Bucharest

"Adormirea Maicii Domnului si Sf Spiridon" Church

2009-04-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

"Sf. Contantin si Elena" Parish - "Sf Nicolae" Church

2009-04-24T09:05:00.000-07:00

"Adormirea Maicii Domnului" Church

2009-04-24T08:56:00.000-07:00

"Sf Calinic Titan" Parish - "Sf Cuvioasa Parescheva" Church

2009-04-24T08:51:00.001-07:00

"Izvorul Tamaduirii" Church

2009-04-24T08:41:00.001-07:00

"Sf Petru si Pavel" Parish - "Sf Ioan Botezatorul" Church

2009-04-24T08:36:00.000-07:00

"Sfintii Romani" Church

2009-04-24T08:21:00.000-07:00

"Acoperamantul Maicii Domnului" Church

2009-04-24T08:19:00.000-07:00

"Pogorarea Sfantului Duh" Church

2009-04-24T07:51:00.000-07:00

"Dudesti-Cioplea II" Parish - "Adormirea Maicii Domnului" Church

2009-04-23T07:40:00.000-07:00

"Dudesti" Parish - "Sf. Nicolae" Church

2009-04-23T07:17:00.000-07:00

"Inaltarea Sfintei Cruci" Parish - "Sf. Ilie & Sf Brancoveni" Church

2009-04-21T11:47:00.000-07:00

"Inaltarea Sfintei Cruci" Parish - "Sf. Ilie" Church

2009-04-21T11:34:00.000-07:00

"Sf. Antonie cel Mare" Parish - "Sf. Nicolae" Church

2009-04-21T11:26:00.000-07:00

Sector 6

2009-04-20T09:08:00.001-07:00

Politics

The mayor of the sector is Cristian Poteraş, from the Democratic Liberal Party. The Local Council of Sector 6 has 27 seats, with the following party composition (as of June 2008):

	Party	Seats	Current Council
	Democratic Liberal Party	11
	Social Democratic Party	9
	National Liberal Party	5
	Greater Romania Party	2

Country	Romania
County	Municipality of Bucharest
Administrative Reform
Government
- Mayor	Cristian Poteraş (PDL)
- Deputy-mayor	Constantin Paţica
Area
- Total	38 km² (14.7 sq mi)
Elevation	60 - 90 m (197–295 ft)
Population (2007-July-11)
- Total	359,396
- Density	9,457.8/km² (24,495.6/sq mi)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
- Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal Code	06xxxx
Area code(s)	+40 x1
Car Plates	B
Website	www.primarie6.ro

Sector 5

2009-04-20T09:07:00.001-07:00

Politics

The mayor of the sector is Marian Vanghelie, from the Social Democratic Party. The Local Council of Sector 5 has 27 seats, with the following party composition (after the 2008 local government elections):

	Party	Seats	Current Council
	Social Democratic Party	11
	Democratic Liberal Party	8
	New Generation Party – Christian Democratic	4
	National Liberal Party	4

Country	Romania
County	Municipality of Bucharest
Administrative Reform
Government
- Mayor	Marian Vanghelie (PSD)
- Deputy-mayor	Marcel Florentin Bera
Area
- Total	30 km² (11.6 sq mi)
Elevation	60 - 90 m (197–295 ft)
Population (2007-July-11)
- Total	282,935
- Density	9,431.2/km² (24,426.7/sq mi)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
- Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal Code	05xxxx
Area code(s)	+40 x1
Car Plates	B
Website	ps5.infochiosc.ro

Sector 4

2009-04-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

Politics

The mayor of the sector is Cristian Popescu Piedone, from the Conservative Party. The Local Council of Sector 4 has 27 seats, with the following party composition (as of June 2008):

	Party	Seats	Current Council
	Democratic Liberal Party	10
	Social Democratic Party	8
	Conservative Party	5
	National Liberal Party	4

Country	Romania
County	Municipality of Bucharest
Administrative Reform
Government
- Mayor	Cristian Popescu Piedone (PC)
- Deputy-mayor	pending
Area
- Total	34 km² (13.1 sq mi)
Elevation	60 - 90 m (197–295 ft)
Population (2007-July-11)
- Total	299,414
- Density	8,806.3/km² (22,808.2/sq mi)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
- Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal Code	04xxxx
Area code(s)	+40 x1
Car Plates	B
Website	www.ps4.ro

Sector 3

2009-04-20T09:05:00.002-07:00

Politics

The mayor of the sector is Liviu Gheorghe Negoiţă, from the Democratic Liberal Party. The Local Council of Sector 3 has 27 seats, with the following party composition (as of 2008):

	Party	Seats	Current Council
	Democratic Liberal Party	18
	Social Democratic Party	6
	National Liberal Party	3

Demographics

With a population of 393,226 people based on a July 2005 estimate, Sector 3 is the most populous sector in Bucharest. According to the 2002 census, 97.29% of the sector's population is ethnic Romanian, while 1.31% are Roma, 0.29% are Hungarian and 0.15% are Turkish. In terms of gender, 53.6% of the population is female, while 46.4% is male.

Country	Romania
County	Municipality of Bucharest
Administrative Reform
Government
- Mayor	Liviu Gheorghe Negoiţă (PD-L)
- Deputy-mayor	Victor Tărtăcuţă
Area
- Total	32 km² (12.4 sq mi)
Elevation	60 - 90 m (197–295 ft)
Population (2007-July-11)
- Total	393,226
- Density	11,565/km² (29,953.2/sq mi)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
- Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal Code	03xxxx
Area code(s)	+40 x1
Car Plates	B
Website	www.sector3primarie.ro

Sector 2

2009-04-20T09:05:00.001-07:00

Demographics

Sector 2 is the city's most multicultural sector. In particular, it contains Romania's largest community of Chinese people, who mainly live in the districts of Colentina and Obor.^[1]

Politics

The mayor of the sector is Neculai Onţanu, from the Social Democratic Party. The Local Council of Sector 2 has 27 seats, with the following party composition (as of June 2008):

	Party	Seats	Current Council
	Social Democratic Party	13
	Democratic Liberal Party	8
	National Liberal Party	3
	New Generation Party – Christian Democratic	3

Country	Romania
County	Municipality of Bucharest
Administrative Reform
Government
- Mayor	Neculai Onţanu (PSD)
- Deputy-mayor	Dan Cezar Ionescu
Area
- Total	32 km² (12.4 sq mi)
Elevation	60 - 90 m (197–295 ft)
Population (2007-July-11)
- Total	360,750
- Density	11,273/km² (29,196.9/sq mi)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
- Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal Code	02xxxx
Area code(s)	+40 x1
Car Plates	B
Website	www.pps2.ro

Sector 1

2009-04-20T09:01:00.000-07:00

Sector 1 is a sector in Bucharest. It includes the northern part of the city centre as well as the northwestern districts of Băneasa and Pipera. It is the wealthiest sector in Bucharest.

Politics

The mayor of the sector is Andrei Ioan Chiliman, from the National Liberal Party. The Local Council of Sector 1 has 27 seats, with the following party composition (as of 2008):

	Party	Seats	Current Council
	Democratic Liberal Party	11
	National Liberal Party	8
	Social Democratic Party	8

Country	Romania
County	Municipality of Bucharest
Administrative Reform
Government
- Mayor	Andrei Ioan Chiliman (PNL)
- Deputy-mayor	Mihai Marian Bazgan
Area
- Total	67.5 km² (26.1 sq mi)
Elevation	60 - 90 m (197–295 ft)
Population (2007-July-11)
- Total	229,238
- Density	3,396.1/km² (8,795.9/sq mi)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
- Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal Code	01xxxx
Area code(s)	+40 x1
Car Plates	B
Website	www.primariasector1.ro

Bucharest Metro

2009-04-20T08:44:00.000-07:00

The Bucharest Metro (Metroul Bucureşti in Romanian) is an underground urban railway network that serves the capital of Romania, Bucharest. The network is run by Metrorex. It is one of the most accessed systems of the Bucharest public transport network with an average ridership of 750,000 passengers ^[1] during the workweek. In total, the network is 71 km long and has 52 stations.

History

The earliest plans for a Bucharest Metro were drafted in the late 1930s, alongside the general plans for urban modernization of the city.^{[citation needed]} In 1938, the local authorities assigned the task of planning and constructing the subway system to S.A. Metropolitanul, with work scheduled to start in March 1941.^{[citation needed]} The outbreak of World War II, followed by periods of political tensions culminating with the installation of communism, put an end to the plans.

