Articles (101)

“Cold Drunkennesses” and the Forbidden Pleasures in Interwar Bucharest: Morphine, Cocaine and Ether Were the Stars of the Parties

In the years between the two world wars, Bucharest was living through one of the most spectacular transformations in its history. The capital of Greater Romania had become a city of contrasts: elegant boulevards, cafés frequented by artists and politicians, influential cultural magazines, lavish balls and an intense nightlife. Little Paris had earn...

Filantropia Maternity Hospital in Bucharest, 212 years of history. The story of the oldest obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Romania

The history of Filantropia Hospital begins in 1811 and is closely connected to the name of Dr. Constantin Caracas. Originally a Macedonian Romanian and a graduate of the University of Vienna, Dr. Caracas returned to Bucharest, where he started practicing medicine alongside his father, Dr. Dimitrie Caracas. Thanks to the experience acquired abroad a...

Bucharest's Population. The city that gained a million people in a century and lost them in a few decades

A look at Bucharest's population, from medieval trading post to 21st-century capitalSomewhere in the second half of the 15th century, Bucharest appears in documents as a modest waystation and market town in Wallachia. Nobody at the time could have imagined that this settlement on the banks of the Dâmbovița river would, a few centuries later, hold w...

The Great Constantin Tănase, the Poor Boy Who Put Bucharest on the Map of Romanian Theater. He Put Cardboard in His Shoes and Ran Across the City for a Pretzel

Constantin Tănase was born on July 5, 1880, in Vaslui, in a modest home, the son of Ion and Elena Tănase. His father worked as a lab assistant at Ortenski Pharmacy, the only one in town, while his mother took care of the household and the education of their son. From an early age, his life was marked by scarcity: food was often insufficient, and th...

Bucur Maternity Hospital, a brief history. Few Romanians know it was built from the donation of industrialist Dumitru Mociorniță

Few residents of Bucharest know today that Bucur Maternity Hospital, one of the essential medical institutions in the southern part of the Capital, has its origins in an exceptional act of generosity. The building that houses the maternity hospital was built with funds donated by the industrialist Dumitru Mociorniță, a name that, although no longer...

Societatea Salvarea, Dr. Nicolae Minovici’s Project, and the Story of the First Ambulance in Bucharest

Nicolae Minovici is one of the most important names in the history of medicine in Romania, especially in Bucharest. An exceptional doctor, skilled in pedagogy and passionate about art, he laid the foundations for two essential institutions for public health: the first Emergency Hospital in the country and the first ambulance service, called Societa...

The lesson of history: who was Horia Hulubei – fighter pilot, war hero, and father of Romanian nuclear physics

The father of Romanian nuclear physics, Horia Hulubei, lived a tumultuous life marked by both brilliance and hardship. His story combines the courage of a fighter pilot, the resilience of a war hero, and the intellect of a visionary scientist. He fought in World War I, secretly collaborated with the Allies during World War II to help Romania change...

The promises of Bucharest’s new mayor, Ciprian Ciucu: “city-park”, urban regeneration, a special PUZ on the Unirii–Victoriei axis, the Green Belt and “zero-accidents” policies

The promises of Bucharest’s new mayor, Ciprian Ciucu: “city-park”, regeneration of the central axis, strict rules for the urban space, Green Belt, reduced seismic risk and “Vision Zero” strategiesCiprian Ciucu won the mandate of general mayor with a clear margin, and his electoral platform sets out an ambitious framework for transforming Bucharest....

How to quickly find a family doctor in Bucharest, when you are new to the city

Moving to a new city comes with enthusiasm, but also with a long list of things to sort out: finding a home, changing your documents, getting familiar with the neighborhoods and, not least, choosing a family doctor. In a crowded city such as Bucharest, where the pace of life is fast and the medical system is varied, the process may seem complicated...

The history of Colentina Hospital: “New Pantelimon,” inaugurated by Alexandru Ioan Cuza

Colentina Hospital, one of the most important medical institutions in Bucharest and Romania as a whole, has its origins in the second half of the 19th century, at a time when the capital was undergoing a period of rapid modernization. The initiative to build a new medical facility came from Prince Scarlat Ghica, who aimed to provide the city with a...