Bucharest is the capital and largest city of Romania. It has a long history dating back to 1459 when it was first mentioned in documents. Bucharest became the capital of Romania in 1862 and is known for its culture, art, and architecture. In the early 20th century, Bucharest earned the nickname "Little Paris" for its elegant buildings and sophisticated elite. While much of its historic architecture was damaged over the years, some structures survived. Today, Bucharest is a cultural, financial, and industrial center with a population of over 2 million people.

1. BUCHAREST
by Mihai Ruscanu and Ciprian Constantinescu

2. ◦ Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania.
◦ Bucharest was first mentioned in documents in 1459. It became the capital of Romania in 1862,
being the centre of Romanian media, culture and art.
◦ In the period between the two World Wars, the city's elegant architecture and the sophistication
of its elite earned Bucharest the nickname of "Little Paris“. Although buildings and districts in the
historic city centre were heavily damaged or destroyed by war, earthquakes, and above all
Ceaușescu's program of systematization, many of them survived.

3. History
◦ The history of Bucharest covers the time from the early settlements on the locality's
territory (and that of the surrounding area in Ilfov County) until its modern existence as
a city, capital of Wallachia, and in the present-day capital of Romania.
◦ Between 6 December 1916 and November 1918, the city was occupied by German
forces as a result of the Battle of Bucharest, with the official capital temporarily
removed to Iași in the Moldova county. After World War I, Bucharest became the
capital of the Great Romania. In the interwar years its urban development continued ,
with the city gaining an average of 30,000 new residents each year. Also, some of the
city's main landmarks were built in this period, including Arcul de Triumf and Palatul
Telefoanelor.However, the Great Depression took its toll on Bucharest's citizens,
culminating in the Grivița Strike of 1933.

4. Geography
◦ Bucharest is situated on the banks of the
Dâmbovița River, which flows into the Argeș River,
a tributary of the Danube. Several lakes – the most
important of which are Lake Herăstrău, Lake
Floreasca, Lake Tei, and Lake Colentina – stretch
across the northern parts of the city, along the
Colentina River, a tributary of the Dâmbovița. In
addition, in the centre of the capital there is a
small artificial lake – Lake Cișmigiu – surrounded by
the Cișmigiu Gardens. The Cișmigiu Gardens have
a rich history, being frequented by poets and
writers. Opened in 1847 and based on the plans of
the German architect Carl F.W. Meyer, the
gardens are the main recreational facility in the
city centre.
◦ Besides Cișmigiu, Bucharest contains other parks
and gardens, including the Herăstrău Park and the
Botanical Garden. The park is located in the
northern part of the city, around Lake Herăstrău,
and includes also the site of the Village Museum.
The Botanical Garden is the largest of its kind in
Romania and contains over 10,000 species of
plants (many of them exotic) and used to be once
the pleasure park of the royal family.

5. Architecture
◦ The city centre is a mixture of medieval, neoclassical and art nouveau buildings, as well
as 'neo-Romanian' buildings dating from the beginning of the 20th century and a
collection of modern buildings from the 1920s and 1930s. The mostly-utilitarian
Communist-era architecture dominates most southern boroughs. Recently built
contemporary structures such as skyscrapers and office buildings complete the
landscape.

6. Sports
◦ Football is the most widely followed sport in Bucharest, with the city having numerous club teams,
some of them being known throughout Europe: Steaua, Dinamo or Rapid.
◦ National Arena, a new stadium inaugurated on 6 September 2011, hosted the 2012 Europa
League Final and has a 55,600 seats capacity, making it one of the largest stadiums in
Southeastern Europe.
◦ There are sport clubs for ice hockey, rugby union, basketball, handball, water polo and volleyball.
The majority of Romanian track and field athletes and most gymnasts are affiliated with clubs in
Bucharest. The Athletics and many Gymnastics National Championships are held in Bucharest at
the Polyvalent Hall, which is also used for other indoor sports such as volleyball and handball.

7. Some important monuments…
◦ Bucharest Botanical Garden
◦ Bucharest North railway station
◦ Bucharest Telephone Palace
◦ Museum of the Romanian Peasant
◦ National Archives of Romania
◦ National Museum of Art of Romania
◦ The Fire Tower
◦ Arch of Triumph