Lonely Planet Romania & Bulgaria
Page 5
Once a thriving part of Bucharest, the city’s Jewish community occupied many of the old streets that surrounded today’s Piaţa Unirii. While much of the area was razed in the 1980s to make way for Ceauşescu’s redevelopment plans, here there are scattered reminders of this once-vital group. (Note that due to security reasons, you’ll usually need to show a passport or ID to enter any of the synagogues.)
The first stop would be the well-arranged Great Synagogue ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0734-708 970; Str Adamache 11; h9am-3pm Mon-Thu, to 1pm Fri & Sun; mPiaţa Unirii). This important synagogue dates from the mid-19th century and was established by migrating Polish Jews. It's hard to find, but worth the effort to see the meticulously restored interior and to take in the main exhibition on Jewish life and the Holocaust in Romania. Modest displays tell the story of the around 200,000 Romanian Jews who were deported to camps in Transdniestr and Ukraine, and the well over 100,000 Jews from Transylvania who died at Auschwitz-Birkenau.
The nearby Jewish History Museum (Muzeul de Istorie al Comunitaţilor Evreieşti din România; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-311 0870; Str Mămulari 3; h9am-3pm Mon-Thu, to 1pm Fri & Sun; mPiaţa Unirii) is housed in another colourful synagogue that dates from 1836 (rebuilt in 1910). Exhibits outline Jewish contributions to Romanian history. The Choral Temple ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-313 1782; Str Sfânta Vineri 9-11; adult/child 10/5 lei; h9am-3pm Mon-Thu, to 1pm Fri & Sun; mPiaţa Unirii), also not far from here, was built in 1857 and is the city’s main working synagogue. It’s visually stunning inside. A memorial to the victims of the Holocaust, erected in 1991, fronts the temple.
South of the Piaţa Unirii area, the old Sephardic Jewish Cemetery (Cimitirul Evreiesc de rit Sefard; GOOGLE MAP ; Calea Şerban Vodă; hnoon-dusk; mEroii Revoluţiei) lies opposite Bellu Cemetery (metro Eroii Revoluţiei). Two rows of graves dated 21 to 23 January 1941 mark the Iron Guard’s pogrom against the Jewish community, during which at least 170 Jews were murdered.
North of Piaţa Unirii is the country’s formal memorial ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Str Ion Brezoianu; h24hr; mIzvor) to Romanian Jews and Roma who died in the Holocaust. The monument was unveiled in 2009 and was widely seen as the government’s first step in acknowledging Romania’s part in the destruction of European Jewry.
Piaţa Victoriei & Around
Piaţa Victoriei is an important traffic hub and square that marks the northern edge of the central city. The metro station is a good access point for walks north along Şos Kiseleff or south into the centre.
George Enescu MuseumMUSEUM
(Muzeul George Enescu; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-318 1450; www.georgeenescu.ro; Calea Victoriei 141; adult/child 6/3 lei; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun; mPiaţa Victoriei)
A few blocks south of Piaţa Victoriei is this museum dedicated to national composer George Enescu (1881–1955). The real lure is the chance to peek inside the lovely building housing the museum: the turn-of-the-century art nouveau Cantacuzino Palace.
Art Collection MuseumMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-212 1749; www.mnar.arts.ro; Calea Victoriei 111; adult/child 7/3.50 lei; h11am-7pm Sat-Wed; mPiaţa Romană)
A grab bag of several dozen private collections, particularly strong on folk and religious art and Romanian painting from the 19th and early 20th centuries. It's now part of the National Art Museum.
Şoseaua Kiseleff
Home to some of Bucharest’s finest villas and a handful of its best museums, Şos Kiseleff (metro Piaţa Victoriei) stretches north from Piaţa Victoriei to Herăstrău Park. The major landmark in this neck of the woods is the Triumphal Arch, which stands halfway up Şos Kiseleff. The 27m arch, based on Paris’ namesake monument, was built in 1935 to commemorate the reunification of Romania in 1918.
oGrigore Antipa Natural History MuseumMUSEUM
(Muzeul de Istorie Naturală Grigore Antipa; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-312 8826; www.antipa.ro; Şos Kiseleff 1; adult/student 20/5 lei; h10am-8pm Wed-Sun; c; mPiaţa Victoriei)
One of the few attractions in Bucharest aimed squarely at kids, this natural history museum has been thoroughly renovated and features modern bells and whistles such as video displays, games and interactive exhibits. Much of it has English signage.
