Welcome to Bucharest, the vibrant capital 😲of Romania!
From its rich cultural heritage to its alluring natural landscapes, it offers fascinating facts 😲for you to discover.
This article will offer some amazing facts about Bucharest👏 that will amaze you. Let’s begin this exciting journey!
Amazing Facts About Bucharest
In 1959, Bucharest became the capital of Wallachia
How about a historical ‘fact’ as a starter👏??
In the year 1959, the city of Bucharest became the capital of Wallachia under the rule of Gheorghe Ghica!
After that, in 1862, the city was elected as the capital of the new country formed by the union of Moldova with Wallachia.
Bucharest: Explore its area
How much area is occupied by the capital city of Romania??
Today, Bucharest has an area of about 228 square kilometers (it is almost 0.8% of the total area of Romania), of which the built area is about 70%.
The City of Bucharest: The secret behind the name
I really love this interesting secret behind the name of the city!!
According to legends, the city of Bucharest, or Bucuresti, got its name after a shepherd called Bucur. 😲
He settled in the area where is now the capital city is located today.
Another version is that the city Bucharest was founded by the famous ruler Mircea, the Elder at the end of the 14th century.
Bucharest: The first road and the first train station
Enjoy a walk on the first road and train station 😄in Bucharest!!
The first road in the city of Bucharest was the Wood Road, which is today’s Calea Victoriei.
Back then, the road was paved mainly with tree trunks🌳 and planks and became famous as a wood-paved road.
The wood helped the road stay dry and nice during the wet, spring days, making travel easier.
Centuries later, the road was eventually paved with first cobblestone and then asphalt.
The road came about in 1878, after Romania’s war of independence, and became famous as Calea Victoriei👏!
Meet the giant Palace of the Parliament: The largest building in Bucharest
Oh! The world’s most expensive building😲 is really huge!!
The largest building in Bucharest as well as in Romania is the giant Palace of the Parliament.
The building was constructed under the orders of the late communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu.
The most expensive building in the world is a feat of human engineering👏!!
It is the largest civilian building in the world with an administrative function.
Constructed from Romanian marble, it boasts the title of being the world’s heaviest building!!
Its construction started in 1978, and the vast structure takes one hour’s walk to see the exterior circumference of the building.
The Little Paris: Meet one of the most beautiful European cities
“The Little Paris”!! Sounds quite interesting😄! Right??
The city of Bucharest became one of the most modern and beautiful cities in the European continent.
Also, the beautiful architecture and atmosphere of the city brought it the nickname “The Little Paris.”
Moreover, Saint Dimitre Basarabov the New is Bucharest’s patron saint. His relics are kept in the Patriarchal Cathedral of the city.
Coltea Hospital: It is the first hospital in Bucharest
The first hospital in the capital city of Romania was Coltea Hospital.
Today, it is famous as one of the top medical organizations in Romania, operating in one of the most attractive buildings.
It is located in the center of the capital city.
the communist regime changed the face of Bucharest forever
Heard about the communist regime?? It changed Bucharest a lot!!
The face of Bucharest was changed by the demolitions that took place during the communist regime.
Not only that, the project of the People’s House, or today’s Parliament Palace, needed the demotion of an entire historic portion of Bucharest.
However, dozens of churches were destroyed during the communist rule.
Among them, the Enei Church, or the Sfanta Vineri Church, and the Vacaresti Monastery were also present.
The subway network of Bucharest: Today, it has 53 stations
I really love to travel in metros!! What about you😄??
The first part of the Bucharest subway network opened for service almost 40 years ago, which was November 1979.
Today, the subway network of Bucharest a total length of 71 km and has 53 stations, which makes Bucharest really interesting.
Bucharest and its first train station
The first train station built in the city was Filaret in the year 1869, followed in 1870 by the famous Targoviste train station.
Later, it was called Gara de Nord or the North Train Station.
Bucharest: One of the busiest cities in Europe
The capital city of Romania is one of the busiest cities in Europe as well as in the world. It is absolutely true when we are talking about car traffic🚥.
For the year 2018, Tom Tom Traffic Index revealed that Bucharest is the third most congested city in Europe. Also, it is the 11th one around the globe.
Politehnica subway station: Here, people can see fossilized versions of Cretaceous organisms
If you love to read about fossils and ancient history, like me, then this interesting secret will leave you amazed😲!!
Built in the year 1983, the Politehnica subway station is a unique place in the city of Bucharest.
Here you can see fossils of Cretaceous organisms😲. They are fossilized in the chalkstone slabs used by the workers who created the pavement of the subway station.
The people of Bucharest: They are blessed with fast internet speeds
Wow!! Fast internet speed!! Let me upload and share some beautiful pictures first!!