By 1970, the public transport system (ITB) was no longer adequate due to the fast pace of urban development, although the system was the fourth-largest in Europe. A commission was set up, and its conclusion pointed to the necessity of an underground transit system that would become the Bucharest Metro.

The network was not built in the same style as other Eastern European systems. Firstly, the design of the stations on the initial lines was simple, clean cut modern designs, without excessive additions such as mosaics, awkward lighting sources or excessive decoration. The main function of the stations was speed of transit and modernity. Secondly, the trainsets themselves were all constructed in Romania and did not follow the Eastern European style of construction. Each station usually followed a colour theme (generally white - in Unirii 2, Universitate, Victoriei 1, Politehnica, Armata Poporului; but also light blue - in Obor and Gara de Nord; orange - in Tineretului), and an open plan. No station was made to look exactly like any other. Despite this, many stations are rather dark, due to the policies of energy economy in the late 1980s; later modernisations doing little to fix this problem. Bucharest being one of the largest cities in the region, it has quite a large network (larger than Prague, Amsterdam or Budapest). When the planned new line-extensions is finished, it will increase to more than 100 km (with about 80 stations).

The first line, M1, opened on November 16, 1979, running from Timpuri Noi to Semănătoarea. It was 6.2 km long with 6 stations. Following this, more lines were opened:

December 1981: M1/M3 Timpuri Noi - Republica; 10.1 km, 6 stations
August 1983: M3 Branch line Eroilor - Industriilor; 8.63 km, 5 stations, Gorjului station added in 1991
December 1984: M1 Semănătoarea - Crângaşi; 0.97 km, 1 station
January 1986: M2 Piaţa Unirii - Depoul IMGB; 9.96 km, 8 stations
October 1987: M2 Piaţa Unirii - Pipera; 8.72 km, 6 stations
December 1987: M1 Crângaşi - Gara de Nord 1; 2.83 km, 2 stations (Basarab added 1990)
August 1989: M1 Gara de Nord 1 - Dristor 2; 7.8 km, 6 stations
January 1990: M1/M3 Republica - Pantelimon; 1.43 km, 1 station (single track, operational on a special schedule)
March 2000: M4 Gara de Nord 2 - 1 Mai; 3.6 km, 4 stations
November 2008: M3 branch Nicolae Grigorescu 2 - Linia de centura, 4 stations

Large stations which connect with other lines (such as Victoriei) have two terminals, and each terminal goes by a different name (Victoriei 1 and Victoriei 2). On the official network map, they are shown as two stations with a connection in between, even though, in practice (and in trip planners), they are really only one station with platforms at different levels. There is one exception: Gara de Nord 1 and Gara de Nord 2 are separate stations (although linked through a subterranean passage, the traveller is required to exit the station proper and pay for a new fare at the other station, thus leaving the system), passengers being required to change trains at Basarab.

Generally, the underground stations feature large interiors. The largest one, Piata Unirii, is cathedral-like, with vast interior spaces, hosting retail outlets and fast-food restaurants and has an intricate network of underground corridors and passage ways.

METROREX

Metrorex is the Romanian company which runs the Bucharest Metro. It is fully owned by the Romanian Government through the Ministry of Transportation. There were plans to merge the underground and overground transportation systems into one authority subordinated to the City of Bucharest, however these plans did not come to fruition.

Infrastructure and Network

As of 2008, the entire network runs underground, except for a short stretch between IMGB and Depou IMGB on the southern end of M2 line. The network is served by four depots, 2 being located above ground (IMGB and Industriilor) and two underground (Ciurel and Pantelimon) and by additional smaller works at Gara de Nord and Eroilor stations.

There are two connections between the Metro network and the Romanian Railways network, one at IMGB (connecting to the Bucharest Belt Ring), the other at Ciurel (connecting via an underground passage to the Cotroceni-Militari industrial railway). The latter connection however is unused and mothballed. The metro network and the national rail network share the same gauge (1435 mm) and loading gauge but not the same electrification system (the metro uses 750 V DC whereas the Romanian Railways use 25000 V 50 Hz AC) making it possible for new metro cars to be transported cross country as unpowered railway cars.

The network is powered by a bottom-contact third rail system except in works, depots and some tunnels where a catenary system is employed.

There are 4 metro lines in operations, 1 more being auctioned off and 2 being planned:

In operation:

M1 Line: between Dristor and Pantelimon - the first line to open (in 1979), is circular with a North Eastern spur; Part of its tracks are shared with M3 (7 stations).
M2 Line: between Pipera and Depou IMGB opened in 1986, completed 1988; Runs in a North-South direction, crossing the center.
M3 Line: between Industriilor and Linia de Centura opened in 1989, completed 2008; Runs in a East-West direction, south of the center. Shares part of its tracks with M1 (7 stations). Traffic on the shared lines is suspended for M3 trains until summer 2009 for completion of structural work at the newly opened 1 Decembrie station. M3 line is to be extended to Carrefour Militari, most probably before 2013.
M4 Line: between 1 Mai and Gara de Nord opened in 2000; Extension to Parc Bazilescu under construction, to be opened in 2010.

Under Construction:

M5 Line: between Ghencea and Pantelimon to be opened in 2014;

Planned:

M6 Line: between Rahova and Colentina
M7 Line: between M4 Line and Otopeni

Two more stations are planned and may be constructed on existing lines, both on M1. However, given the complexity of work required, and the limited benefits these stations have it is unlikely that construction will begin in the near future:

Dorobanţi between Stefan cel Mare and Piaţa Victoriei;
Giuleşti between Crângaşi and Basarab.

Rolling stock

The Bucharest Metro's 768 car-fleet uses two types of trainsets:

252 ASTRA IVA modular cars (total of 504 cars), built in Arad between 1978 and 1993 and proposed to be rehabilitated
44 Bombardier Movia 346 trainsets (total of 264 cars), built in 2002-2008

The ASTRA trains used on the system are made up of various trainsets (rame) connected together. Each trainset is made up of two permanently-connected train-cars (B'B'-B'B' formation) that can only be run together. On lines M1 and M3, three trainsets (totalling six cars) are connected together, with a length of up to 120 metres, while in line M4, two trainsets run together (totalling four cars). M2 only uses Bombardier Trains. The ASTRA Arad rolling stock was built between 1977 and 1993, and is approaching the end of its service life, so it is currently being either refurbished or phased out. Currently there are 252 ASTRA trainsets, 181 in current use, others being kept as reserve, making for about 60 trains, 30 to 50 of which are operated daily.
The Bombardier trains are made up of six permanently connected cars, forming an open corridor for the entire length of the train (2'2'+Bo'Bo'+Bo'Bo'+Bo'Bo'+Bo'Bo'+2'2' formation). There are a total of 44 Bombardier trains, all in daily service, out of which 26 on Line M2. The rest of these trainsets were received in 2006 and 2007 and placed in service on Lines M1 and M3.

The Movia trainsets were given a distinct name (alongside a number) for identification. The names used on M2 are flower names whereas for M1/M3 EU member states' capital city names were chosen. The numbers are four figures long and seem to follow this format:

First figure: 1 or 2; one half (end) of the train gets 1, the other gets 2. This has nothing to do with the direction of travel: some trains are moving in the "1" direction, while others travel in reverse.
Second figure: 0 or 1; 0 means "M2" (or first batch of trains from Bombardier) while 1 means "M1/M3" (or the second one).
Third and fourth figure: serial number of train, increases for each new trainset.

