Articles (1571)

The story of the Odeon Theatre: the princely court, the 1945 bombings and today’s temple of the arts

The history of the place where the Odeon Theatre now stands begins in the 17th century, when the land was part of the dowry of Maria Văcărescu, the wife of Spătar Dumitrache Ghica. At that time, the area around today’s Calea Victoriei was starting to become attractive for the great boyars of the era, who built here sumptuous residences. The first d...

What it says about you if you live in an old block or a new complex, in Bucharest

In Bucharest, an apartment isn’t just a roof over your head. It’s a lifestyle statement. Maybe even more: a kind of social ID card, a way of telling people who you are without opening your mouth.If you live in an old block, especially one built before ’89, you’re anchored in a long story. The corridors still smell of lime paint, the elevator creaks...

Bucharest as a social drug. The city you complain about but can’t live without

Bucharest is the city everyone complains about. The one where you say every day that you can’t stand the traffic, the noise, the dust, the queues, the bureaucracy. You promise yourself, “That’s it, next year I’m leaving,” convinced that somewhere else life must be simpler, cleaner, quieter. But you don’t leave. And if you do, you realize you miss e...

What “the big break” looks like for a student growing up in Bucharest

The big break officially lasts twenty minutes. Unofficially, it’s the only moment when students in Bucharest breathe a different kind of air than that of textbooks and tests. In those short minutes, an entire city seems to unfold: the street noise slipping through the windows, the buzz of classmates, phones lighting up at once, hunger, and the cons...

Băcani Street in the Old Town: a lane with a “green apron” and the scent of a bygone era

Bucharest stands out with a unique feature in the Romanian urban landscape, perhaps even in Europe: a remarkable density of streets named after old crafts and trades. This characteristic is particularly evident in the Old Town, the historic heart of the city, where streets still carry names such as Lipscani, Șelari, Cizmăriei, Negustori, and Băcani...

How much does a Bucharest resident pay for electricity in 2025?

The electricity bill has become one of the most complicated and unpredictable expenses for a family in Bucharest. After two years of successive price caps, the support scheme ended in July 2025, and residents are now facing the real prices set in their contracts with suppliers.What the price cap meant and what changedUntil June 30, 2025, electricit...

The story of Dinu Lipatti, the genius of Romanian music. The greatest Romanian pianist died at the Christ-like age

Dinu Lipatti, born Constantin Lipatti on March 19, 1917, in Bucharest, grew up in a family with strong ties to art and culture. His father, Theodor Lipatti, a career diplomat and amateur violinist, instilled in him a love for music from an early age, while his mother, Anna, a talented pianist, was a model of discipline and artistic sensitivity.Chil...

The Astronomical Observatory, built by Romania’s War of Independence hero. Who was Admiral Vasile Urseanu

Admiral Vasile Urseanu remains one of the fascinating figures of modern Romanian history, a man who managed to combine two seemingly different fields – the navy and astronomy – under the same passion for knowledge and progress. Childhood and the making of a future leaderBorn in 1848, in Bucharest, during a time of political upheavals and social tra...

The Rebel Mița Biciclista, the most famous courtesan of the 20th century. She wore men’s clothes, spoke foreign languages, and brought three kings to their knees

The story of Mița Biciclista, born Maria Mihăescu, blends seamlessly with the urban mythology of old Bucharest. She was born in 1885, in Dițești, Prahova County, into a modest family. Her mother worked as a laundress, and nothing is known about her father. From Magda Mihăescu to Mița BiciclistaDespite these humble beginnings, the young girl showed...

The Royal Palace in Bucharest, between monarchy and art. How it became the most beautiful museum in the Capital

Walking along Calea Victoriei, one of the most bohemian and elegant boulevards in Bucharest, your eyes are inevitably drawn to the imposing building that dominates the area: the Royal Palace. This monumental construction, with a history spanning more than two centuries, is a symbol of change, of Romanian royalty, and of the art that shaped the arch...