Articles (1006)

Famous boulevard names: Mihai Bravu, the brave ruler who united Transylvania with Wallachia in 1600

Many times, we walk along the streets and boulevards of the capital without wondering who lies behind their names. Yet almost every name carries a story, whether it reminds us of great historical figures, important events, or personalities less familiar to the public. A telling example is Mihai Bravu Boulevard, one of the most important traffic art...

The Story of the Crângași Neighborhood: Inhabitants of the Vlăsia Forest, Bucharest’s “Black Sector,” and the Dâmbovița Floods

Few neighborhoods in Bucharest can claim roots as ancient as those of Crângași. Today part of Sector 6 of the Capital, this seemingly modest district hides a turbulent history stretching across many centuries. The earliest traces of human activity in the area date back to the 4th century AD, as evidenced by the discovery of Roman coins from the rei...

Șuțu Palace in Bucharest, between legend and reality. Lavish balls, lost loves, and the spirit of a young lady said to still haunt the building

In the first half of the 19th century, Bucharest was a city in the midst of transformation, caught between the oriental charm of old neighborhoods and the fascination exerted by Western models. Streets were still lined with gardens and orchards, and multi-story buildings could be counted on one hand. Alongside modest wooden or brick houses, more an...

Famous boulevard names: Dinicu Golescu, the first Romanian who traveled by steamship

At the beginning of the 19th century, the world was undergoing profound change. Major technical discoveries, Enlightenment ideas, and revolutionary currents were reshaping Europe and inevitably influencing the Romanian lands as well. In this fascinating historical context, a spectacular innovation captured everyone’s attention: the steamship. An er...

Theodor Aman Museum, the first artist’s house-studio in Romania and one of the most beautiful residences of the Capital

In the heart of Bucharest, on C.A. Rosetti Street, stands a building that, at first glance, surprises through its classical elegance and the discreet refinement of its details. This is the Theodor Aman Museum, the first artist’s house-studio built in Romania and one of the best-preserved private residences in the Capital.A unique residence in the l...

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...