Articles (2245)

The Titan Toma Caragiu, Lost in the ’77 Earthquake: “Someone Told Me I Would Die in a Collapse!”

On March 4, 1977, Romania experienced one of the greatest disasters in its history, burying nearly 1,600 people under rubble, including the great actor Toma Caragiu, the titan who made history in Romanian theater and film. It is said that Toma Caragiu had a premonition about his death in a “collapse,” if one considers the devastating 7.2-magnitude...

Giovanni's Secret and the Queue at Velocità. Bucharest and Its Love Affair with Ice Cream, Over 170 Years in the Making

On Calea Victoriei, the queue for ice cream is 170 years old. Around 1850, the street still went by the name Podul Mogoșoaiei, and the most sought-after spot in the city was a confectionery run by an Italian — Giovanni Flore, with his shop on the ground floor of the Hugues Hotel, in Piața Teatrului, where the Novotel stands today. When the time cam...

Progresul, Demolished by Progress. How Bucharest Lost a Nearly 70-Year-Old Railway Station

The demolition of Progresul Station in Bucharest's Sector 4 took place without any public event to mark it. Machinery moved into the building one morning in July 2026, and what remained in public view was only a handful of photos, circulated quickly on railway enthusiast groups, accompanied by comments with the tone of a hastily written obituary. T...

Sector 4 has received the building permit for the reconstruction of the Unirii Square

Sector 4 of Bucharest Municipality has received the building permit for the reconstruction of the Unirii Plain, a critical infrastructure objective in the center of the capital, in an advanced state of degradation, according to the latest technical expertise. The document was signed by Nicușor Dan, on the last day of his mandate at the City Hall. A...

Protection against seismic disasters: the safest areas in case of an earthquake in Bucharest

Although the country's capital, Bucharest is not the kind of city where people can feel safe in the event of an earthquake. Numerous neighborhoods with old and unconsolidated buildings, poor infrastructure and high population density make Bucharest vulnerable to earthquakes. In addition, the country's capital is subject to significant seismic activ...

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...

The greatest philanthropist of our country: Jacques Elias, the Bucharest hospital, and his entire fortune donated to the Romanian Academy

At the beginning of the 20th century, passersby walking along Calea Victoriei could often see an elegant gentleman sitting at a table in front of the Continental Hotel, sipping coffee and reading the Viennese newspaper Neue Freie Presse. That man was Jacques M. Elias — the hotel’s owner, banker, industrialist, and one of Bucharest’s most respected...

The stars of interwar Bucharest: The story of Ion Antonescu Cărăbuș, one of the longest-serving actors of revue theatre

Romanian revue theatre experienced, during the interwar and postwar periods, a true golden age, and among the figures who defined this spectacular genre stands, without a doubt, Ion Antonescu Cărăbuș. An actor by vocation, endowed with genuine talent and unmistakable energy, Cărăbuș was one of those presences who managed to captivate audiences for...

"The survivors’ block of the 1977 earthquake: Ceaușescu ensured housing for Romanians at Bucur Obor"

The earthquake of March 4, 1977 was one of the most devastating events in the history of Romania, causing enormous human and material losses. In Bucharest, 32 apartment buildings collapsed, and approximately 1,400 people lost their lives. Faced with this tragedy, the communist authorities were forced to find rapid solutions to shelter the families...

May in Bucharest The most interesting events before summer takes over

There is a brief window every year when Bucharest shows itself at its best. December arrives with its artificial lights, August with its characteristic emptiness and exhaustion, and May brings something else entirely — balanced temperatures and terraces that fill up naturally, without the strain of midsummer heat. This month offers solid reasons to...