Victoriei Square
Is one of the largest intersections in Bucharest which gets its name from the old and famous Victory Avenue, the boulevard that leads into the square. Victoria Palace, currently the headquarters of the Romanian Government, is the key institution of this place, together with the National Museum of Natural History “Grigore Antipa”, across the street.
Parliament Palace
By far the most spectacular and renowned sight in Bucharest is the Palace of Parliament, or as Nicolae Ceausescu used to call it: the People’s Palace. Placed high on Arsenal Hill, the current Palace of Parliament is registered as the second largest administrative building on Earth, after that of the Pentagon. The numbers and statistics are astounding: 270 meters in length, 245 meters wide, 86 meters tall and 92 meters deep (below ground level), 1,000,000 cubic meters of Ruschita marble, 700 architects and we could keep on going!
Visitation is only possible with advance reservation made 24 – 48 hours prior to your tour, and the tourists must carry their ID cards or passports for identification (driving licenses or insurance cards are not allowed). The standard tour lasts approximately one hour.
Arcul de Triumf
Bucharest’s own Arch of Triumph, Arcul de Triumf is another reason to call our capital the Little Paris. Despite the fact that it passed various stages of construction – reconstruction and only got to its actual state in 1936, the Bucharest Arch of Triumph is more than a simple monument; it is the solid proof of the commitment and heroism of the soldiers who fought for our country in World War I.
Piata Victoriei – Calea Victoriei
Its previous name was Mogosoaiei Bridge, but Victory Avenue is one of the oldest and famous streets in Bucharest, and you might even consider it quintessential to our Little Paris. Along this avenue there are architectural monuments, each with its specific style, which you will discover one at a time:
The Cantacuzino Palace (which now houses the George Enescu Museum) with its beautiful rococo style, Cretulescu Church, Revolution Square and the former headquarters of the Communist Party, today housing the Romanian Senate, Romanian Athenaeum , CEC Palace (Savings Palace), Royal Palace and “Carol I” Central University Library, Telephony Palace, Post Palace (the current National History Museum).