Museum of the Romanian PeasantMUSEUM
(Muzeul Tăranului Român; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-317 9661; www.muzeultaranuluiroman.ro; Şos Kiseleff 3; adult/child 8/2 lei; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun; mPiaţa Victoriei)
The collection of peasant bric-a-brac, costumes, icons and partially restored houses makes this one of the most popular museums in the city. There’s not much English signage, but insightful little cards in English posted in each room give a flavour of what’s on offer. An 18th-century church stands in the back lot, as does a great gift shop ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.muzeultaranuluiroman.ro; Şos Kiseleff 3; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun; mPiaţa Victoriei) and restaurant.
Don’t miss the jarring communism exhibition downstairs, which focuses on the Ceauşescu-era programme of land collectivisation, which almost completely destroyed the traditional peasant way of life.
National Village MuseumMUSEUM
(Muzuel Naţional al Satului; GOOGLE MAP ; %021-317 9103; www.muzeul-satului.ro; Şos Kiseleff 28-30; adult/child 10/2.50 lei; h9am-7pm Tue-Sun, to 5pm Mon; c; mPiaţa Victoriei)
On the shores of Herăstrău Lake, this museum is a terrific open-air collection of several dozen homesteads, churches, mills and windmills relocated from rural Romania. Built in 1936 by royal decree, it is one of Europe’s oldest open-air museums and a good choice for kids to boot.
National Museum of GeologyMUSEUM
(Muzeul National de Geologie; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %031-438 1744; www.geology.ro; Şos Kiseleff 2; adult/child 8/4 lei; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun; mPiaţa Victoriei)
A highly worthwhile museum, this one features Romania's varied geological formations, with enough English signage on hand to give you the general idea of what's on display. The impressive building dates from the early 20th century and was originally built to house the country's Royal Geological Society.
Herăstrău Park & Around
oFormer Ceauşescu ResidenceHISTORIC BUILDING
(Primăverii Palace; GOOGLE MAP ; %021-318 0989; www.palatulprimaverii.ro; B-dul Primăverii 50; guided tours in English adult/child 45/30 lei; h10am-6pm Wed-Sun; mAviatorilor)
This restored villa is the former main residence of Nicolae and Elena Ceauşescu, who lived here for around two decades up until the end in 1989. Everything has been returned to its former lustre, including the couple's bedroom and the private apartments of the three Ceauşescu children. Highlights include a cinema in the basement, Elena's opulent private chamber and the back garden and swimming pool. Reserve a tour in advance by phone or on the website.
The overall effect is fascinating but rather depressing. The finely crafted furnishings, locally made reproductions of styles ranging from Louis XIV to art deco, feel sterile and stuffy.
Herăstrău ParkPARK
(Parcul Herăstrău; GOOGLE MAP ; www.herastrauparc.ro; h24hr; mAviatorilor)F
Sprawling over a large area north of Piaţa Victoriei, this 200-hectare park surrounding a large lake is (arguably) Bucharest’s nicest park, with plenty of shaded strolls and open-air cafes, plus boats to hire. At night in summer, some of the city’s best clubs decamp along the shore here and transform the park into an all-night party scene. One of the main entrances to the park is short walk from the Aviatorilor metro station.
Zambaccian MuseumMUSEUM
(Muzeul Zambaccian; GOOGLE MAP ; %021-230 1920; www.mnar.arts.ro; Str Muzeul Zambaccian 21a; adult/student 7/3.50 lei; h10am-6pm Sat-Wed; mAviatorilor)
Tricky to find, the little Zambaccian Museum is in a restored villa between B-dul Aviatorilor and Calea Dorobanţilor (just north of Piaţa Dorobanţilor). The small collection boasts mostly Romanian paintings from the early 20th century, plus a Matisse, a Cezanne and a couple of Renoirs – all collected by the late Armenian businessman Krikor Zambaccian.
East Bucharest
The city's Historic Centre gets
the glory these days, but the cobbled blocks east of Piaţa Romană and Piaţa Universităţii are some of Bucharest’s most evocative. This area has undergone a facelift in the past couple of years, and hidden among the crumbling buildings are some beautifully restored villas and spruced-up parks.
Schitul DârvariMONASTERY
(Dârvari Monastery; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-212 3247; www.schituldarvari.ro; Str Schitul Darvari 3; h7.30am-7pm; mPiaţa Romană)F
This pretty monastery, surrounded by a lush walled garden, dates from the mid-19th century and was once the property of the private Dârvari family.