The naming (and numbering) goes as follows:

For trains used on M2:
- 1001 & 2001: Dalia (the Dahlia)
- 1002 & 2002: Narcisa (the Daffodil)
- 1003 & 2003: Camelia (the Camellia)
- 1004 & 2004: Zambila (the Hyacinth)
- 1005 & 2005: Violeta (the Violet)
- 1006 & 2006: Margareta (the Oxeye daisy)
- 1007 & 2007: Bujorul (the Peony)
- 1008 & 2008: Crizantema (the Chrysanthemum indicum)
- 1009 & 2009: Craiţa (the Marigold)
- 1010 & 2010: Crinul (the Madonna lily)
- 1011 & 2011: Iasomia (the Jasmine)
- 1012 & 2012: Frezia (the Freesia)
- 1013 & 2013: Irisul (the German iris)
- 1014 & 2014: Nufărul (the Water lily)
- 1015 & 2015: Nalba (the Marshmallow)
- 1016 & 2016: Magnolia (the Magnolia)
- 1017 & 2017: Liliacul (the Lilac)
- 1018 & 2018: Gladiola (the Gladiolus)
And for trains used on M1/M3:
- 1101 & 2101: Europa (Europe)
- 1102 & 2102: Bucureşti (Bucharest)
- 1103 & 2103: Stockholm
- 1104 & 2104: Berlin
- 1105 & 2105: Londra (London)
- 1106 & 2106: Paris
- 1107 & 2107: Roma (Rome)
- 1108 & 2108: Madrid
- 1109 & 2109: Luxemburg (Luxembourg)
- 1110 & 2110: Bruxelles (Brussels)
- 1111 & 2111: Viena (Vienna)
- 1112 & 2112: Atena (Athens)
- 1113 & 2113: Copenhaga (Copenhagen)
- 1114 & 2114: Budapesta (Budapest)
- 1115 & 2115: Praga (Prague)
- 1116 & 2116: Varşovia (Warsaw)
- 1117 & 2117: Haga (The Hague)
- 1118 & 2118: Helsinki
- 1119 & 2119: Lisabona (Lisbon)
- 1120 & 2120: Bratislava
- 1121 & 2121: Dublin
- 1122 & 2122: Nicosia
- 1123 & 2123: Talin (Tallin)
- 1124 & 2124: Riga
- 1125 & 2125: Vilnius
- 1126 & 2126: Sofia

The subway livery for Bucharest is either white with two yellow or red horizontal stripes below the window for ASTRA trains, or stainless steel with black and white for the Bombardier trains. All trains run on 750 V DC a third rail, or an overhead wire in maintenance areas where a third rail would not be safe. Maximum speed on the system is 80 km/h (50 mph), although plans are to increase it to 100 km/h (60 mph) on M5, a new line currently in planning stage.

Signaling system

The signaling system used is similar to the PZB version used by the Căile Ferate Române (Romanian Railways), with the inductor placed on the inside of the rails rather than the outside. The color light signals have the following meaning^[2]:

red: stop
blinking red: automated signaling disabled, proceed with reduced speed (5-10 km/h) ready to stop at obstacles
yellow: proceed, next signal is red
blinking yellow: proceed with reduced speed (30 km/h, unless noted otherwise) on diverging track
green: proceed, next signal is not red
blinking green: proceed with allowed speed on diverging track

The minimum distance between two trains is 90 seconds. On the M2, the signaling system is now replaced by the ATP-System. The signals between the stations remain completely dark, while the exit signals of the station are showing a red light and the letters ATP. In the next years, this system shall replace the classic signaling system also on the other lines.

Criticism

Although the Bucharest Metro is, on the whole, an efficient transportation system, there are several common criticisms of the network. One of these is the relatively poor signage and the lack of network maps on the system. Most stations do not have maps that cover the entire network, instead having only panels showing the names of stations on the current line or, in some cases, only showing a selected number of stations from the respective line. Additionally, many stations have poor signage showing correspondence passages and exits. For this reason, it is possible to get lost on the system or take the train in the opposite direction. This problem is currently being addressed, with a new system of information booths and network maps being introduced in various stations, starting with Dristor, Piaţa Unirii, Eroilor and Piaţa Victoriei.

Another possible source of confusion for infrequent travellers is the audio announcements in stations and trains. In trains, the name of the station is never announced when entering the station. Rather, as the doors close, the next station is announced, as well as the location of the platform on the next station. The standard form for the in-train announcements is "Attention! Doors are closing! Next station is ... with the platform on the right/left side" (Atenţie, se închid uşile! Urmează staţia ... cu peronul pe partea dreaptă/stângă). However, with the introduction of newer Bombardier trainsets, this issue has been somewhat addressed: most of these trains are fitted with red or orange dot-matrix displays, constantly announcing the next station and the name of the station upon entering.

Other issues are low coverage (sizeable areas of the city don't have any subway access at all and the distance between stations is very large) and at times large intervals between trains.

Future development

The following extensions are in the process of being built, and will be finished by 2006-2010:

An extension of Line M4 (opened in 2000 and currently running from Gara de Nord-1 Mai) to be opened from 1 Mai to Laromet via Pajura (3.1 km, 2 stations), in the city's north. The extension is to be completed by 2009-2010^[3].
By 2012 Metrorex plans to open 5 new metro stations on M2 and M3 (new locations include Spitalul Colentina on M3, Mărăşeşti on M2, Giuleşti on M1)
Metrorex also plans to extend M1 line from Industriilor to Carrefour Militari (Also a new station named Preciziei will be opened on this line)

These extensions will raise the network size to 50 stations with 70.8 km length, making it rather extensive. Metrorex is also planning the following new lines and routes:

A new line, M5, which will run from Ghencea/Drumul Taberei district via Eroilor and Universitate to Pantelimon, the current terminus of M1. The line will have 19 stations, and will be around 18-19 km in length. It will intersect with all existing lines except M4. Line M5 is currently in its planning stage, with construction expected to begin by 2008 and conclude before 2020. The line is expected to cost €740 million.^[4]
A new M4 branch serving the two main airports of Bucharest: Henri Coandă International Airport and Aurel Vlaicu International Airport. Henri Coandă, the country's largest airport, is currently served only by bus, while Aurel Vlaicu is also served by trams. The metro extension will be very convenient because both airports are located north of the city and hence a single metro extension could serve both of them, making transfer between the two airports very easy. This line would also serve the Piaţa Presei Libere, Pajura, Băneasa areas, as well as some northern Bucharest suburbs. Works are scheduled to start in 2007 and be complete in seven years. The cost of the line, which will have a length of 13.9 km and 14 stations, would be around €1 billion.^[5]

Prices

Public transport in Bucharest is heavily subsidized, and the subsidies will increase, as the City Council wants to reduce traffic jams, pollution and parking problems and promote public transport. Like the RATB, the metro can get crowded during morning and afternoon rush hours. The network uses a dual system, employing both metro cards, that are not valid for use on trams, buses or trolleys and a newer system with RFID contactless cards that are also valid on the RATB ground network.

From July 2006, the public transport in Bucharest was to be coordinated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority - however, this was postponed indefinitely. The ticketing systems for ground and subway transportation are currently being unified, with a new RFID card system being deployed across the network, with the old cards slated to be discontinued.

The newer RFID card system is managed by RATB and RFID cards can only be obtained from RATB kiosks. The system is called Card ACTIV. RFID cards are given away free of charge, but only if one agrees to have one's personal data (name and personal numeric code) imprinted on the card. Along with the personal data, as one uses the transport system, cost and usage data is collected in a centralised database. RATB claims this data is used only for improving the transport system. Only the person with the name imprinted on the card may use that card if used in combination with a monthly pass. If the card is lost, the lost card can be cancelled and the traveller, for a small fee, can obtain a new card with the remaining credit on it. Anonymous RFID cards can also be obtained for a small fee and they can be used by multiple travellers.

One must purchase a pass or credit to actually use the Card ACTIV on the underground or ground network. Also, these newer cards currently support for the metro network only monthly passes and a form of payment by trip, where trevellers can buy credit (but only at RATB kiosks). The full cost of a trip - 1.1 RON (€ 0.25) is then deducted from the card whenever entering the metro network, regardless of the number of times a traveller enters the metro network in a given time interval. Because of this limitation, the 10 trip older-style metro card (see below) remains the most cost-effective solution for the casual traveller.

Older style metro cards cand be purchased at any metro station. Prices (as of February 2008)^[6]:

2 trip card- 2.2 RON (€ 0.51)
10 trip card - 8 RON (€ 1.86)
Monthly pass (full price) - 23 RON (€ 5.35)
Student monthly pass (only for Romanians) - 11.5 RON (€ 2.67)
1 day card - 4 RON (€ 0.93)
Free for senior citizens over 70 years of age

Older-style metro cards are not linked with personal data or usage data in a central database and thus they guarantee anonimity of the travel. Because of that, however, if a metro card is lost or damaged, the traveller cannot be reimbursed for the unused trips.

Introduction

2009-04-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

Bucharest (Romanian: Bucureşti /bu.kuˈreʃtʲ/ (help·info)) is the capital city, industrial and commercial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at 44°26′N 26°06′E / 44.433°N 26.1°E / 44.433; 26.1, and lies on the banks of the Dâmboviţa River.

