Misplaced Pages

#114885

107-697: As of September 2023, there are roughly 185 km (115 mi) in service: the Bucharest – Ploiești motorway (62.5 km), the Râșnov – Cristian segment (6.3 km), the Târgu Mureș – Chețani segment (36.1 km), the Câmpia Turzii – Nădășelu segment (61.2 km) and the Biharia – Borș segment (5.4 km). In January 2015, the motorway section between Târgu Mureș – Câmpia Turzii

214-510: A humid continental climate ( Dfa by the 0 °C isotherm), or a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen : Cfa by the -3 °C isotherm), with hot, humid summers and cold, snowy winters. Owing to its position on the Romanian Plain, the city's winters can get windy, though some of the winds are mitigated due to urbanisation. Winter temperatures often dip below 0 °C (32 °F), sometimes even to −10 °C (14 °F). In summer,

321-510: A community police force ( Poliția Comunitară ), dealing with local community issues. Bucharest also houses the general inspectorates of the Gendarmerie and the national police . Bucharest's crime rate is rather low in comparison to other European capital cities, with the number of total offences declining by 51% between 2000 and 2004, and by 7% between 2012 and 2013. Bucharest, along with Cluj-Napoca , Timișoara , Brașov and Iași ,

428-506: A cost of 179.8 million lei (excluding VAT). The Târgu Mureș – Ogra lot 2 (between Ungheni – Ogra, 10.1 km) was awarded to the joint-venture between Strabag and Straco Grup, for a cost of 251.3 million lei (excluding VAT). The Ogra – Câmpia Turzii lot 1 (between Ogra – Iernut, 3.6 km) was awarded to the joint-venture Geiger Transilvania - Wilhelm Geiger GmbH & Co. KG, for a cost of 55.8 million lei (excluding VAT). The Ogra – Câmpia Turzii lot 2 (between Iernut – Chețani, 17.9 km)

535-590: A failed attempt by German troops to regain the city. After the establishment of communism in Romania , the city continued growing. New districts were constructed, most of them dominated by tower blocks . During Nicolae Ceaușescu 's leadership (1965–89), a part of the historic city was demolished and replaced by ' Socialist realism ' style development: (1) the Centrul Civic (the Civic Centre) and (2)

642-457: A fisherman, a shepherd or a hunter, according to different legends. In Romanian , the word stem bucurie means 'joy' ('happiness'), hence the city Bucharest means 'city of joy'. Other etymologies are given by early scholars, including the one of an Ottoman traveller, Evliya Çelebi , who claimed that Bucharest was named after a certain 'Abu-Kariș', from the tribe of ' Bani-Kureiș '. In 1781, Austrian historian Franz Sulzer claimed that it

749-419: A length of 51.8 km, was tendered in 2014, and for four out of five lots, contracts have been signed at the end of February and early March 2015. Construction was set to take between 12 and 16 months, depending on the lot. The Târgu Mureș – Ogra lot 1 (between Târgu Mureș – Ungheni, 4.5 km of motorway and 4.7 km of connecting road) was awarded to the joint-venture Lemacons - Vega 93 - Arcada Company, for

856-531: A relatively settlement-free section of the parallel national road DN1 . Works on the Comarnic – Brașov section, the most difficult segment of the motorway, were due to begin in 2010 and take around four years to complete, but the French – Greek consortium Vinci – Aktor denounced the contract and construction was canceled. Total construction cost of this section was estimated at 1.2 billion euro. The segment

963-522: A roughly round shape, with the centre situated in the cross-way of the main north–south/east-west axes at University Square . The milestone for Romania'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 (Piața Sfântul Gheorghe). Bucharest's radius, from University Square to the city limits in all directions, varies from 10 to 12 km (6 to 7 mi). Until recently,

1070-530: A socially disadvantaged area. Although the presence of street children was a problem in Bucharest in the 1990s, their numbers have declined in recent years, now lying at or below the average of major European capital cities. As stated by the Mercer international surveys for quality of life in cities around the world, Bucharest occupied the 94th place in 2001 and slipped lower, to the 108th place in 2009 and

1177-618: A study published by the United Nations, Bucharest placed 19th among 28 cities that recorded sharp declines in population from 1990 to the mid-2010s. In particular, the population fell by 3.77%. The city's population, according to the 2002 census, was 1,926,334 inhabitants, or 8.9% of the total population of Romania. A significant number of people commute to the city every day, mostly from the surrounding Ilfov County, but official statistics regarding their numbers do not exist. Bucharest's population experienced two phases of rapid growth,