Theodor Pallady MuseumMUSEUM
(Muzeul Theodor Pallady; GOOGLE MAP ; %021-211 4979; www.mnar.arts.ro; Str Spătarului 22; adult/student 5/2.50 lei; h10am-6pm Wed-Sun; mUniversitate)
The Theodor Pallady Museum is housed inside the exquisite early-18th-century Casa Melik, a former merchant's house. It contains the private art collection of the Raut family, now part of the National Art Museum.
Church of the IconCHURCH
(Biserica Icoanei; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0766-055 565; www.bisericaicoanei.ro; Str Icoanei 12; h8am-7pm; mPiaţa Romană)F
One of the city's best-known churches, the Church of the Icon takes its name from an icon of the Virgin Mary that was a gift from Constantin Brâncoveanu. The original brick church here was built by monk and former privy secretary Mihail Băbeanu between 1745 and 1750, though most of that structure was destroyed in earthquakes, and much of what you see today dates from the 19th century.
West Bucharest
Cotroceni PalaceMUSEUM
( GOOGLE MAP ; %021-317 3107; www.muzeulcotroceni.ro; B-dul Geniului 1; adult/student incl guided tours in English 50/25 lei; hby appt only 9.30am-5.30pm Tue-Sun; mEroilor)
Elegant Cotroceni Palace dates from the late 19th century and is the official residence of the Romanian president. Many rooms are open to visitors, but call or email in advance to reserve a spot on the compulsory guided tour. The palace has an illustrious place in Romanian history, most notably as the home of Queen Marie, the English wife of Ferdinand I. Bring your passport.
Gara de Nord
1Top Sights
1Grigore Antipa Natural History MuseumC1
1Sights
2George Enescu MuseumD3
3Museum of the Romanian PeasantC1
4National Museum of GeologyC1
4Sleeping
5Midland Youth HostelF4
6Puzzle HostelD4
7Vila 11A4
5Eating
8Shift PubG4
3Entertainment
9Dinamo StadiumG1
7Shopping
10Museum of the Romanian Peasant Gift ShopC1
11VinexpertD2
National Military MuseumMUSEUM
(Muzeul Militar Naţional; GOOGLE MAP ; %021-319 5904; http://smg.mapn.ro/muzeumilitar/; Str Mircea Vulcănescu 125-127; adult/student 11/3 lei; h9am-4pm Wed-Sun; mEroilor)
The National Military Museum doubles nicely as a Romanian history museum, with its chronological rundown of how the country defended itself. In the museum entrance, note the 1988 communist mural that celebrates the Palace of Parliament (painted just a year before the revolution). In back is a hangar with early aviator Aurel Vlaicu’s historic 1911 plane.
THE CEAUşESCUS' FINAL RESTING PLACE
Around 3km west of the Palace of Parliament (take bus 385 from outside the Parliament ticket office on B-dul Naţiunile Unite) stands the Ghencea Civil Cemetery (Cimitirul Civil Ghencea; GOOGLE MAP ; B-dul Ghencea; h8am-8pm; g385), where you can morbidly seek out the final resting spots of Nicolae Ceauşescu and his wife, Elena, who were both executed on Christmas Day in 1989.
The two were originally buried in obscurity in separate graves shortly after the 1989 anticommunist uprising. They were quietly reburied under a common marker in 2010 after the bodies were exhumed to perform identity tests. The tests were conducted at the request of surviving family members as a way of quelling rumours that the executions had been faked and that the infamous couple had in fact survived the revolution.
The Ceauşescus remain largely shunned in death, though a fair number of nostalgic Romanians do drop by to leave flowers or light candles. The body of their son, Nicu, who died from cirrhosis of the liver in 1996, lies nearby.
Southern Bucharest
The area south of Piaţa Unirii is mostly devoid of traditional tourist sights but has some nice parks and important cemeteries.
Bellu CemeteryCEMETERY
(Cimitirul Bellu; GOOGLE MAP ; %021-332 5744; www.bellu.ro; Șoseaua Olteniței 3-5; h10am-8pm; mEroii Revoluţiei)F
The city’s most prestigious burial ground houses the tombs of many notable Romanian writers – a map inside the gate points out locations. Many Romanians pay their respects to national poet Mihai Eminescu (1850–89) and comic playwright and humorist Ion Luca Caragiale (1852–1912), who are separated only by a bloke named Traian Savulescu; go to Figura 9 (to the right after you enter).
