In the interwar period, cycling was more than just a sport – it was a social phenomenon, a way for the refined world of the capital to display its elegance and sophistication. Cycling events, much like horse racing, attracted the city’s upper classes, eager to be seen and to take part in Bucharest’s vibrant social life. Among the first venues that hosted such competitions were Luigi Cazzavillan’s Velodrome and the Băneasa Hippodrome – both symbols of sport, culture, and urban refinement.

Cycling and horse racing in interwar Bucharest

After the First World War, cycling’s popularity grew spectacularly. More and more young people joined clubs, and races became eagerly anticipated events. However, the death of Luigi Cazzavillan marked the end of the first era of Bucharest cycling, as the velodrome that bore his name was dismantled and sold off piece by piece. Its disappearance left a deep void in the city’s sporting landscape, and soon, a new infrastructure was needed.

Thus, during the 1920s, the Floreasca Velodrome and Hippodrome were built in an area that had once been a brick quarry. The velodrome had earthen embankments and a black cinder track – simple but functional – while the hippodrome was dedicated to horse racing, an equally elegant spectacle. Until the outbreak of the Second World War, these two arenas were intensively used and became landmarks of Bucharest’s sporting and social life.

Political change and the disappearance of the hippodrome

After the war, with the establishment of the communist regime, Romanian sport underwent a radical transformation. Football became the flagship sport of the new ideology, seen as an expression of the people and of the working class. By contrast, horse racing and cycling – associated with the interwar elites – were viewed with suspicion, as remnants of a “bourgeois” world.

The Floreasca Hippodrome was among the first victims of this change in mentality. Considered useless and “bourgeois in nature,” it was removed from the city’s development plans and eventually demolished. Cycling, however, managed to survive, thanks to a few passionate supporters and the growing influence of newly created sports clubs, such as the Dinamo Sports Club.

Dinamo took over the Floreasca sports base, and authorities decided to build a football stadium with an athletics track “in front,” while moving the velodrome “to the back,” on the former hippodrome’s land. 

This reorganization reflected the communist state’s vision: to turn sport into a tool of education and propaganda for the masses. The elitist horse races were gone, replaced by the discipline and collective effort symbolized by cycling.

The construction and golden age of the Dinamo Velodrome

The new velodrome, designed in the socialist-realist architectural style, was inspired by Milan’s famous Vigorelli Velodrome. Although it lacked covered stands and modern amenities, its concrete structure represented a major step forward for Romanian cycling. Construction began in 1948 and was completed in 1951, when the velodrome was officially inaugurated.

From that moment on, the Dinamo Velodrome became a symbol of the sport. It hosted numerous national and international competitions, and its track witnessed the achievements of many great Romanian athletes. 

It was regarded as the “cradle” of CS Dinamo’s cycling section, a place where entire generations trained and dreamed of medals. For decades, it remained the only functional velodrome in Romania, drawing cyclists from all over the country.

The 1960s and 1970s were its golden years. The events organized there attracted crowds, and Romanian cycling began to make a name for itself in international competitions. However, the lack of investments and maintenance would later take its toll.

Decline and transformation of the velodrome

After 1990, the Dinamo Velodrome began a slow but steady decline. The concrete track cracked, vegetation took over, and the stands rusted away. Cycling activity diminished dramatically, and top-level competitions could no longer be held there. With no clear plan for renovation, the venue was gradually abandoned.

Nevertheless, the place was not completely deserted. Due to its proximity to the Floreasca Emergency Hospital, the velodrome grounds were adapted and used as a heliport for SMURD helicopters transporting critical patients. Thus, the space that once echoed with the sound of bicycle wheels and cheering spectators found a new purpose: saving lives.

Meanwhile, the idea of building a new modern football stadium on the velodrome site resurfaced. In 2020, plans were proposed to use the land for a new Dinamo arena. 

Feasibility studies indicated a capacity of 15,000–16,000 seats, though more ambitious versions suggested up to 33,000 seats. However, these plans never materialized due to legal disputes with nearby residents and administrative issues that arose after the annulment of Bucharest’s local urban plans (PUZ).

As a result, the velodrome remains in a state of limbo – physically standing, but functionally obsolete. Once a hub of sporting excellence, it now stands as a silent monument to a bygone era.

Recognition, memory, and hope for the future

In 2022, the Dinamo Sports Club decided to name the velodrome after Mircea Româșcanu, one of the greatest Romanian cyclists of all time. A multiple national champion and stage winner in the Tour of Italy, Tour of Switzerland, Tour of Greece, and Tour of Romania, Româșcanu remains a legendary figure in Romanian cycling. The naming of the velodrome was both a tribute to his legacy and a reminder of the sport’s glorious past.

At the same time, discussions began about including the velodrome in a broader plan for renovating the Dinamo sports complex. The project would involve the Romanian Cycling Federation, the Ministry of Sports, and private investors. The then-Minister of Sports, Carol-Eduard Novak – himself a Paralympic cycling champion – expressed his support for restoring the facility.

However, these plans depend on other developments, particularly the demolition of the old Dinamo football stadium and the start of construction for the new multifunctional arena on Ștefan cel Mare Boulevard. Only after these works are completed could the velodrome restoration project truly begin.

A piece of the history of an elitist sport

The story of Bucharest’s velodrome is a faithful reflection of the city’s and the country’s transformations over the past century. From a symbol of interwar elegance and refinement, to a socialist sports venue, to ruin and eventual reuse as a heliport, the velodrome has mirrored Romania’s social and political evolution. Each regime, each era, has left its mark on it.

The Dinamo Velodrome is not just an abandoned structure – it is a witness to the endurance of a sporting spirit that refuses to fade. Within its cracked walls lie memories of champions, of passion, and of a Bucharest that once lived and breathed sport. Restoring it would mean more than rebuilding a cycling track; it would mean reviving a piece of urban history, a tradition, and an identity.

Where once the hum of bicycles and applause of spectators filled the air, today the sound of SMURD helicopters saving lives resonates. Perhaps it is precisely this mix of past and present that gives the velodrome new meaning – as a place of life, continuity, and hope. If future projects come to fruition, the “Mircea Româșcanu” Velodrome may yet be reborn, bringing Romanian cycling back where it belongs: on the track, under the lights, in the heart of Bucharest.

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