SECTION 10

#1732775402115

1284-545: A unique habitat. In May 2016, the lake was declared a national park, the Văcărești Nature Park . Dubbed the 'Delta of Bucharest', the area is protected. Bucharest is situated in the center of the Romanian Plain, in an area once covered by the Vlăsiei Forest, which after it was cleared, gave way for a fertile flatland. As with many cities, Bucharest is traditionally considered to be built upon seven hills, similar to

1391-546: A unique status in Romanian administration, since it is the only municipal area that is not part of a county . Its population, however, is larger than that of any other Romanian county , hence the power of the Bucharest General Municipality ( Primăria Generală ), which is the capital's local government body, is the same as any other Romanian county council. The Municipality of Bucharest, along with

1498-508: Is 1.4 billion lei (excluding VAT), having the same terms for projection & construction as that of the Zimbor – Poarta Sălajului segment. By the end of 2020, the last remaining segments of this section have been tendered: Poarta Sălajului − Zalău − Nușfalău (41 km) and Suplacu de Barcău − Chiribiș (26.35 km). In January 2021, construction began on the Nădăşelu - Mihăieşti segment and

1605-467: Is a beta global city , a major cultural, political and economic hub, and the country's seat of government. Bucharest was first mentioned in documents in 1459. The city became the capital in 1862 and is the centre of Romanian media, culture, and art. Its architecture is a mix of historical (mostly Eclectic , but also Neoclassical and Art Nouveau ), interbellum ( Bauhaus , Art Deco , and Romanian Revival architecture ), socialist era , and modern . In

1712-561: Is a city of high population density : 8,260/km (21,400/sq mi), as most of the population lives in high-density communist era apartment blocks ( blocuri ). However, this also depends on the part of the city: the southern boroughs have a higher density than the northern ones. Of the European Union country capital-cities, only Paris and Athens have a higher population density (see List of European Union cities proper by population density ). In addition to blocks of flats built during

1819-410: Is administratively known as the 'Municipality of Bucharest' ( Romanian : Municipiul București ), and has the same administrative level as that of a national county , being further subdivided into six sectors , each governed by a local mayor. The Romanian name București has an unverified origin. Tradition connects the founding of Bucharest with the name of Bucur , who was a prince, an outlaw,

1926-421: Is governed by a local mayor, as follows: Sector 1 – Clotilde Armand ( USR , since 2020), Sector 2 – Radu Mihaiu ( USR , since 2020), Sector 3 – Robert Negoiță (PRO B, since 2012), Sector 4 – Daniel Băluță ( PSD , since 2016), Sector 5 – Vlad Popescu Piedone (former mayor Cristian Popescu Piedone's son) (PUSL, since 2024), Sector 6 – Ciprian Ciucu ( PNL , since 2020). Like all other local councils in Romania,

2033-586: Is headed by a general mayor ( Primar General ). Since 29 October 2020 onwards, it is Nicușor Dan , currently an independent politician previously backed by the PNL - USR PLUS centre-right alliance at the 2020 Romanian local elections . Decisions are approved and discussed by the capital's General Council ( Consiliu General ) made up of 55 elected councilors. Furthermore, the city is divided into six administrative sectors ( sectoare ), each of which has its own 27-seat sectoral council, town hall, and mayor. The powers of

2140-550: Is listed as 'endangered' by the World Monuments Watch (as of 2016). Although many neighbourhoods, particularly in the southern part of the city, lack sufficient green space, being formed of cramped, high-density blocks of flats, Bucharest also has many parks . In 2024, Bucharest was ranked by the digital publication Freaking Nomads as the 9th best city in the world for digital nomads , due to its elaborate and diverse architecture, an arts scene featuring some of

2247-406: Is located in the southern part of the city. Over 190 hectares, including 90 hectares of water, host 97 species of birds, half of them protected by law, and at least seven species of mammals. The lake is surrounded by buildings of flats and is an odd result of human intervention and nature taking its course. The area was a small village that Ceaușescu attempted to convert into a lake. After demolishing

