2,400-square-meter area — symbolically named “The Children’s Parliament.” Built as a miniature castle with turrets, slides, swings, fitness equipment, and ping-pong tables, the playground quickly became a favorite spot for families.

That same year, the park temporarily hosted important cultural monuments. The statues of Mihai Viteazul, Ion Heliade-Rădulescu, Spiru Haret, and Gheorghe Lazăr were moved here while the underground parking lot at University Square was being built, returning to their original locations in 2012.

In October 2011, more than 200 volunteers joined City Hall in a large tree-planting event that added over 320 new trees to the park. A year later, on May 24, 2012, to mark the European Day of Parks, the Václav Havel Alley was inaugurated at the initiative of the Czech Republic’s ambassador to Romania, with 40 linden trees planted on this occasion to symbolize friendship and cooperation between the two nations.

In April 2016, another planting campaign added 250 more trees — including catalpa, birch, red oak, and thuja — enhancing the park’s ecosystem and shade.

Izvor Park Today — A Living Space in the Heart of the City

Today, Izvor Park is much more than a green space. It is a meeting point for Bucharest residents, a place for relaxation, sports, play, and cultural events. Families, joggers, artists, and tourists come here every day seeking tranquility amid the concrete landscape of the Civic Center.

Its proximity to the Palace of Parliament gives it a unique charm — a contrast between the monumental and the natural, between stone and grass. On summer days, the lawns become ideal spots for picnics, open-air concerts, and urban festivals. At the same time, the park’s simplicity makes it an accessible and pleasant retreat for everyone.

However, challenges remain. Although the park is spacious and open, it lacks many shaded areas, and the absence of a modern irrigation system makes maintenance difficult during dry periods. The constant pressure to host large-scale events also poses risks to the vegetation and infrastructure.

From Ruin to Urban Rebirth

The story of Izvor Park is, at its core, a story of rebirth. From a vibrant neighborhood demolished in the 1980s — from a vanished hill and a lost archaeological site — the area has been reborn through nature. In just a few decades, Bucharest has turned an urban wound into a public space that gives the community air, balance, and beauty.

Each path and each tree in the park holds a fragment of the city’s history: a forcibly erased past, a difficult transition, and an enduring desire for reconstruction. Izvor Park stands today as proof that Bucharest can regenerate — that life and beauty can reappear even where symbols were once torn down.

Thus, Izvor Park is not merely a green area on the city map, but a lesson in memory, resilience, and hope. Where Mihai Vodă Monastery once stood, and where the echoes of demolition once filled the air, today you can hear laughter, music, and footsteps of people enjoying the freedom of a living city.

Izvor Park remains a place of contrasts and reconciliation — between past and present, history and nature, destruction and rebirth. And in that, it perfectly embodies the spirit of Bucharest itself: a city that, despite all transformations, continues to rise and to breathe.

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