Andreea Bisinicu

Who was Matei Balș, the blue-blooded doctor after whom Romania’s most famous infectious disease institute was named

In Romanian history, there are figures who managed to combine two seemingly incompatible worlds: aristocracy and science, tradition and modernity, a personal destiny marked by hardship and a brilliant career. Among these names is Professor Matei Balș, the doctor who became a symbol of the fight agai... Read more

Kretzulescu Church, between past and present. Built by Safta Brâncoveanu, saved from ruin

In the center of Bucharest, just a few steps from Calea Victoriei and the Royal Palace, stands one of the most valuable monuments of religious architecture in the capital: the Kretzulescu Church. Built at the beginning of the 18th century, between 1720 and 1722, the church was founded by the great l... Read more

The National Theatre of Bucharest, from its beginnings to the present: a boyar legacy turned into the cultural heart of the Capital

In the middle of Bucharest, at Romania’s kilometer zero, stands today the “I.L. Caragiale” National Theatre, an emblematic institution for Romanian drama. But the story of this place begins long before the first play was staged here—back in the 18th century, when the land belonged to one of the most... Read more

What is the oldest street in Bucharest? On Smârdan Street in the Old Town, the Union of the Romanian Principalities was sealed

Romania’s capital hides a fascinating urban history that stretches across several centuries. The first documented mention of the city dates back to 1459, and since then Bucharest has undergone radical transformations: from a muddy medieval market town to today’s bustling metropolis.Bucharest and its... Read more

The most unique “Mărțișor” in Bucharest. The Tudor Arghezi Memorial House, in whose courtyard the poet’s entire family is buried

Few places in Bucharest combine cultural memory, personal story, and traditional symbolism as harmoniously as the “Tudor Arghezi – Mărțișor” Memorial House. Located on the street that now bears his name, in the south of the capital, this house is not just a museum or a monument of interwar architect... Read more

Fialkowsky Café, the decadent hangout of pre-war Bucharest where actors came to savor “wine mixed with witty words”

In the second half of the 19th century, Bucharest was rapidly transforming from an oriental-style market town into a European capital, with grand ambitions, imposing buildings, and an increasingly lively social life. Old traditions intertwined with novelties brought by Russian, Austrian, and French... Read more

When life outdoes fiction: Sanda Țăranu gave up chemistry to become an actress, but ended up the most famous voice of Teleenciclopedia

In 2025, 60 years were marked since the launch of Teleenciclopedia, a show that became a cultural landmark for entire generations of Romanians. It is the longest-running production in the history of Romanian television, and its success is closely tied to an unmistakable voice—that of the incomparabl... Read more

Șelari Street in the Old Town, kilometer zero of love: the Red-Light District, Zaraza’s end, Lady Păuna’s passions

The name of the street comes from the guild of saddlers, craftsmen who made saddles and accessories for horses. In past centuries, horses were essential for transport, trade, and daily life, and saddlers were seen as true artists of their craft. Their street was lively, full of merchants, workshops,... Read more

Bucharest’s Calea Victoriei “breathes” history: the old Mogoșoaia Bridge was paved by Constantin Brâncoveanu with tree trunks

Few places in Bucharest concentrate as much history, charm, and collective memory as Calea Victoriei. Today we associate it with grand architecture and intense cultural and social life, but its origins lie in a much humbler past. Before becoming a central artery of the Capital, Calea Victoriei was j... Read more

The story of painter Nicolae Grigorescu, the orphan from the Cărămidarilor neighborhood who painted icons to sell at the fair

Nicolae Grigorescu, one of the greatest Romanian painters and a leading figure of 19th-century European art, was born on May 15, 1838, in the village of Pitaru, Dâmbovița county. He came from a modest family: his father, Ion Grigorescu, was a notary, and his mother, Ruxandra, a seamstress. Little Ni... Read more