SECTION 20

#1732775402115

2354-463: Is more common, particularly in the form of pickpocketing , which occurs mainly on the city's public transport network. Confidence tricks were common in the 1990s, especially in regards to tourists, but the frequency of these incidents has since declined. Theft was reduced by 13.6% in 2013 compared to 2012. Levels of crime are higher in the southern districts of the city, particularly in Ferentari ,

2461-513: Is worth 28.5 million euro and has the deadline in 19 months. The same month, the lot 1 was awarded to the same company, but the bid was challenged and the result was still expected. In March 2019, additional segments were tendered: Nădășelu – Mihăiești – Zimbor (30.1 km), Zimbor – Poarta Sălajului (12.2 km) and Nușfalău – Suplacu de Barcău (13.6 km). In June 2019, two more contracts were awarded: Suplacu de Barcău – Chiribiș (26.35 km) and Chiribiș – Biharia (28.55 km). However,

2568-529: The Afro-Romanians ), Iranians, Vietnamese, Filipinos, Nepalis, Afghans, Sri Lankans, Bangladeshis, Pakistanis, and Indians. 226,943 people did not declare their ethnicity. Voluntari Voluntari ( Romanian pronunciation: [volunˈtarʲ] ) is a town in Ilfov County , Muntenia , Romania . It is located at a distance of 1 km from the northern border of Bucharest (on

2675-764: The Biharia − Borș segment (5.4 km, near the border with Hungary) in December 2018, the Chiribiș − Biharia segment (28.6 km) in June 2020, and the Zimbor – Poarta Sălajului segment (12.2 km) on the same month. Several other segments are still pending to be awarded. Furthermore, on the Comarnic − Brașov section (58.0 km), the 5.2 km segment between Comarnic South – Comarnic North has been re-tendered in August 2020. This motorway section (also called

2782-498: The Bucharest – Ploiești section (62 km), the Ploiești – Comarnic section (48.6 km) and the Comarnic – Brașov section (58 km). Works on the Bucharest – Ploiești section started on 15 March 2007 and were due to be completed by October 2012. The first segment, between Bucharest – Moara Vlăsiei (19.5 km), was built as a six-lane set of carriageways to accommodate commuting and holiday surplus traffic. It

2889-558: The Constitutional Court of Romania . Bucharest has a municipal police force, the Bucharest Police ( Poliția București ), which is responsible for policing crime within the whole city, and operates a number of divisions. The Bucharest Police are headquartered on Ștefan cel Mare Blvd. in the city centre, and at precincts throughout the city. From 2004 onwards, each sector city hall also has under its administration

2996-448: The DN2 road towards Urziceni ) and is thus frequently viewed as a suburb of Bucharest. The population is 47,366 inhabitants according to the 1 December 2021 census , with an ethnic composition, among those for whom data are available, of 94.8% Romanians , 1.3% Romani , 0.9% Chinese , 0.5% Turks , and 2.5% of other ethnic groups. The low price of land, the proximity to Bucharest, and

3103-676: The Mastercard Global Index of Urban Destinations. As for the past two consecutive years, 2018 and 2019, Bucharest ranked as the European destination with the highest potential for development according to the same study. Economically, Bucharest is the most prosperous city in Romania and the richest capital and city in the region, having surpassed Budapest since 2017. The city has a number of large convention facilities, educational institutes, cultural venues, traditional 'shopping arcades' and recreational areas. The city proper

3210-656: The Palace of the Parliament , for which an entire historic quarter was razed to make way for Ceaușescu's megalomaniac plans. On 4 March 1977, an earthquake centred in Vrancea , about 135 km (83.89 mi) away, claimed 1,500 lives and caused further damage to the historic centre. The Romanian Revolution of 1989 began with massive anti-Ceaușescu protests in Timișoara in December 1989 and continued in Bucharest, leading to

3317-494: The Social Democrat Prime-Minister Adrian Năstase without an open bidding process, invoking " national security " as an excuse. The estimated construction cost was 2.8 billion € in 2003 and it rose to 4.7 billion € in a 2007 estimate. Although officially the deadline was set for 2013, the final cost and finalization date remained unknown. As per the Romanian ministry of transportation, Anca Boagiu,

A3 motorway (Romania) - Misplaced Pages Continue

3424-609: The homicide rate of Bucharest was 0,8 per 100,000 people. Crime in Bucharest is combated by national forces, such as the Romanian Police and Romanian Gendarmerie , and by local forces, such as the Local Police of Bucharest. Although in the 2000s, a number of police crackdowns on organised crime gangs occurred, such as the Cămătaru clan, organised crime generally has little impact on public life. Petty crime, however,

