BUCHAREST

Bucharest is a political administrative, economic and cultural centre; with material vestiges from Palaeolithic Age and documentary attestation from 1459, September 20. Bucharest, the most important urban centre of Romania (with a population six times larger than that of the second largest town Iasi), is not only a tourist spot of prime importance but also a gateway and starting point for tourist destinations across the country. The larger parks and lakes which lend a distinct note to this "gardencity" are joined by points of attraction in its immediate proximity: the Snagov forest and lake (including the renowned monastery lying on the isle in the midst of the lake, where ruling Prince Vlad the Impaler is thought to have been buried), Mogosoaia - with the Palace of Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu, the Pustnicu Forest, the picturesque monasteries of Cernica and Pasarea, the Baneasa Woods (with the largest zoological garden of Romania being located there), the Caldarusani Lake and Monastery (which was founded by ruling Prince Matei Basarab). The open-air Village Museum (the second most important in Europe after the one in Stockholm), the Romanian Peasant Museum, the Museum of National History or the 16th-17th churches in Bucharest should not be missed by any tourist. Lovers of contemporary art can admire and even buy at the art galleries in the centre of the city paintings by contemporary artists who have already made a name for themselves or by young talents.

Tourist attractions:

• Churches
  • Mihai Voda Monastery founded in 1591 by the great voivode Michael the Brave
  • Radu Voda Church (17th cent.)
  • Stavropoleos Church (17th cent.)
• Historical and architecture monuments
  • the Old Princely Court (16th cent.)
  • Manuc's Inn (1808), today a specific Romanian-style hotel and restaurant
  • Palace of the Parliament and the Savings Bank (19th cent.)
  • the Romanian Athenaeum (19th cent.)
  • the University (19th cent.)
  • History Museum of Romania, housed in a building, architecture monument (19th cent.)
  • History and Art Museum of Bucharest City, housed in Sutu Palace (19th cent.)
  • Art Museum of Romania
  • Art Collections Museum
  • "Gr. Antipa" Natural History Museum
  • Village and Folk Art Museum
• Contemporary buildings
  • Hall of the Palace
  • National Theatre
  • Sport and Culture Palace
  • Exhibit Pavilion
• Learning institutions, art galleries, theatres, opera-house, cinemas, exhibitions etc.
• Going also by the name of the garden-city owing to its vast expanses of verdures:
  • Cismigiu Gardens
  • Herastrau Park
  • Carol Park
  • Youth's Park
• Streets and squares
• Bucharest is skirted by numerous lakes and woods - agreeable places of recreation - in which one may see a number of monuments in the traditional Romanian architectural style:
  • Baneasa Woods (zoo, restaurants, winecellars, camping-site);
  • Snagov (lake, woods, monastery - 15th cent., swimming, hotel, camping-site, restaurant);
  • Cernica (woods, monastery - 19th cent.)
  • Heresti - memorial house - 17th cent.;
  • Caldarusani - woods, monastery - 17th cent.
  • Mogosoaia - woods, castle, lake, restaurants

Rent a Car Review in Bucharest

Last update: 2009, August 7
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