Bucharest was first mentioned in documents as early as 1459. Since then it has gone through a variety of changes, becoming the state capital of Romania in 1862 and steadily consolidating its position as the centre of the Romanian mass media, culture and arts. Its eclectic architecture is a mix of historical, interbellum, Communist-era and modern. In the period between the two World Wars, the city's elegant architecture and the sophistication of its elite earned Bucharest the nickname of the "Little Paris of the East" (Micul Paris).^[2] Although many buildings and districts in the historic centre were damaged or destroyed by war, earthquakes and Nicolae Ceauşescu's program of systematization, many survived. In recent years, the city has been experiencing an economic and cultural boom.^[3]

According to July 2007 official estimates, Bucharest proper has a population of 1,931,838.^[4] The urban area extends beyond the limits of Bucharest proper and has a population of 2.1 million people.^[5] Adding the satellite towns around the urban area, the metropolitan area of Bucharest has a population of 2.6 million people.^[5] Bucharest is the 6th largest city in the European Union by population within city limits.^[4]

Economically, the city is the most prosperous in Romania^[6] and is one of the main industrial centres and transportation hubs of Eastern Europe. As the most developed city in Romania, Bucharest also has a broad range of educational facilities.

The city proper is administratively known as the Municipality of Bucharest (Municipiul Bucureşti), and has the same administrative level as a county, being further subdivided into six sectors.

Etymology

Tradition connects the founding of Bucharest with the name of Bucur who was either a prince, an outlaw, a fisherman, a shepherd, or a hunter according to different legends. The name of Bucur has an uncertain origin.^[7] In Albanian, a language which has historical connections with the Thracian languages, 'bukur' signifies 'beautiful', in Romanian the word stem bucur means 'glad', 'joy'.

The official city name in full is The Municipality of Bucharest (Romanian: Municipiul Bucureşti).

A native or resident of Bucharest is called Bucharester (Romanian: Bucureştean)

History

Main article: History of Bucharest

Bucharest's history alternated periods of development and decline from the early settlements of the Antiquity and until its consolidation as capital of Romania late in the 19th century.

First mentioned as "the Citadel of Bucureşti" in 1459, it became a residence of the Wallachian prince Vlad III the Impaler. The Old Princely Court (Curtea Veche) was built by Mircea Ciobanul, and during following rules, Bucharest was established as the summer residence of the court, competing with Târgovişte for the status of capital after an increase in the importance of southern Muntenia brought about by the demands of the suzerain power, the Ottoman Empire.

Burned down by the Ottomans and briefly discarded by princes at the start of the 17th century, Bucharest was restored and continued to grow in size and prosperity. Its centre was around the street "Uliţa Mare", which starting 1589 was known as Lipscani. Before the 1700s, it became the most important trade centre of Wallachia and became a permanent location for the Wallachian court after 1698 (starting with the reign of Constantin Brâncoveanu).

Partly destroyed by natural disasters and rebuilt several times during the following 200 years, hit by Caragea's plague in 1813-1814, the city was wrested from Ottoman control and occupied at several intervals by the Habsburg Monarchy (1716, 1737, 1789) and Imperial Russia (three times between 1768 and 1806). It was placed under Russian administration between 1828 and the Crimean War, with an interlude during the Bucharest-centered 1848 Wallachian revolution, and an Austrian garrison took possession after the Russian departure (remaining in the city until March 1857). Additionally, on March 23, 1847, a fire consumed about 2,000 buildings of Bucharest, destroying a third of the city. The social divide between rich and poor was described at the time by Ferdinand Lassalle as making the city "a savage hotchpotch".

In 1861, when Wallachia and Moldavia were united to form the Principality of Romania, Bucharest became the new nation's capital; in 1881, it became the political center of the newly-proclaimed Kingdom of Romania. During the second half of the 19th century, due to its new status, the city's population increased dramatically, and a new period of urban development began. The extravagant architecture and cosmopolitan high culture of this period won Bucharest the nickname of "The Paris of the East" (or "Little Paris", Micul Paris), with Calea Victoriei as its Champs-Élysées or Fifth Avenue.

Between December 6, 1916 and November 1918, it was occupied by German forces, the legitimate capital being moved to Iaşi. After World War I, Bucharest became the capital of Greater Romania. In January 1941 it was the place of Legionnaires' rebellion and Bucharest pogrom. As the capital of an Axis country, Bucharest suffered heavy losses during World War II, due to Allied bombings, and, on August 23, 1944, saw the the royal coup which brought Romania into the anti-German camp, suffering a short but destructive period of Luftwaffe bombings in reprisal.

During Nicolae Ceauşescu's leadership (1965-1989), most of the historic part of the city was destroyed and replaced with Communist-style buildings, particularly high-rise apartment blocks. The best example of this is the development called Centrul Civic (the Civic Centre), including the Palace of the Parliament, where an entire historic quarter was razed to make way for Ceauşescu's megalomaniac constructions. In 1977, a strong 7.4 on the Richter-scale earthquake claimed 1,500 lives and destroyed many old buildings. Nevertheless, some historic neighbourhoods did survive to this day.

The Romanian Revolution of 1989 began with mass anti-Ceauşescu protests in Timişoara in December 1989 and continued in Bucharest, leading to the overthrow of the Communist regime. Dissatisfied with the post-revolutionary leadership of the National Salvation Front, student leagues and opposition groups organized large-scale protests continued in 1990 (the Golaniad), which were violently stopped by the miners of Valea Jiului (the Mineriad). Several other Mineriads followed, the results of which included a government change.

After the year 2000, due to the advent of Romania's economic boom, the city has modernised and is currently undergoing a period of urban renewal. Various residential and commercial developments are underway, particularly in the northern districts, while Bucharest's historic centre is currently undergoing restoration.

Treaties signed in Bucharest
Treaty of May 28, 1812, at the end of the Russo-Turkish War
Treaty of March 3, 1886, at the end of the Serbo-Bulgarian War
Treaty of August 10, 1913, at the end of the Second Balkan War
Treaty of August 4, 1916, the treaty of alliance between Romania and the Entente
Treaty of May 6, 1918, the treaty between Romania and the Central Powers

Geography

Main article: Geography of Romania

General Information

Bucharest is situated on the banks of the Dâmboviţa River, which flows into the Argeş River, a tributary of the Danube. Several lakes – the most important of which are Lake Floreasca, Lake Tei and Lake Colentina – stretch across the city, along the Colentina River, a tributary of the Dâmboviţa. In addition, in the centre of the capital there is a small artificial lake – Lake Cişmigiu – surrounded by the Cişmigiu Gardens. The Cişmigiu Gardens have a rich history, being frequented by famous poets and writers. Opened in 1847 and based on the plans of German architect Carl F.W. Meyer, the gardens are currently the main recreational facility in the city centre.

Besides Cişmigiu, Bucharest contains several other large parks and gardens, including Herăstrău Park and the Botanical Garden. Herăstrău is a large public park located in the north of the city, and the site of the Village Museum, while the Bucharest's botanical garden is the largest in Romania and contains over 10,000 species of plants, many of them exotic; it was once a pleasure park for the royal family.^[8]

Bucharest is situated in the south eastern corner of the Romanian Plain, in an area once covered by the Vlăsiei forest, which, after it was cleared, gave way to a fertile flatland. As with many cities, Bucharest is traditionally considered to have seven hills, in the tradition of the seven hills of Rome. Bucharest's seven hills are: Mihai Vodă, Dealul Mitropoliei, Radu Vodă, Cotroceni, Spirei, Văcăreşti and Sf. Gheorghe Nou.

The city has a total area of 226 square kilometres (87 sq mi). The altitude varies from 55.8 metres (183.1 ft) at the Dâmboviţa bridge in Căţelu, south-eastern Bucharest and 91.5 m (300.2 ft) at the Militari church. The city has a relatively round shape, with the centre situated approximately in the cross-way of the main north-south/east-west axes at the University Square. The milestone for Romanian's Kilometre Zero is placed just south of University Square in front of the New St. George Church (Sfântul Gheorghe Nou) at St. George Square (Piaţa Sfântul Gheorghe). Bucharest's radius, from University Square to the city limits in all directions, varies from about 10 to 12 km (6.25–7.5 mi).

Until recently, the regions surrounding Bucharest were largely rural, but after 1989, new suburbs started to be built around Bucharest, in the surrounding Ilfov county. Further urban consolidation is expected to take place when the Bucharest metropolitan area is formed in 2006, which will incorporate various communes and cities of Ilfov and surrounding counties.

