Articles (652)

Why Bucharest was chosen as the capital of Wallachia in 1659. The Turks tipped the balance against Târgoviște

Bucharest, today the capital of Romania, was not always the seat of power. Historians place its origins in the 14th–15th centuries, but there is no clear consensus on its founding. Some theories link it to Mircea the Elder, who is said to have used the “Citadel of Dâmbovița” as a winter residence, while others point to the shepherd Bucur, whose nam...

The past of Gara de Nord: from Europe’s gateway to an overburdened hub

When you open your eyes to the morning of a century past, you arrive at Gara de Nord — where the rumble of train wheels and the footsteps of travelers set the rhythm of the Capital. Today, the gates of this station no longer reflect only the beginnings of journeys toward the West, but also the urban stress of congestion — a railway hub struggling u...

How the city center of Bucharest changed in 100 years: from carriages to gridlock

If today crossing downtown Bucharest means honking, endless lines of cars, and traffic lights at every corner, a hundred years ago the scene was entirely different. Victory Avenue was filled with horse-drawn carriages, pedestrians strolled leisurely on narrow cobblestone streets, and the sound of wooden wheels rolling on stone was the background mu...

What is the oldest street in Bucharest? Its history goes back hundreds of years

Bucharest, a city built in overlapping layers of history, hides within its urban fabric streets that have survived for centuries. The question “what is the oldest street in the capital?” does not have a single answer, but historians agree on a few arteries that take us back to the city’s earliest days.From lanes to streetsThe first roads of Buchare...

Bucharest and its waters: the rivers and lakes that shaped the city

Bucharest has never been only a city of dust and concrete. Behind its image of traffic and asphalt, the capital is crossed and defined by water. Two rivers – Dâmbovița and Colentina – and more than ten major lakes, natural or man-made, have influenced its urban development, its economy, and its cultural identity.Dâmbovița – the river tamed by the c...

The 1977 earthquake and Bucharest today – what collapsed and what lessons remain unlearned

On March 4, 1977, at 9:22 PM, Romania was struck by the strongest earthquake of the 20th century. Measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale, with its epicenter in the Vrancea region, the quake lasted about 55 seconds. In Bucharest, the consequences were catastrophic: 1,424 people lost their lives, more than 7,000 were injured, and dozens of buildings coll...

Where does the name “Bucharest” come from? Between the legend of the shepherd Bucur and linguistic hypotheses

The origin of Bucharest’s name remains one of the most fascinating and debated topics in the capital’s history. Situated between oral tradition and linguistic research, the story sits at the crossroads of myth and reality, bringing together both romantic interpretations and academic explanations.The legend of the shepherd BucurThe most popular expl...

Crin Halaicu: Achievements and failures of Bucharest’s first post-revolution elected mayor

In 1992, Bucharest was in desperate need of change. After two years of chaotic transition and mayors appointed by decree, the capital held its first democratic election for mayor. The winner was Crin Halaicu, a 40-year-old engineer representing the Romanian Democratic Convention (CDR). His mandate (1992–1996) was one of contradictions—filled with a...

When was the Unirea Shopping Center in Bucharest built, what is its total floor area, and why are major brands reluctant to rent retail space there?

In the heart of Bucharest, at the foot of Piața Unirii, stands a symbol of the past struggling to survive in the present. Unirea Shopping Center, known for generations simply as Magazinul Unirea, carries the story of a Romania that has radically transformed, while the building itself seems stuck between eras.A history of prestige and grandeurDesign...

Interwar Bucharest, perhaps the most beautiful era of the Capital. What were the main attractions and entertainments of the old city

During the period between the two World Wars, Bucharest experienced an age of great cultural and social brilliance. The city, nicknamed the “Little Paris,” offered its residents an impressive variety of leisure and entertainment activities, reflecting the spirit of the time – a perfect combination of European refinement and local character.Promenad...