Martyr-Heroes of the December 1989 Revolution CemeteryCEMETERY
(Cimitirul Eroii Martiri ai Revoluţiei din Decembrie 1989; GOOGLE MAP ; %021-336 5812; www.bisericaeroilor.ro; Calea Şerban Vodă 237; hdawn-sunset; mEroii Revoluţiei)
Going west from the southern end of Carol I Park ( GOOGLE MAP ; h24h; mTineretului), near metro Eroii Revoluţiei, the road curves past this cemetery, where many of the 1000 victims of the 1989 revolution are buried.
BUCHAREST IN ...
ONE DAY
If you’ve only got one day, get an early start and make your way over to the Palace of Parliament for a guided tour. Afterwards, stroll along Calea Victoriei and stop in at one of the big museums, such as the National Art Museum, and admire the Rebirth Memorial to the 1989 revolution. Afterwards sit with a beer at Cişmigiu Garden and spend the evening in the Historic Centre.
THREE DAYS
Spend the second day in the leafy northern part of the capital, visiting Herăstrău Park and allowing time to see the Former Ceauşescu Residence and the open-air National Village Museum. Walk along pretty Şos Kiseleff to visit one or both of the Museum of the Romanian Peasant and Grigore Antipa Natural History Museum. For your last day, head to Lake Snagov to visit Dracula’s, er, Vlad Ţepeş’, final resting place.
2Activities
Bucharest is highly urbanised and the main activities include walking and sightseeing. In warm weather, hire row boats or pedal boats on lakes at several parks, including Cişmigiu Garden and Herăstrău Park. Thirty-minute pleasure cruises are offered on the lake at Herăstrău Park for 10 lei. Bucharest is a dangerous city for cycling and we do not recommend it; nevertheless the bike-sharing scheme i’Velo ( GOOGLE MAP ; %021-310 6397; www.ivelo.ro; Herăstrău Park; per hr/day 5/20 lei; h9am-6pm May-Oct; mAviatorilor) offers bikes for hire at Herăstrău Park.
BUCHAREST FOR CHILDREN
Bucharest is not an extremely child-friendly destination, particularly for younger children. Distances between sights are vast and getting around involves a lot of legwork and tediously climbing up and down metro stairs.
Children of any age will appreciate the sheer vastness of the Palace of Parliament building. The most popular museums with younger visitors are likely to be the National Village Museum and the Grigore Antipa Natural History Museum. The Geology Museum will appeal to older kids, especially those with a geek streak. Many kids will get a kick out of the plane hangar at the National Military Museum, with parachute displays, a host of planes and all sorts of tanks outside.
The city’s parks, particularly Cişmigiu Garden, Herăstrău Park and Youth Park, have play areas for kids and lakes where you can rent paddle or rowing boats. Further afield, the Therme Bucharest ( GOOGLE MAP ; %031-108 8888; www.therme.ro; DN1, Balotești; adult/child per day at 'Galaxy' 54/40 lei; h9.30am-9.30pm Mon-Thu, 8am-midnight Fri-Sun; c; g126, 168, 68, 381, 783) water park has enough pools and slides – as well as spas and aromatherapy baths – to please both kids and their parents.
TTours
Bucharest City TourBUS
(%021-307 4212; bucharestcitytour.ratb.ro; per 24hr adult/child 25/10 lei; h10am-10pm)
The RATB offers a daily double-decker DIY tourist bus that's a convenient way of seeing the main sights and also an efficient alternative to buses and metros for moving around town. The bus runs every 20 minutes along the major north–south axis from Piaţa Unirii to above the National Village Museum. Buy tickets on board at designated stops.
Cultural Travel & ToursTOURS
(%021-336 3163; www.cttours.ro)
Offers several half- and full-day city tours, including excursions to Snagov, from 150 to 300 lei per person. It also offers longer, themed trips around the country. See the website for a full menu of tours.
Mr TrippTOURS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0745-752 753; www.mrtripp.tours; Calea Victoriei 68-70; h10am-8pm Mon-Sat, to 5pm Sun; mUniversitate)
Offers one-day guided tours of Bucharest and surrounding attractions, including day-trips to Snagov Monastery and the Danube Delta. Tours start at around 180 lei per person. Book over the telephone or directly through the company's central booking and information office.
RoCultours/CTITOURS
(%0723-160 925; www.rotravel.com/cti)
Reliable agent with many countrywide cultural tours and personalised itineraries listed on the website. Tour durations range from a one-day tour of Transylvania to an 11-day study tour of the country, including excursions to the painted monasteries of Bucovina and the Danube Delta. Check the website for an up-to-date list of tours. Book in advance by email or phone.