Climate

Bucharest has a temperate continental climate. Due to its position on the Romanian Plain, the city's winters can get windy, even though some of the winds are mitigated due to urbanisation. Winter temperatures are often below 0 °C (32 °F), even though they rarely drop below −10 °C (14 °F). In summer, the average temperature is approximately 23 °C (73 °F) (the average for July and August), despite the fact that temperatures many times reach 35 °C (95 °F) to 40 °C (104 °F) in mid-summer in the city centre. Although average precipitation and humidity during summer is low, there are infrequent yet heavy and often violent storms. During spring and autumn, temperatures vary between 18 °C (64 °F) to 22 °C (72 °F), and precipitation during this time tends to be higher than in summer, with more frequent yet milder periods of rain.

Law and government

Administration

See also: Bucharest metropolitan area
Bucharest has a unique status in Romanian administration, since it is the only municipality that is not part of a county. Its population, however, is larger than that of any Romanian county, and hence the power of the Bucharest General City Hall (Primăria Generală), which is the city's local government body, is about the same as, if not greater than, that of Romanian county councils.
The city government is headed by a General Mayor (Primar General), currently (as of 2008) Sorin Oprescu. Decisions are approved and discussed by the General Council (Consiliu General) made up of 55 elected councillors. Furthermore, the city is divided into six administrative sectors (sectoare), each of which has their own 27-seat sectorial council, town hall and mayor. The powers of local government over a certain area are therefore shared by the Bucharest City Hall and the local sectorial councils with little or no overlapping of authority. The general rule is that the main City Hall is responsible for citywide utilities such as the water system, the transport system and the main boulevards, while sectorial town halls manage the contact between individuals and the local government, secondary streets, parks, schools and cleaning services.
The six sectors are numbered from one to six and are disposed radially so that each one has under its administration an area of the city center. They are numbered clockwise and are further divided into districts without any form of administration (cartiere):

Sector 1 with population in 2007 of 228,629 including: Dorobanţi, Băneasa, Aviaţiei, Pipera, Aviatorilor, Primăverii, Romană, Victoriei, Herăstrău Park, Bucureştii Noi, Dămăroaia, Strǎuleşti, Griviţa, 1 Mai, Băneasa Forest, Pajura, Domenii and a small part of Giuleşti - the part with Giuleşti Stadium
Sector 2 with population in 2007 of 359,107 including: Pantelimon, Colentina, Iancului, Tei, Floreasca, Moşilor, Obor, Vatra Luminoasă, Fundeni, Plumbuita, Ştefan cel Mare, Baicului
Sector 3 with population in 2007 of 394,812 including: Vitan, Dudeşti, Titan, Centrul Civic, Dristor, Lipscani, Muncii, Unirii
Sector 4 with population in 2007 of 301,172 including: Berceni, Olteniţei, Giurgiului, Progresul, Văcăreşti, Timpuri Noi, Tineretului
Sector 5 with population in 2007 of 287,480 including: Rahova, Ferentari, Giurgiului, Cotroceni, 13 Septembrie, Dealul Spirii
Sector 6 with population in 2007 of 360,638 including: Giuleşti, Crângaşi, Drumul Taberei, Militari, Grozǎveşti (also known as Regie), Ghencea

Like all other local councils in Romania, the Bucharest sectorial councils, the city's General Council and the mayors are elected every four years by the population. Additionally, Bucharest has a prefect, who is appointed by Romania's central government. The prefect is not allowed to be a member of a political party. The prefect's role is to represent the national government at local level, acting as a liaison and facilitating the implementation of National Development Plans and governing programmes at local level. The current prefect of Bucharest (as of 2007) is Călin Deaconescu.

The Municipality of Bucharest, along with the surrounding Ilfov county, forms the Bucharest development region, which is equivalent to NUTS-II regions in the European Union and is used by the European Union and the Romanian Government for statistical analysis and regional development. The Bucharest development region is not, however, an administrative entity.

Justice system

Bucharest's judicial system is similar to that of the Romanian counties. Each of the six sectors has their own local first instance court (judecătorie), while appeals from these courts' verdicts, and more serious cases, are directed to the Bucharest Tribunal, the city's municipal court. The Bucharest Court of Appeal judges appeals against decisions taken by tribunals in Bucharest and in five surrounding counties (Teleorman, Ialomiţa, Giurgiu, Călăraşi and Ilfov). Bucharest is also home to Romania's supreme court, the High Court of Cassation and Justice, as well as to the Constitutional Court of Romania.

Bucharest has its own municipal police force, the Bucharest Police (Poliţia Bucureşti), which is responsible for policing of crime within the whole city, and operates a number of special divisions. The Bucharest Police are headquartered on Ştefan cel Mare Blvd in the city centre, and has a number of precincts throughout the city. From 2004 onwards, each sector City Hall also has under its administration a Community Police force (Poliţia Comunitară), dealing with local community issues. Bucharest also houses the General Inspectorates of the Gendarmerie and the National Police.

Crime

Main article: Crime in Bucharest

Bucharest's crime rate is rather low in comparison to other East-European capital cities, with the number of total offences declining by 51% between 2000 and 2004.^[10] In particular, levels of violent crime remain very low, with 24 murders and 1069 other violent offences taking place in 2004.^[10] Although there have been a number of recent police crackdowns on organised crime gangs, such as the Cămătaru clan, organised crime generally has little impact on public life. Petty crime, however, is more common, particularly in the form of pickpocketing, which occurs mainly on the city's public transport network. Additionally, confidence tricks are sometimes common, especially in regards to tourists, even though the frequency of these tricks has declined in recent years. Levels of crime are higher in the southern districts of the city, particularly in Ferentari, a socially-disadvantaged area.

Although the presence of street children was a problem in Bucharest in the 1990s, their numbers have declined significantly in recent years, currently lying at or below the average of major European capital cities^[11]. The same is true for beggars and homeless people, many of them from the Roma minority. However, there are still an estimated 1,000 street children in the city,^[11] many of whom engage in petty crime and begging. There has also been speculation that the street children are recruited by professional underground networks for criminal purposes. From 2000 onwards, Bucharest has seen an increase in illegal road races which occur mainly at night in the city's outskirts or on industrial sites.

A significant problem in the city remains institutional corruption, which is seen as the most important justice-and-law related problem in the city.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Romania

Year	Population
Historical population of Bucharest
1789	30,030
1831	▲ 60,587
1859	▲ 122,000
1900	▲ 282,000
1918	▲ 383,000
December 29, 1930 census	▲ 633,355^[12]
January 25, 1948 census	▲ 1,025,180^[12]
February 21, 1956 census	▲ 1,177,661^[12]
March 15, 1966 census	▲ 1,366,684^[12]
January 5, 1977 census	▲ 1,807,239^[12]
July 1, 1990 estimate	▲ 2,127,194
January 7, 1992 census	▼ 2,067,545^[12]
March 18, 2002 census	▼ 1,926,334^[12]
July 1, 2005 estimate	▼ 1,924,959
January 1, 2006 estimate	▲ 1,930,390
July 1, 2006 estimate	▲ 1,931,236^[12]
July 1, 2007 estimate	▲ 1,931,838 ^[13]

The city's population, according to the 2002 census, is 1,926,334 inhabitants,^[12] or 8.9% of the total population of Romania. Additionally, there are about 50,000 people who commute to the city every day, mainly from the surrounding Ilfov county.

Bucharest's population experienced two phases of rapid growth, the first in the late 19th century, when the city grew in importance and size, and the second during the Communist period, when a massive urbanisation campaign was launched and many people migrated from rural areas to the capital. At this time, due to Ceauşescu's ban on abortion and contraception, natural increase was also significant.

Approximately 97% of the population of Bucharest are ethnic Romanians, with the second largest ethnic group being the Roma, which make up 1.4% of the population. Other significant ethnic groups are Hungarians (0.3%), Jews (0.1%), Turks (0,1%) and Germans (0,1%). Some other inhabitants of Bucharest are of Greek, Armenian, Lipovan and Italian descent. The Greeks and the Armenians used to play significant roles in the life of the city at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century. One the predominantly Greek neighbourhoods Vitan - where a Jewish population also lived; the latter was more present in Văcăreşti and areas around Unirii Square.