3531-411: The urban area , the proposed metropolitan area of Bucharest would have a population of 2.3 million people. In 2020, the government used 2.5 million people as the basis for pandemic reports. Bucharest is the eighth largest city in the European Union by population within city limits. In 2017, Bucharest was the European city with the highest growth of tourists who stay over night, according to

3638-664: The "Snow Motorway") will cross the Carpathian Mountains along the Prahova Valley (the Comarnic – Brașov segment is considered the most difficult section to be built). It will also provide access to the future Terminal 2 of the Henri Coandă Airport and to the future Bucharest – Chișinău motorway, via the Ploiești South-East ( Dumbrava ) interchange. It was split into three larger sections:

3745-465: The 107th place in 2010. Compared to it, Vienna occupied number one worldwide in 2011 and 2009. Warsaw ranked 84th, Istanbul 112th, and neighbours Sofia 114th and Belgrade 136th (in the 2010 rankings). Mercer Human Resource Consulting issues yearly a global ranking of the world's most livable cities based on 39 key quality-of-life issues. Among them: political stability, currency-exchange regulations, political and media censorship, school quality, housing,

3852-549: The Bucharest Tribunal ( Tribunalul Bucureşti ), the city's municipal court. The Bucharest Court of Appeal ( Curtea de Apel Bucureşti ) judges appeals against decisions taken by first-instance courts and tribunals in Bucharest and in five surrounding counties (Teleorman, Ialomița, Giurgiu, Călărași, and Ilfov). Bucharest is also home to Romania's supreme court, the High Court of Cassation and Justice , as well as to

3959-417: The Bucharest sectoral councils, the capital'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 national government. The prefect is not allowed to be a member of a political party and his role is to represent the national government at the municipal level. The prefect is acting as a liaison official facilitating

4066-639: The CNADNR, and was awarded again in November 2017, to the Austrian company Strabag. However, the bid was challenged in court and it was not signed (with the Austrian contractor) until the end of May 2020. The contract is worth 39 million euro (not including VAT) and is supposed to take 18 months to complete. This segment finally opened on 6 December 2021. On December 12, 2018, the Târgu Mureș – Ogra lot 2 and

4173-536: The Chiribiş - Biharia section. The contract for the Chiribiş-Biharia section was canceled due was terminated in may 2022 because the construction slow progress and problems with claims. On 19 February 2021, the submission of applications for the award procedure of Poarta Sălajului − Zalău − Nușfalău section took place, 12 companies applied, from which CNAIR will only choose 6 for the actual tender As of July 2020,

4280-461: The Comarnic Sud – Comarnic Nord section had been canceled by February 2017, as the only bid was not in accordance with the terms. In October 2018, the motorway Ploiești – Comarnic – Brașov (around 100 km) was once again tendered , as a public–private partnership , that would take 24 years and have an estimated cost of 1.36 billion euro. The Romanian state would contribute with 25%, while

4387-536: The Ogra – Câmpia Turzii lot 1 opened to traffic for a continuous motorway segment of 13.7 km between Ungheni and Iernut, while the Ogra – Câmpia Turzii lot 2 (17.9 km, between Iernut – Chețani) opened on 18 September 2020. On the other hand, the contract for the Ogra – Câmpia Turzii lot 3 was terminated in March 2021, due to the slow construction progress and insolvent status of the constructor. On December 15, 2023,

A3 motorway (Romania) - Misplaced Pages Continue

4494-665: The Petricani Street (near 44°28′43″N 26°07′31″E  /  44.47861°N 26.12528°E  / 44.47861; 26.12528 ), crosses over the Balta Saulei Lake, intersects the Gherghiței Street with a second roundabout (near 44°28′43″N 26°08′16″E  /  44.47861°N 26.13778°E  / 44.47861; 26.13778 ), then continues northbound, crossing over the CFR Line 800 ,

4601-487: The Petricani Street to the Bucharest Ring Road was opened on 14 December 2018. The media has highlighted the facts that the motorway ends with a stoplight and it has a roundabout on its route, something unique in Romania, and widely regarded this segment as an "urban motorway". The Ploiești – Comarnic section has been in pre-feasibility phase and its profitability is being considered. It is complemented by