The people of the capital city of Romania can enjoy fast internet speeds.
According to the recent Remote Working Index report provided by Broadband Deals, Bucharest is the first in the world that is perfect for working remotely.
The capital city of Romania scored highly for internet speed📱, remaining in 4th place in the ranking!
It has an internet speed of 52 Mbps!!
In fact, the average download speeds in Bucharest are nearly double that of the United States. Sounds interesting! Right??
The Bucharest Telephone Palace: The tallest building in Bucharest until the 70
Bucharest Telephone Palace was a significant and attractive building🏛️ in the Romanian capital.
It was built in a style that reflected the style of the American skyscrapers!!
In fact, it was the tallest building 🏛️in Bucharest City until the ’70.
Mititei or mici: The most popular Romanian dish was invented here
If you are a foodie like me, then this secret about Bucharest will surely make you happy😄!!
Mici or Mititei is famous as the most popular and beloved dish of Romania.
It was first invented in the Old City area of Bucharest City.
According to many citizens, this dish was first served at lordache lonescu’s restaurant when one night, the restaurant 👨🍳ran out of guts for sausages🌭. Isn’t is remarkable😄??
Obolului Street: The narrowest street in the city
Obolului Street is the narrowest street in the city of Bucharest.
You can find this street near Oltenitei Road, and it looks a lot more like a corridor than a street.
Bucharest City: It is also known as ‘New Berlin’
Let us explore the famous street art of ‘New Berlin.”
Bucharest City is known as ‘New Berlin.’
This name is a result of the huge amounts of fantastic street art.
Those amazing pieces of art can be seen at various points throughout this beautiful Romanian city!!
This nickname also derives from the fact that Bucharest City is home to a buzzing “Berlinesque nightlife’ scene.
It mainly depicts the old town where people can see dozens of bars and night clubs which are open even into the early hours of the AM.
Thus, the city is world-famous for its vibrant nightlife.
Bucharest: It is often confused with Budapest, the capital city of Hungary
Bucharest and Budapest…Confused😲!!??Me too!!
While Budapest is the capital of Hungary, Bucharest is the capital of Romania. As the names are pretty similar, people often get them mixed up.
There is even an interesting story…
In 1992, Michael Jackson became more famous than before in Romania when he played the first international concert in the country.
During the program, he unfortunately addressed the crowd as “hello, Budapest” as opposed to “hello, Bucharest.”
Bucharest City: It is home to the longest boulevard in entire Europe
When Bucharest was redesigned during the communist era, the Champs Elysees in Paris worked as itsinspiration.
The Bulevardul Unirii is an attractive 3500 meters in length; hence, it is longer than the Champs Elysees, which is 1900 meters long.
The city of Bucharest: It is a city famous for dental tourism
Dental tourism😲…is it true??
Though it may sound really strange, this Romanian city prides itself on its dental tourism.
People travel to the capital city of Romania from all over the world to seek out top-notch, affordable dental care.
Bucharest and its unforgettable taste…
Oh, the taste of Bucharest…how can I forget it!??
Bucharest is world famous for its delicious cuisine…
You might feel it difficult to find Romanian cuisines in restaurants 🤤than any other kind.
This is because local people prefer to taste Romanian food 🥣at home and enjoy other types of cuisine when they go out to eat.
You will get to taste plenty of Chinese, Italian, and even Turkish restaurants in Bucharest without problem.
You may still get to eat Romanian cuisine, but it will be a little bit more expensive😲 and worth the search.
Bucharest: Here you can see some churches that ‘moved’
Churches⛪…that moved😲!! Amen!!
The oldest of all churches ⛪that were moved during the communist era, is the Mihai Voda Church.
This 16th century orthodox church was hidden in amongst the skyscraping communist flats.
To perform this task, a grand project was undertaken to move those huge buildings through rail tracks 🛤️so that they could remain hidden from sight.
Enjoy the oldest park and the oldest cemetery in Bucharest
The oldest park in the city of Bucharest is called Cismigiu Gardens. It is the main green area in the center of the city.
Also, Bellu Cemetry is famous as the oldest cemetery in Bucharest City.
It is an amazing resting place 😲for several famous politicians, scientists, and even artists.
Conclusion
So, little knowledge hunters, now you know that Bucharest is a city that boasts its interesting streets😲, rich culture, and modern advancements.
From the world-famous Parliament Building to interesting art, delicious cuisine, and incredibly speedy internet, what in Bucharest attracts you more😲?
Get back to us with your questions, and we would love to hear from you.
I’m a former teacher (and mother of Two Childs) with a background in child development. Here to help you with play-based learning activities for kids. ( Check my Next startup Cledemy.Com)