In terms of religion, 96.1% of the population are Romanian Orthodox, 1.2% are Roman Catholic, 0.5% are Muslim and 0.4% are Eastern Rite-Catholic. Despite this, only 24% of the population, of any religion, attend a place of worship once a week or more.^[14] The life expectancy of residents of Bucharest in 2003-2005 was 74.14 years, around 2 years higher than the Romanian average. Female life expectancy was 77.41 years, in comparison to 70.57 years for males.^[15]

Economy

Main article: Economy of Bucharest

Bucharest is the centre of the Romanian economy and Industry city in Romania, accounting for around 14.6% of the country's GDP and about one-quarter of its industrial production, while being inhabited by only 9% of the country's population.^[16] Almost one third of national taxes is paid by Bucharest's citizens and companies. In 2006, at purchasing power parity, Bucharest had a per-capita GDP of €19,800, or 83.8% that of the European Union average and more than twice the Romanian average.^[17] The city's strong economic growth has revitalised infrastructure and led to the development of many shopping malls and modern residential towers and high-rise office buildings. In September 2005, Bucharest had an unemployment rate of 2.6%, significantly lower than the national unemployment rate of 5.7%.^[18]

Bucharest's economy is mainly centred on industry and services, with services particularly growing in importance in the last ten years. The headquarters of 186,000 firms, including nearly all large Romanian companies are located in Bucharst.^[19] An important source for growth since 2000 has been the city's property and construction boom. Bucharest is also Romania's largest centre for information technology and communications and is home to several software companies operating offshore delivery centers. Romania's largest stock exchange, the Bucharest Stock Exchange, which was merged in December 2005 with the Bucharest-based electronic stock exchange Rasdaq plays a major role in the city's economy.

There are a number of major international supermarket chains such as Carrefour, Cora and METRO. At the moment, the city is undergoing a retail boom, with a large number of supermarkets, and hypermarkets, constructed every year. For more information, see supermarkets in Romania. A few of the largest and most modern shopping centres in Bucharest are Bucharest Mall, Plaza Romania, City Mall, Jolie Ville Galleria,Liberty Center and Unirea Shopping Center. There are also a large number of traditional retail arcades and markets; the one at Obor covers about a dozen city blocks and numerous large stores that are not officially part of the market effectively add up to a market district almost twice that size.

Bucharest is most importantly feeling the benefits of the new wealth due to the economic boom that it has seen for the recent years.^[20]

Transport

Main article: Transport in Bucharest

Public Transport

Bucharest's extensive public transport system is the largest in Romania and one of the largest in Europe. It is made up of the Bucharest Metro, as well as a surface transport system run by RATB (Regia Autonomă de Transport Bucureşti), which consists of buses, trams, trolleybuses, trams and light rail. In addition, there is a private minibus system. The metro and the surface transport system — used to be run by two separate state-owned corporations but have been merged in early 2007 to form the Bucharest Metropolitan Transport Authority. As of 2007, there is a limit of 10,000 taxicab licences ^[21], down from 25,000 in the 1990s, and the even higher demand is supplied by taxis registered in Ilfov county.

Air

The city is served by two airports: Henri Coandă International Airport (formerly Otopeni) and Aurel Vlaicu International Airport (formerly Băneasa). Henri Coandă is the largest airport in Romania with 5 million passengers in 2007 and the main hub for the national operator TAROM. Delta Air Lines serves Bucharest directly from JFK. It is also connected to several international airports by a wide range of international airlines. The smaller Aurel Vlaicu International Airport is used for charter flights and low-cost carriers.

Railways

Bucharest is the hub of Romania's national railway network, run by Căile Ferate Române. The main railway station is Gara de Nord, or North Station, which provides connections to all major cities in Romania as well as international destinations such as Belgrade, Budapest, Sofia, Vienna, Prague, Moscow, Istanbul, Chişinău, and many other European cities. The city also has five other railway stations run by CFR, most important are Basarab (in proximity of North Station), Obor, Baneasa, Progresu, which are in the process of being integrated in a commuter railway serving Bucharest and the surrounding Ilfov county.From the Bucharest depart 7 main line.

Infrastructure

The city's municipal road network is centred around a series of high-capacity boulevards, which generally radiate out from the city centre to the outskirts. The main axes, which run north-south, east-west and northwest-southeast, as well as one internal and one external ring road, support the bulk of the traffic. The city's roads are usually very crowded during rush hours, due to an increase in car ownership in recent years. Every day, there are more than one million vehicles travelling within the city.^[22] This has resulted in wear and potholes appearing on many Bucharest roads, particularly secondary roads, this being identified as one of Bucharest's main infrastructural problems. In recent years, there has been a comprehensive effort on behalf of the City Hall to boost road infrastructure and according to the general development plan, nearly 2000 roads are expected to be repaired by 2008.^[23]

Roads

Bucharest is also a major intersection of Romania's national road network. A few of the busiest national roads and motorways, link the city to all of Romania's major cities as well as to neighbouring countries such as Hungary, Bulgaria and Ukraine. The A1 to Pitesti and the A2, in Romanian "Autostrada Soarelui" to the Dobrogea region and Constanta both start from Bucharest. The planned A3 and A4 motorways will radiate from Voluntari, a town in the city's northern outskirts.

Water

Although it is situated on the banks of a river, Bucharest has never functioned as a port city, with other Romanian cities such as Constanţa and Galati acting as the country's main ports. However, the Danube-Bucharest Canal, which is 73 km (45 mi) long, is currently in construction and is around 60% completed.^{[citation needed]} When finished, the canal will link Bucharest to the Danube River and, via the Danube-Black Sea Canal, to the Black Sea. This corridor is expected to be a significant component of the city's transport infrastructure and increase sea traffic by a large margin.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Romania
Bucharest has a diverse and growing cultural scene, with cultural life exhibited in a number of various fields, including the visual arts, performing arts and nightlife. Unlike other parts of Romania, such as the Black Sea coast or Transylvania, Bucharest's cultural scene is much more eclectic, without a defined style, and instead incorporates various elements of Romanian and international culture. Bucharest has an eclectic mixture of elements from traditionally Romanian buildings to buildings that are influenced by French architects. It is because of this French influence that Bucharest was once called "the Paris of the East" or "Little Paris."

Landmarks

Bucharest has a number of landmark buildings and monuments. Perhaps the most prominent of these is the Palace of the Parliament, built in the 1980s during the reign of Communist dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu. Currently the largest building in Europe and the second-largest in the world, the Palace houses the Romanian Parliament (the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate), as well as the National Museum of Contemporary Art. The building also boasts one of the largest convention centres in the world.

Another well-known landmark in Bucharest is Arcul de Triumf (The Triumphal Arch), it was built in its current form in 1935 and modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. A newer landmark of the city is the Memorial of Rebirth, a stylized marble pillar unveiled in 2005 to commemorate the victims of the Romanian Revolution of 1989, which overthrew Communism. The abstract monument sparked a great deal of controversy when it was unveiled, being dubbed with names such as "the olive in the toothpick", ("măslina-n scobitoare"), as many argued that it does not fit in its surroundings and believed that its choice was based on political reasons.^[24]

The Romanian Athenaeum building is considered to be a symbol of Romanian culture and since 2007 is on the list of the Label of European Heritage sights.^[25]

Other cultural venues include the National Museum of Art, Museum of Natural History "Grigore Antipa", Museum of the Romanian Peasant (Muzeul Ţăranului Român), National History Museum, and the Military Museum.

Visual arts

In terms of visual arts, the city contains a number of museums featuring both classical and contemporary Romanian art, as well as selected international works. The National Museum of Art of Romania is perhaps the best-known of Bucharest museums. It is located in the former royal palace and features extensive collections of medieval and modern Romanian art, including works by renowned sculptor Constantin Brâncuşi, as well as a prominent international collection assembled by the former Romanian royal family.

Other, smaller museums, contain more specialised collections of works. The Zambaccian Museum, which is situated in the former home of Armenian-Romanian art collector Krikor H. Zambaccian contains works by many well-known Romanian artists as well as international artists such as Paul Cézanne, Eugène Delacroix, Henri Matisse, Camille Pissarro and Pablo Picasso.

The Gheorghe Tattarescu Museum contains portraits of Romanian revolutionaries in exile such as Gheorghe Magheru, Ştefan Golescu, Nicolae Bălcescu and allegorical compositions with revolutionary (Romania's rebirth, 1849) and patriotic (The Principalities' Unification, 1857) themes. The Theodor Pallady Museum is situated in one of the oldest surviving merchant houses in Bucharest and includes many works by Romanian painter Theodor Pallady as well as a number of European and Oriental furniture pieces. The Museum of Art Collections contains the collections of a number of well-known Romanian art aficionados, including Krikor Zambaccian and Theodor Pallady.

