Bucharest
"There is no such place as Budapest. Perhaps you are thinking of Bucharest, and there is no such place as Bucharest, either." — Robert Benchley
Discover the « Little Paris » of Romania, Bucharest. With Belle Epoque and French style monuments, Bucharest is rich in culture and history. The capital offers so much to its visitors starting with The Old Town which is the most animated part of the city. Home to the Parliament Palace, the heaviest building on Earth, the city is rich in historical monuments, museums and monasteries. Besides the imposing stature of its buildings and monuments, Bucharest has also many gardens and parks like the King Michael I Park. Surrounded by a lake and green areas this may be the perfect area to take a break from the impressive architecture and to enjoy the sunny days.
Activities
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Antipa Museum, Bucharest
One of the oldest museums in Bucharest, the Grigore Antipa Museum of Natural History was established in 1834 by the Great Count Muhalache Ghica who donated Greek, Roman and Byzantine items to the collections.
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Bordei Park, Bucharest
The land that became Bordei Park was bought by the Bucharest Municipality from the Marmorosch Blank Bank in 1932 for a price of 16 million lei.
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Carol Park, Bucharest
Opened in 1906, Carol Park was once a vineyard and has become a geometric symbol of remembrance within the city.
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Cișmigiu Gardens, Bucharest
Bucharest’s oldest green space, the Cișmigiu Gardens was opened in 1847 and feels filled with secrets. Settle down on the carpets of lawn for a summer picnic, or take a row-boat on the lake.
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Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum, Bucharest
More than 100 manufactured life-size farm buildings and churches, showcasing the traditionnal countryside life of Romania.
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George Enescu National Museum, Bucharest
Known for being the home of legendary composer George Enescu, this grand Art Nouveau palace was built in 1905 for the Mayor of Bucharest, Gheorge Cantacuzino.
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Izvor Park, Bucharest
Offering some of the best views of the grand Palace of Parliament, the land here was cleared by Nicolae Ceaușescu to make space for a conference hall. However, the regime was overthrown, so instead it became parkland.
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Kiseleff Park, Bucharest
One of the oldest parks in Bucharest, the forestry here was cleared in the mid 19th century to create a green space split into two by the Kiseleff Boulevard. You can escape the bustle of the city centre to explore winding alleys and find contemporary sculpture and busts of famous Romanian men.
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National Museum of Romanian History, Bucharest
Situated in the spectacular neo-classical ‘Post-Office’ Palace, this museum has 60 exhibition rooms with over half a million pieces of Romanian history.
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Palace of Parliament, Bucharest
The dictator of Communist Romania, Nicolae Ceaușescu, commissioned this extremely controversial 12 floor palace in 1984 to be used as a government building and a secure residence for himself and his wife.
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Parcul Grădina Icoanei, Bucharest
This charming little outdoor space is a sea of green in the middle of the busy city centre. This makes it a great place to take a breather after a morning of sight seeing in the nearby Romană Square.
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Romanian Athenaeum, Bucharest
Undoubtedly one of the most iconic buildings in the city, the Romanian Athenaeum is used by the world-renowned George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra.
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Stavropoleos Monastery Church, Bucharest
This eastern orthadox monastery is dedicated to the Archangels Michael and Gabriel. It was first built in 1724 by Ioanichie Stratonikeas, whose tomb is in the church, and is one of the few churches that survived the Big Fire of 1847.
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The Arch Of Triumph, Bucharest
A symbol of Romanian independence, the original Arch of Triumph was built in 1878 for the Romanian Army to march under, a symbolic act that takes place every year on December 1st.
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The National Museum of Art of Romania, Bucharest
There are over 70,000 pieces of art on offer, split into two galleries within the former Royal Palace of Bucharest.
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Vacaresti Park Nature Reserve, Bucharest
The swampy land here began as a hydro-technical project and artificial lake in Communist Romania, but after the fall of Communism in 1989, the project was abandoned and nature took over.
