Articles (1839)

Bucharest Residents Have Completely Forgotten the Simu Museum. Why the Communists Demolished the Most Beautiful Building in the Capital

Few Bucharest residents know today that on the current Gheorghe Magheru Boulevard once stood one of the city’s most beautiful buildings, a true architectural and cultural gem: the Simu Museum. The building was erected in 1910 at the initiative of the collector and philanthropist Anastase Simu, who dedicated his life to art and education. It was a s...

Who was Ion Heliade Rădulescu, the hero of the 1848 Revolution, founder of the Romanian press

Ion Heliade Rădulescu (born January 6, 1802, in Târgoviște – died April 27, 1872, in Bucharest) is one of the most complex and influential personalities of Romanian culture in the 19th century, a true architect of language, literature, education, and the national movement. In the following lines, we will explore his life — his beginnings, cultural...

Filaret Station, between glory and decline. The story of the first railway in Bucharest

Bucharest in the second half of the 19th century was a city in full transformation. Among its irregular streets and modest means of transportation, the idea of introducing the railway seemed like a true revolution. In this context appeared Filaret Station, the capital’s first railway station, which forever changed the way people and goods moved bet...

Grant Bridge in Bucharest, between past and present. It was “baptized” by a Scotsman, brother of the 1848 heroine Maria Rosetti

Few constructions in Bucharest have a story as fascinating as Grant Bridge, an infrastructure project that, beyond its practical role, carries the legacy of remarkable people and key moments in the capital’s history.Effingham Grant and his connection to Bucharest’s historyIts name comes from a special character: the Scotsman Effingham Grant. He arr...

The Genius of Romanian Aeronautics: Who Henri Coandă Was and Why Otopeni Airport Bears His Name

Henri Coandă, one of the brightest figures in global aviation, was born on June 7, 1886, in Bucharest, Romania. Coming from a family with a strong engineering tradition—his father, Constantin Coandă, was a general engineer—Henri grew up in an environment that fostered his passion for science and technology.Henri Coandă, roots and educationHe began...

The passions of Camil Petrescu. The great Romanian writer lost his hearing on the front, fighting in the First World War

Camil Petrescu was born on April 16, 1894, in Bucharest, in a period when Romania was undergoing profound social and cultural transformations. He came from a family with intellectual roots, his father being an artillery officer and his mother a teacher. In his household, military discipline blended with respect for education, a combination that wou...

The first mobsters of interwar Bucharest. How Nae Chioru and the Dragon terrorized Romanians in the 1920s–30s

Interwar Bucharest is often remembered as a city of elegance, full of cafés bustling with intellectuals and artists, with architecture that earned it the nickname “Little Paris.” Yet behind this refined image, the streets of the capital also concealed a darker universe: poor slums, marginalized neighborhoods, and the beginnings of an underworld tha...

The story of Ion Pillat, grandson of Ion C. Brătianu. The great poet helped Bacovia at his literary debut

Ion Pillat is one of the most remarkable figures of Romanian literature in the first half of the 20th century. A refined poet, an intellectual shaped in a cosmopolitan environment, but at the same time deeply connected to Romanian tradition, he succeeded in building a body of work that blends modernity with the spiritual and cultural values of the...

The forbidden love between King Carol II and Elena Lupescu. “Duduia” won him over with a simple candy

The love story between King Carol II of Romania and Elena Lupescu remains one of the most controversial and passionate episodes in the country’s history. It combined desire and sacrifice with scandal and political manipulation, leaving deep marks on both the monarch’s life and Romania’s destiny. Unlike other dynastic romances, their relationship wa...

Basarab railway station in Bucharest: brief history, major events, its role today

Basarab railway station is one of the essential train stations in Bucharest, even though it often remains overshadowed by the famous North Railway Station. From its inauguration to the present day, the station has undergone numerous transformations, reflecting the social, economic, and urban changes of the capital. Its role has always been supporti...