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Bucharest Today

Known for its wide, tree-lined boulevards, glorious Belle Epoque buildings and a reputation for the high life, Romania's capital was once known as the "Little Paris." Remodeled, in the late 19th century, by French and French-trained architects Bucharest even features a Triumphal Arch on the elegant Soseaua Kiseleff, a boulevard longer that Paris' famed Champs-Elysees.

According to the 2002 census, Bucharest has a population of 1,921,751[3] inhabitants in the city proper, making it the largest city in Southeastern Europe. There are also approximately 2.3 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area. Economically, the city is by far the most prosperous in Romania and is one of the main industrial centres and transportation hubs of the region. As the most important city in Romania, Bucharest has a broad range of educational facilities.

The city is administratively known as the Municipality of Bucharest (Municipiul Bucuresti), and has the same administrative level as a county, being further subdivided into six sectors. The residents of Bucharest are most often known as Bucharesters in English, or Bucuresteni in Romanian.

Communist rule interrupted Bucharest's cosmopolitan days. Many years after the overthrown of the communist regime, the "House of the People" — the world's second largest building after the US Pentagon — reminds Romanians of the communist years. Only Romanian materials and products were used — local marble, cherry and walnut paneling, crystal chandeliers, specially commissioned hand-woven tapestries, carpets and draperies — to build what supposed to be the headquarters of Romania's last communist leader. Now renamed the Palace of Parliament, this magnificent building of 1,000 rooms reflects the work of the country's best architects and artisans.

Bucharest is one of the few cities in east-central Europe with gambling. Many 18th and 19th Century palaces and mansions now house elegant beaux-arts casinos, where guests can play blackjack, poker, craps, roulette, baccarat and other games of chance, dine on sumptuous buffets and dance all night to live music.

Today, Bucharest — the capital and largest city of Romania — is experiencing renewed vigor. The city reflects an interesting heritage of mixed cultures influenced by: the old Romanian aristocracy educated in France, the German King Carol I, and the communist society.

Whilst it cannot be said to hold the charm and elegance of its European neighbours, the city is not without some elements of beauty. Many of the old residence can still be found and particularly the now largely affluent northern districts of Floreasca and Baneasa are the location of old-style large residential buildings, as is the old commercial district of Lipscani, which has seen recently the start of some development and renovation. Many of the other older parts of the town are in a state of disrepair and the houses teeter on the brink of collapse. Some are indeed being renovated but not specific program of preservation seem to be in place and as a result Bucharest lacks the charming ‘old-town quarter’ of many of its rivals in Eastern and Central Europe.

The parks still remain on of Bucharest’s attraction for residents. Cismigiu Park in the west of the city, down the once elegant Regina Elisabeta Boulevard, has an old-world attraction with it’s wander lanes flanked by lines of benches which frequently play host to lovers, readers, dog-walkers and old couple. With it’s hidden gardens, cafes, and rowing lake it retains a certain ambience lacking in many other parts of the city. Herastrau Park in the north is much large and open, with a huge lake in the centre. It has a large selection of cafes and restaurant and even night clubs popular in the evening. Several other parks punctuate Bucharest’s communist drabness, ranging from the small and dilapidated to the grandiose.

The city itself has most of the facilities one would expect of a capital. The public transport system, whilst often run down in places, frequently crowded and often dirty, does actually work effective allowing you to travel to and from most places quite effectively. IT has seen some modernization in recent years with announcements and digital information being wired in to newer trams and trolleybuses.

Bucharest has many good, cheap restaurants for the travel, and there are bars and clubs to suit every taste and budget. Although there is no really centre for the nightlife, a lot of it is centred around the three main piatas of Romana, Universitatea and Unirii. As a general rule, the further north you go in the city, the more upmarket and expensive the food and drink becomes. The city has several five-star hotels and many more four- and three-star locations. Not being a particular magnet for the backpackers or budget tourist it does seem to lack places to stay on the cheaper end of the market, although some budget accommodation can be found around the main train station.