Articles (1840)

Where the first home with an elevator in Bucharest is located. The history of the Sacha Roman Villa, known as Casa Madrigal

Bucharest is often described as a city of contrasts, an urban space where architectural styles overlap, complement each other or, at times, enter into a tense dialogue. From boyar houses and Brâncovenesc churches to modernist apartment blocks and contemporary interventions, Romania’s capital reflects its fragmented yet extremely rich history. In th...

When and how did the first license plates appear in Bucharest?

At the end of the 19th century, on the dusty streets of the capital, a few "horseless carriages" began to frighten pedestrians and shock high society. Their owners would unwittingly become the pioneers of Romanian motoring.The first "madman" to bring a car to BucharestThe story begins in the autumn of 1889, when Baron Barbu Bellu (yes, the one with...

What Snow Brings to the Surface in Bucharest. Infrastructure, Solidarity, Nerves, and Improvisation

When it really snows in Bucharest, the city doesn’t change only on the surface. Snow doesn’t just turn sidewalks white and slow down traffic; it seems to pull on an invisible thread, bringing into the light everything that, for most of the year, stays hidden beneath routine. For a few days, the capital can no longer pretend. Everything becomes clea...

I visited the free Berceni Arena ice rink in Sector 4. Here’s how to book a session and how was the experience

The Berceni Arena ice rink in Bucharest’s Sector 4 has become, this winter, one of the most popular free leisure options in the city. While information spreads quickly online, real-life experience matters most, so I decided to visit the rink myself during a weekend session to see how the access system works and what the atmosphere is like on site.I...

Constantin Mille’s granddaughter conquered the dictator Gheorghe Gheorghiu Dej. The movie-like story of actress Dina Cocea

Dina Cocea was one of the most beautiful and fascinating actresses in Romania, a presence that caught the attention of Bucharest high society from her very first public appearances. Her charm, however, was not only aesthetic: her talent, intelligence, and charisma allowed her to establish herself as a prominent figure in Romanian theater and cinema...

The history of the first lăutari of Bucharest, Roma slaves of the 14th century: They played until “even the stones were crying”

The history of old Bucharest cannot be understood without the sound of lutes, cobzas, and violins that accompanied the life of the city for centuries. Long before music became a free profession, the first lăutari of the capital were Roma slaves, people without rights, but endowed with a gift that made them indispensable: music. From the 14th centur...

Captain Costache Chioru, the most corrupt policeman in the history of Bucharest: He tortured detainees until he obtained the “convenient confession”

The history of Bucharest hides characters who passed from reality straight into dark legend. Among them, few figures stirred as much fear, hatred, and revulsion as Captain Costache Chioru, the man who, for more than two decades, became the absolute symbol of abuse of power. For the people of Bucharest, his name turned into a synonym for terror, the...

Operation Autonomous. How writer Mihail Fărcășanu escaped from communist Romania aboard a bomber

The history of postwar Romania abounds in shattered destinies, forced exiles, and extreme acts of courage. Among them stands out the story of Mihail Fărcășanu, a liberal intellectual, talented writer, and anti-communist activist, whose spectacular escape from Romania in the autumn of 1946 became one of the most dramatic pages of Romanian political...

From Paris to Bucharest, the “Black Pearl” captivated Constantin Tănase with her exotic dance. The story of Josephine Baker

Josephine Baker, nicknamed the “Black Pearl,” was one of the most fascinating and influential personalities of the twentieth century. A dancer, singer, actress, and activist, she managed to overcome the racial and social barriers of her time, transforming herself into a symbol of artistic freedom and courage. Her journey, from a childhood marked by...

From Vacant Lots to Playgrounds: Growing Up in Bucharest Over the Past 30 Years

It’s often said that a true Bucharest child grew up “outside,” even if today that childhood survives only as a hazy memory of scorching asphalt between apartment blocks and a mother’s voice calling from a window above. Beyond the ball that inevitably bounced into a parked Dacia and scraped knees treated hastily with spit or rubbing alcohol, Buchare...