Despite the extensive classical art galleries and museums in the city, there is also a contemporary arts scene that has become increasingly prominent in recent times. The National Museum of Contemporary Art (MNAC), situated in a wing of the Palace of the Parliament, was opened in 2004 and contains a widespread collection of Romanian and international contemporary art, in a number of expressive forms. The MNAC also manages the Kalinderu MediaLab, which caters specifically to multimedia and experimental art. There is also a range of smaller, private art galleries throughout the city centre.

Performing arts

Performing arts are one of the strongest cultural elements of Bucharest, and the city has a number of world-renowned facilities and institutions. The most prominent is the neoclassical Romanian Athenaeum, which was founded in 1852, hosts classical music concerts, the George Enescu Festival, and is home to the "George Enescu" Philharmonic. Bucharest is also home to the Romanian National Opera, as well as the I.L. Caragiale National Theatre. Another well-known theatre in Bucharest is the State Jewish Theatre, which has gained increasing prominence in recent years due partly to the fact that it features plays starring world-renowned Romanian-Jewish actress Maia Morgenstern. There is also a large number of smaller theatres throughout the city that cater to specific genres, such as the Comedy Theatre, the Nottara Theatre, the Bulandra Theatre, the Odeon Theatre, and the Constantin Tănase Revue Theatre.

Music and nightlife

Bucharest is home to Romania's largest recording labels, and is often the residence of Romanian musicians. The city's music scene is quite eclectic. Many Romanian rock bands of the 1970s and 1980s, such as Iris and Holograf, continue to be popular, particularly with the middle-aged, while since the 1990s there has been growth in the boy band and hip hop genres. The eclectic pop-rock band Taxi have been gaining international respect, as has Spitalul de Urgenţă's raucous updating of traditional Romanian music. While many discos play manele, a Turkish-influenced type of music that is particularly popular in Bucharest's working class districts, the city has an increasing jazz and blues scene, and, to an extent, eurodance/trance and heavy metal/punk. Bucharest's jazz profile has especially risen since 2002, with the presence of two thriving venues, Green Hours and Art Jazz, as well as an American presence alongside established Romanians. The city's nightlife, particularly its club scene grew significantly in the 1990s, and continues to increase. The city does not have a central nightlife strip, with many entertainment venues dispersed throughout the city centre, with a cluster in the historical centre. One of the city's best known clubs is the Lăptăria Enache and the La Motoare, located above (on the rooftop of) the National Theatre, as well as^{[citation needed]} Fire Club and Club A. Most clubs and bars are located around the center of the city, from the Piaţa Unirii to Piaţa Romană. Also, a large concentration of rock clubs can be found in the Lipscani area, the old part of the city, in the vicinity of Piata Unirii. Another popular venue, especially among students from the Politehnica University campus, is Club Maxx, located on Splaiul Independentei No. 290.

The city also hosts some of the best electronic/house music clubs in Europe such as Bamboo and Kristal Glam Club. During the summer, Zoom Beach Club is an outdoor club on the shore of a lake and has two separate dance floors. The Office is one of the most exclusive clubs in Bucharest and has a long tradition in clubbing. One of the best cocktail clubs is Deja Vu situated on Balcescu Boulevard Near the Italian church. Other clubs are: Gaia, Fratelli, Glamour, Tipsy, Cotton Club, Pat, Studio Martin and Embryo.

Traditional culture

Bucharest's cultural life has, especially since the early 1990s, become colourful and worldly. Traditional Romanian culture, however, continues to have a major influence in arts such as theatre, film and music. Additionally, Bucharest has two internationally-renowned ethnographic museums, the Museum of the Romanian Peasant and the open-air Village Museum. The Village Museum, in Herăstrău Park, contains 272 authentic buildings and peasant farms from all over Romania. The Museum of the Romanian Peasant was declared the European Museum of the Year in 1996, and displays a rich collection of textiles (especially costumes), icons, ceramics, and other artifacts of Romanian peasant life.

The Museum of Romanian History is another important museum in Bucharest, containing a collection of artefacts detailing Romanian history and culture from the prehistoric times, Dacian era, medieval times and the modern era.

Cultural events and festivals

There are a number of cultural festivals in Bucharest throughout the year, in various domains, even though most festivals take place in the summer months of June, July and August. The National Opera organises the International Opera Festival every year in May and June, which includes ensembles and orchestras from all over the world. The Romanian Athaeneum Society hosts the George Enescu Classical Music Festival at various locations throughout the city in September every year. Additionally, the Museum of the Romanian Peasant and the Village Museum organise a number of events throughout the year showcasing Romanian folk arts and crafts.

In the 2000s, due to the growing prominence of the Chinese community in Bucharest, several Chinese cultural events have taken place. The first officially-organised Chinese festival was the Chinese New Year's Eve Festival of February 2005 which took place in Nichita Stănescu Park and was organised by the Bucharest City Hall.^[26] In 2005, Bucharest was the first city in Southeastern Europe to host the international CowParade, which resulted in dozens of decorated cow sculptures being placed at various points across the city.

Since 2005 Bucharest has its own contemporary art biennale, the Bucharest Biennale. The current (2006) issue (curated by Zsolt Pétranyi) will go on until the end of June, the next edition will be in 2008.

The 2000s also saw an increasing visibility of Bucharest gay culture, with the opening of the Queen's Club, the first LGBT club in the city, in 2001, and the launch of the annual Bucharest GayFest in 2004. The city's first gay pride parade was held as part of the 2005 GayFest.

Architecture

Bucharest's architecture is highly eclectic due to the many influences on the city throughout its history. The city centre is a mixture of medieval, neoclassical and art nouveau buildings, as well as 'neo-Romanian' buildings dating from the beginning of the 20th century and a remarkable collection of modern buildings from the 30s and 40s. The mostly-utilitarian Communist-era architecture dominates most neighborhoods. Recently built contemporary structures such as skyscrapers and office buildings complete the landscape.

Historical architecture

Of the city's medieval architecture, most of what survived into modern times was destroyed by the Communists and replaced by high-rise apartment blocks. Still, some historical precincts remain, the most notable of which is the Lipscani area. This precinct contains buildings such as Manuc's Inn and the ruins of the Curtea Veche (the Old Court of the King), and during the Middle Ages was the heart of Bucharest's commercial world. From the 1970s onwards, the area went through urban decline, and many historical buildings fell into disrepair. In 2005, the Lipscani area was entirely pedestrianised and is currently undergoing restoration.

The city centre has also retained architecture from the late 19th century and early 20th century, particularly the interwar period, which is often seen as the "golden age" of Bucharest architecture. During this time, the city grew significantly in size and sought to emulate other large European capitals such as Paris. Much of the architecture of the time belongs to a remarkably strong Modern (rationalist) Architecture current, led by Horia Creanga and Marcel Iancu, which managed to literally change the face of the city. Two notable buildings from this time are the Creţulescu Palace, currently housing cultural institutions including UNESCO's European Centre for Higher Education, and the Cotroceni Palace, the current residence of the Romanian President. Many large-scale constructions such as Gara de Nord, the main railway station, and the National Bank of Romania's headquarters, date from these times. In the 2000s, a wide variety of historic buildings in the city centre underwent restoration. In some residential areas of the city, particularly the high-income northern suburbs, there are many turn-of-the-century villas, most of which were restored after 2000.

Communist architecture

A major part of Bucharest's architecture is made up of buildings constructed during the Communist era replacing the historical architecture with "more efficient" high density apartment blocks - one-fifth of the city was demolished only for constructing the third largest building in the world: Casa Poporului - Palace of the Parliament. In Nicolae Ceauşescu's project of systematization many new buildings were built in previously-historical areas, which were razed and then built upon from scratch. One of the best examples of this type of architecture is Centrul Civic, a development that replaced a major part of Bucharest's historic city centre with giant utilitarian buildings, mainly with marble or travertine façades, inspired by North Korean architecture. Communist-era architecture can also be found in Bucharest's residential districts, mainly in blocuri, which are high-density apartment blocks that house the majority of the city's population.

Since the fall of Communism in 1989, several Communist-era buildings have been refurbished, modernised and used for other purposes. Perhaps the best example of this is the conversion of several agro-alimentary complexes into shopping malls and commercial centres. These giant circular halls, which were most often known as hunger circuses due to the food shortages experienced in the 1980s, were constructed during the Ceauşescu era to act as produce markets and refectories, although most were left unfinished at the time of the Revolution. Modern shopping malls like Bucharest Mall, Plaza Romania and City Mall emerged on pre-existent structures of former hunger circuses. Another example is the modernisation and conversion of a large utilitarian construction in Centrul Civic into a Marriott Hotel. This process was accelerated after 2000, when the city underwent a property boom, and many Communist-era buildings in the city centre became prime real estate due to their location. In recent years, many Communist-era apartment blocks have also been refurbished to improve the city's urban appearance.