4708-738: The Popasului Street (in Voluntari , where it has a diamond interchange near 44°29′33″N 26°08′57″E  /  44.49250°N 26.14917°E  / 44.49250; 26.14917 ) and the Bucharest Ring Road, as well as the railroad again. On the Popasului Street ( Voluntari ) – Bucharest Ring Road segment (4 km) works have started in April 2012, whereas on the Petricani Street (Bucharest) – Popasului Street (Voluntari) segment (2.5 km) works have constantly been delayed, partly because of remaining unfinished expropriations, until

4815-554: The River Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater metropolitan area of 2.3 million residents, which makes Bucharest the 8th most-populous city in the European Union . The city area measures 240 km (93 sq mi) and comprises 6 districts ( Sectoare ), while the metropolitan area covers 1,811 km (699 sq mi). Bucharest

4922-466: The Romanian company Trameco, part of the Selina Group, but this was challenged and only as of June 2020, the contract has been signed with that specific company. It should take 6 months for projection and 18 months for construction, being valued at 67.5 million euro. In December 2018, it was announced that the contract for the lot 3 was signed with a joint-venture led by the same company, Trameco. It

5029-524: The Russian departure (remaining in the city until March 1857). On 23 March 1847, a fire consumed about 2,000 buildings, destroying a third of the city. In 1862, after Wallachia and Moldavia were united to form the Principality of Romania , Bucharest became the new nation's capital city. In 1881, it became the political centre of the newly proclaimed Kingdom of Romania under King Carol I . During

5136-724: The Râșnov - Cristian segment was opened. This motorway segment, known as the Transylvania Motorway ( Romanian : Autostrada Transilvania ), was split into three parts, with several subsections: the Brașov ( Cristian ) – Târgu Mureș ( Ogra ) segment (160.1 km), the Târgu Mureș ( Ogra ) – Cluj-Napoca West ( Gilău ) segment (89.7 km) and the Cluj-Napoca West ( Gilău ) – Oradea West ( Borș ) segment (165.5 km). The segments in service of this section of

5243-655: The Suplacu de Barcău – Oradea West ( Borș ) segment, with 17 km planned to be opened on 15 November 2012 and other 18 km on 30 August 2013. However, not much progress was visible on this segment by August 2012, and the bridge across the Someșul Mic river, part of the Câmpia Turzii – Cluj-Napoca West (Gilău) segment, was also yet to be built. In May 2013, the contract with the Bechtel Corporation

5350-512: The average high temperature is 29.8 °C (85.6 °F) (the average for July and August). Temperatures frequently reach 35 to 40 °C (95 to 104 °F) in midsummer in the city centre. Although average precipitation in summer is moderate, occasional heavy storms occur. During spring and autumn, daytime temperatures vary between 17 and 22 °C (63 and 72 °F), and precipitation during spring tends to be higher than in summer, with more frequent yet milder periods of rain. Bucharest has

5457-537: The city has been experiencing an economic and cultural boom. It is one of the fastest-growing high-tech cities in Europe, according to the Financial Times , CBRE , TechCrunch , and others. In 2016, the historical city centre was listed as 'endangered' by the World Monuments Watch . In January 2023, there were 1.74 million inhabitants living within the city limits, and adding the satellite towns around

SECTION 50

#1732775402115

5564-614: The city was hit by Caragea's plague . The city was wrested from Ottoman influence 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-centred 1848 Wallachian revolution . Later, an Austrian garrison took possession after

5671-622: The city was the scene of the Legionnaires' rebellion and Bucharest pogrom . As the capital of an Axis country and a major transit point for Axis troops en route to the Eastern Front , Bucharest suffered heavy damage during World War II due to Allied bombings . On 23 August 1944, Bucharest was the site of the royal coup which brought Romania into the Allied camp. The city suffered a short period of Nazi Luftwaffe bombings, as well as

5778-655: The communist era, there are also older interwar ones, as well as newer ones built in the 1990s and in the 21st century. Although apartment buildings are strongly associated with the communist era, such housing schemes were first introduced in Bucharest in the 1920s. About 97.3% of the population of Bucharest for whom data are available is Romanian . Other significant ethnic groups are Romani , Hungarians, Turks, Jews , Germans (mostly Regat Germans ), Chinese, Russians, Ukrainians, and Italians. A relatively small number of Bucharesters are also Greeks , Armenians, Kurds, Bulgarians, Albanians, Poles, French, Arabs, Africans (including

