Articles (1839)

From the Neighborhood Midwife to the Private Clinic: How Giving Birth Changed in Bucharest

A Bucharest woman in 1850 gave birth at home, with the neighborhood midwife beside her, no alternative on the table. Hospitals existed, but there were few of them, reserved for serious cases — birth remained, for most women, a family matter rather than a medical procedure. Today, a few hundred meters from where the old neighborhoods once stood, a p...

Famous shows and performances in old Bucharest. How Bucharest residents used to have fun

Old Bucharest was not only the city of carriages, elegant cafés and promenades along Calea Victoriei. It was also a city of performances. In the evening, the capital came alive around theatres, summer gardens, cinemas, concert cafés and the circus. People went out to see famous actors, satirical couplets, vaudeville, revue shows, silent films, acro...

Famous houses in Bucharest: The Istrate Micescu House, the brilliant lawyer and the largest private library in the Capital

Hidden in one of the most elegant areas of Bucharest, right at the entrance to Cișmigiu Park, the Istrate Micescu House is one of the buildings with the most fascinating history in the Romanian capital. Impressive through its architecture and filled with the stories of an outstanding figure of Romanian law, the villa stands out both for its exterio...

Pinacoteca Bucharest, the history of the most imposing palace in the Old Town: from the Church of Ghiorma Banul to the Dacia-România Palace

Few buildings in Bucharest's Old Town encompass such a rich history as the present-day Dacia-România Palace, the future headquarters of the Bucharest Municipal Pinacotheque. Built on one of the most valuable plots of land in the city's old commercial center, the building is the result of an evolution spanning almost five centuries, during which chu...

What remains today of Interwar Bucharest and where the best-preserved buildings can be seen

Few periods in the history of the Capital left such a strong mark on the city's image as the interwar years. Between the end of the First World War and the beginning of the Second World War, Bucharest went through one of the most spectacular stages of urban, economic and cultural development. Elegant buildings, modernized boulevards, luxurious hote...

More Than a Month's Wages, in a Single Night: The Money Behind Crucea de Piatră

A locomotive engineer, one of the best-paid workers in interwar Bucharest, earned around 850 lei a month. A sought-after prostitute from the same period could take home more than double that in a single good night. A month's wages against a few hours of work: that comparison says more about the economics of "the oldest profession" than any descript...

The Museum of Communism in Bucharest, a gateway to the past beyond nostalgia: Opening hours, exhibits, ticket prices

Communism left deep marks on Romania's history, and for the generations who did not live through that period, understanding everyday life under the regime can be difficult through textbooks or documentaries alone. In recent years, more and more initiatives have emerged that seek to present this era in a way that is accessible to the general public,...

Captain Alexandru Șerbănescu, the hero pilot with 55 aerial victories, has a street named after him in Bucharest

The history of Romanian military aviation includes many names that have remained in the memory of generations through their courage and sacrifice. Among them, Alexandru Șerbănescu occupies a special place. Considered one of Romania's greatest fighter pilots during the Second World War, he entered history thanks to his 55 confirmed aerial victories,...

Divertiland, Bucharest residents' favorite water park during heatwaves: How to get there, how much the entrance ticket costs, and how you can have fun

Every summer, as heatwaves arrive, Bucharest residents look for places where they can cool off and spend their free time with family or friends. Among the most popular destinations is Divertiland WaterPark, the largest water park in Romania by surface area, which has earned its reputation as one of the main summer attractions near the capital. Loca...

EUROPAfest at 33: How a Competition for Young Musicians Started Bringing Jazz from 14 Countries to Bucharest

In 1993, a group of young musicians gathered in Bucharest for a classical music competition called the Jeunesses Musicales International Festival. It had none of the energy of a summer festival — it was an academic affair, all juries and recitals, built for a narrow audience of specialists and music teachers.In 2002, the organizers changed the form...