Contemporary architecture

The newest contribution to Bucharest's architecture took place after the fall of Communism, and particularly after 2000, when the city went through a period of urban renewal – and architectural revitalization – on the back of Romania's economic boom. Buildings from this time are mostly made out of glass and steel, and often have more than fifteen storeys. Examples include shopping malls (particularly the Bucharest Mall, a conversion and extension of an abandoned building), office buildings, bank headquarters, the Bucharest World Trade Center and the Chamber of Commerce, which lies on the banks of the Dâmboviţa. As of 2005, there is a significant number of office buildings in construction, particularly in the northern and eastern parts of the city. Additionally, there has been a trend in recent years to add modern wings and façades to historic buildings, the most prominent example of which is the Bucharest Architects' Association Building, which is a modern glass-and-steel construction built inside a historic stone façade. Aside from buildings used for business and institutions, various new residential developments are currently underway, many of which consist of modern high-rise buildings with a glass exterior, surrounded by American-style residential communities. These developments are increasingly prominent in the northern suburbs of the city, which are less densely-populated and are home to middle- and upper-class Bucharesters due to the process of gentrification.

Media

Bucharest is the most important centre for Romanian mass media, since it is the headquarters of all the national television networks as well as national newspapers and radio stations. The largest daily newspapers in Bucharest include Evenimentul Zilei, Jurnalul Naţional, Cotidianul, România Liberă, Adevărul, Gardianul and Gândul. During the rush hours, tabloid newspapers Libertatea and Ziarul are very popular for commuters.

A significant number of newspapers and media publications are based in Casa Presei Libere (The House of the Free Press) a landmark of northern Bucharest, originally named Casa Scânteii after the Communist-era official newspaper Scînteia. Casa Presei Libere is not the only Bucharest landmark that grew out of the media and communications industry. Palatul Telefoanelor ("the telephone palace") was the first major modernist building on Calea Victoriei in the city's center, and the massive, unfinished communist-era Casa Radio looms over a park a block away from the Opera.

English-language media became available in Bucharest in the 1990s, and has become increasingly prominent since 2000. There are two daily English-language newspapers, Bucharest Daily News and Nine O' Clock, as well as numerous other magazines. A number of publications in other languages are also available, such as the Hungarian-language daily Új Magyar Szó.

Observator Cultural covers the city's arts, and the free weekly Şapte Seri ("Seven Evenings") and B24FUN lists entertainments of all sorts. The city is also home to the intellectual journal Dilema and the satire magazine Academia Caţavencu, as well as the usual array of commercial magazines one would find in any European capital.

Bucharest was the host city of the fourth edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2006.

Universities

Sports

Football (soccer) is the most widely-followed sport in Bucharest, with the city having various club teams that are known throughout Europe. Four football teams of Bucharest participate in Liga 1 (League 1), formerly Divizia A, the top division in the Romanian football league:

Club	Founded	Stadium	Notes
FC Sportul Studenţesc	1916	Regie Stadium	Oldest established local team Playing in the 2nd League from 2006 to present
FC Rapid	1923	Giuleşti Stadium	The first Romanian team in a European cup final (Mitropa Cup, 1940, was not played because of World War II) The only team to win 6 times in a row the Romanian Cup (1936-1942) Won the Romanian Championship 3 times, the Romanian Cup 13 times, and the Romanian SuperCup 4 times.
Progresul Bucuresti	1944	Cotroceni Stadium	Playing in the 2nd League from 2007 to present
FC Steaua	1947	Ghencea Stadium	Winner of the 1986 European Champion Clubs Cup and European Super Cup Won the Romanian Championship 23 times, the Romanian Cup 20 times, and the Romanian SuperCup 5 times.
FC Dinamo	1948	Dinamo Stadium	The first Romanian team to participate in European Champion Clubs Cup (1956) The first Romanian team to reach the semifinals of the European Champion Clubs Cup (1983-1984 season) Won the Romanian Championship 18 times, and the Romanian Cup 12 times

The Lia Manoliu Stadium is the largest stadium in Romania (capacity: 60,120). Also there are sport centers, like Dinamo Sports Park, Ghencea Stadium and the National Sports Center.

There are also a number of sport clubs for ice hockey, rugby union, basketball, handball, water polo and volleyball. The majority of Romanian track and field athletes, boxers, and a great number of gymnasts are affiliated with clubs in Bucharest. The Athletics and many Gymnastics National Championships are held in Bucharest, one main reason being the city's extensive sporting infrastructure.

Every autumn, Bucharest hosts BCR Open Romania international tennis tournament, which is included in the ATP Tour. Also, the Romanian Davis Cup Team usually plays its matches in Bucharest, either outdoors at the BNR Arena or indoor at the Sala Polivalentă. Ice hockey games are held at the Mihai Flamaropol hall, which holds 8,000 spectators.

For the 2007 season, Bucharest hosted for the first time a round of the FIA GT Championship at the new Bucharest Ring, on May 20. It is now known as the Bucharest City Challenge^[27].

Portrayal in film and fiction

The Dean's December a novel by Nobel Prize winner Saul Bellow is set in communist Bucharest as well as Chicago
The American novel The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova focuses on Romanian history and the story of Dracula, following one of the main characters who travels to Bucharest and Romania during the 1930s.
The British writer Olivia Manning set part of her Fortunes of War novel series in Bucharest during World War II.
The stories in Philip O Ceallaigh's "Notes From A Turkish Whorehouse" portray life in Bucharest in the immediate post-communist period.
The American-produced Romanian-language documentary Children Underground (2001) ^[28] portrays the lives of homeless children in Bucharest.
The James Bond video game "Agent Under Fire" features two driving levels through the city of Bucharest.
The Romanian-language film Filantropica ("Philanthropy", 2002) ^[29] gives a satiric portrayal of the city and of many strata of its life.
The English-language film The Wild Dogs (2002) ^[30] gives a more uniformly bleak portrait of the city.
The English-dubbed film Entre chiens et loups (2002) ^[31] features various parts of the city, suburbs & night-spots as a backdrop to a French action movie.
Wesley Snipes starred in 7 Seconds (2005), an action flick filmed entirely on location in Bucharest.^[32] The film features the city's varied architecture.
Historic Communist Bucharest was depicted in Jack Chick's first comic book, "Operation Bucharest", first published in 1974. It is loosely based on a Baptist Ministry called "Couriers For Christ" based there.
The film adaptation of the novel Blood and Chocolate was set in Bucharest.
The French film 'Ils' (2006) was set in Bucharest, based on real events.^[33]
The 1991 vampire film Subspecies, which was produced by Full Moon Features, was the first American film to be filmed in Bucharest.^[34]
An episode of MacGyver ("Humanity"; Season 6, airdate September 24, 1990) took place in Bucharest.
The opening of the French movie District 13 (Banlieue 13) was filmed in Bucharest. When the film started it can be seen an entrance of an apartment building, with Romanian numbered marks above it and a Romanian intercom system which secure the entrance.
Two episodes (season 22, episodes 69 and 70) of The Bill (a British television police procedural) took place in Bucharest.
Much of the action of the BBC TV series The Last Enemy was filmed in Bucharest.
The upcoming film Adam Resurrected^[35] was entirely filmed in Bucharest.
The 2002 German, Romanian, and French film Amen. directed by Costa-Gavras was entirely filmed in Bucharest.
The 2006 horror film An American Haunting written and directed by Courtney Solomon was filmed in Bucharest.
The 2008 film Anaconda 3: The Offspring was partially filmed in Bucharest.
The upcoming film Anaconda 4: Trail of Blood^[36] was partially filmed in Bucharest.
Several action films starring Steven Seagal: Attack Force, Black Dawn, Shadow Man and Flight of Fury were filmed in Bucharest.

Sister cities

Bucharest has 16 sister cities, including Istanbul, Budapest, London, Moscow, Sofia and the 10 below:

Country	City	Date
Brazil	São Paulo	2000
Canada	Montreal	^{[citation needed]}
China	Beijing	2005
Cyprus	Nicosia	2004
Greece	Athens	1993
Jordan	Amman	1999
Republic of Moldova	Chişinău
Turkey	Ankara	1998
United States	Atlanta	1994
Syria	Damascus
Nigeria	Lagos