Things to do in Bucharest
Sightseeing in Bucharest offers visitors a wealth of attractions. Not only are the tree-lined boulevards and city parks incredibly picturesque, but visitors can choose from a number of sightseeing options for their time in Bucharest.
The Palace of Parliament is second only to the Pentagon as the largest state building in the world, where visitors can tour the astonishing communist-era colossus. The National History Museum is the best museum in Romania, with exhibits spanning from prehistoric times until the early twentieth century. The stunning Stavropoleos Church and Monastery houses an extensive collection of manuscripts and printed works, and if you're lucky, you may even get a chance hear the monastery choir.
Finally, the Village Museum is the perfect place to spend an afternoon, marvelling at the outdoor structures and traditionally dressed peasant workers. Once a beautiful and proud Eastern European city, Bucharest was left to ruin by the communist government and only recently has it started regaining its footing and regaining its lost lustre.
Palace of Parliament
Built by former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, the colossal Palace of Parliament is the third-largest civilian administrative building in the world. Visitors often marvel at what is a…
Palace of Parliament
Built by former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, the colossal Palace of Parliament is the third-largest civilian administrative building in the world. Visitors often marvel at what is an immense structure that took 20,000 workers and 700 architects to build, and cost billions. It has 12 stories, 1,100 rooms, a 328 foot-long (100m) lobby, and four underground levels including an enormous nuclear bunker. Started in 1984, the dictator intended it to be the headquarters of his Communist Government, but it was still unfinished when he was executed in 1989. Today it houses the seat of Romania's Parliament (which occupies only 30 percent of the building) and is an international conference centre. Widely viewed as a personification of his obsession with the grandiose and excessive, the construction entailed the demolition of a quarter of Bucharest's historic centre, including 26 churches, and the relocation of 40,000 inhabitants from their 19th century homes to new developments on the outskirts.
Website www.cdep.ro/cic
The Village Museum
Situated within the Herastrau Park alongside a picturesque lake, the Village Museum is one of Bucharest's finest sights and one of the best open-air museums in central Europe, attr…
The Village Museum
Situated within the Herastrau Park alongside a picturesque lake, the Village Museum is one of Bucharest's finest sights and one of the best open-air museums in central Europe, attracting visitors from far and wide. The fascinating institution has a collection that spans more than 300 buildings and represents the history and design of Romania's rural architecture, including barns, peasant homes and wooden churches from all regions of the country. Traditionally dressed peasant workers wield everyday tools and accessories, and portray life during the 16th and 17th centuries, making the village setting seem even more real for visitors. Traditional crafts are also for sale around the site.
Website www.muzeul-satului.ro
Stavropoleos Church and Monastery
Well worth a visit is the tiny but remarkable Stavropoleos Church which was built in 1724, and is one of the oldest churches in Bucharest. Built using a combination of Romanian and…
Stavropoleos Church and Monastery
Well worth a visit is the tiny but remarkable Stavropoleos Church which was built in 1724, and is one of the oldest churches in Bucharest. Built using a combination of Romanian and Byzantine architecture, the beautiful façade and a delicately carved columned entrance give but a taste of the beauty that lies within. Surrounded by a peaceful garden, it is an architectural jewel, with intricate frescoes and religious icons. Attached to the church is Stravropoleos Monastery. The Monastery specialises in Byzantine music and has an impressive choir and Romania's largest collection of Byzantine music books. The monastery's library contains more than 8,000 books, including a significant number of old manuscripts and printed works.
Website www.stavropoleos.ro
National History Museum
Housed in the former 1900 Post Office building and another favourite among tourists is one of Bucharest's most important museums, the National History Museum. Spread throughout 41 …
National History Museum
Housed in the former 1900 Post Office building and another favourite among tourists is one of Bucharest's most important museums, the National History Museum. Spread throughout 41 rooms, the exhibits recount the country's development from prehistoric times to the 1920s. A philatelic museum shares the former Postal Services Palace with the National History Museum, and contains thousands of historic stamps. Interestingly, the museum had to be closed briefly for reconstruction in 2012 when a late-medieval archaeological site was discovered under the building. The highlight for visitors is the basement National Treasury, which is crammed with a dazzling display of gold, jewellery and valuable Neolithic curios. It is the biggest and best museum in the country and affords an excellent opportunity to get to grips with the exciting history of Romania.
Website www.cic.cdep.ro/en