5885-401: The contract 67.5 million euro, with 6 months allowed for the projection and 18 months for the construction. In June 2020, the contract for the Zimbor – Poarta Sălajului segment (12.2 km) was signed with the Romanian company Spedition UMB , for about 140 million euro and a term of 12 months for projection and 24 months for construction. In September 2020, this was followed by the signing of

5992-405: The contract and take one year and a half to complete. The segment would act as a bypass for Cluj-Napoca , the second most populous city in the country, on the route towards Zalău and Baia Mare . The contract was reportedly terminated in June 2013, before any construction works started, but works began in the summer of 2014, with an expected opening date in April 2016. As of April 2017, the segment

6099-558: The contract for the Nușfalău – Suplacu de Barcău segment (13.6 km) with the Turkish company Nurol (costing 384 million lei (excluding VAT), with a term of 6 months for projection and another 18 for construction), later being followed by the signing of the contract for the Nădășelu – Mihăiești – Zimbor segment (30.1 km) with a joint-venture led by Spedition UMB. The value of this contract

6206-511: The contract was finally terminated in February 2015. In December 2015, the construction works of the first 3.3 km of the motorway, the Bucharest Ring Road junction and the still under construction Moara Vlăsiei exit were awarded to the joint-venture between Aktor and EuroConstruct Trading '98, for a cost of 129.2 million lei. They were planned to be completed by 2018, but the progress remained slow as of June that year. The entire segment from

6313-413: The contract was reportedly close to being terminated. In August 2018, the same subsection were auctioned for the third time, with some of the winners of the bids still pending to be awarded. The subsection is divided into three lots: lot 1, Suplacu de Barcău – Chiribiș (26.3 km); lot 2, Chiribiș − Biharia (28.6 km), and lot 3, Biharia − Borș (5.4 km). In October 2018, the lot 2 was awarded to

6420-625: The contract was terminated in May 2013, with the construction progress around 50%. Additional works are being performed on the Chețani – Câmpia Turzii segment (15.7 km). The entire section was originally scheduled to be built by the American company Bechtel Corporation together with its regional partner Enka of Turkey . The contract was awarded in 2004 to the Bechtel Corporation by

6527-472: The early settlements in antiquity until its consolidation as the national capital of Romania late in the 19th century. First mentioned as the ' Citadel of București' in 1459, it became the residence of the ruler of Wallachia, Voivode Vlad the Impaler . The Old Princely Court ( Curtea Veche ) was erected by Mircea Ciobanul in the mid-16th century. Under subsequent rulers, Bucharest was established as

SECTION 60

#1732775402115

6634-452: The easy and reliable access to both the railway network and the road network have allowed a steady development of industrial and commercial facilities, especially in the light industry and import/export commerce. The town's output estimate increased by over 25% between 2001 and 2005. Even with such high development rates, many residents commute to Bucharest. Voluntari is the site of a shopping centre known as Jolie Ville Galleria, as well as

6741-633: The environment, and public safety. Mercer collects data worldwide, in 215 cities. The difficult situation of the quality of life in Bucharest is confirmed also by a vast urbanism study, done by the Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism . In 2016, Bucharest's urban situation was described as 'critical' by a Romanian Order of Architects (OAR) report that criticised the city's weak, incoherent and arbitrary public management policies, its elected officials' lack of transparency and public engagement, as well as its inadequate and unsustainable use of essential urban resources. Bucharest's historical city centre

6848-400: The environmental certificate. According to the same reports, they had to be finalized in 2017. As of June 2015, the concession had been canceled. As of October 2015, section 1 (4.0 km) and section 5 (6.3 km, plus a connecting road) at the ends of the Comarnic – Brașov section were separately tendered. For section 1, a bid by Spedition UMB and Tehnostrade remained the only one, while

6955-419: The final lot, between Chețani and Câmpia Turzii , was finished, with traffic to be opened on December 21. Because of this, residents of the Mureș county can now travel from Târgu Mureș to the Hungarian border in Nădlac by changing to the A10 and then the A1 motorways (with a small gap between Holdea and Margina ) and from there towards most of Europe only on highway, being a huge achievement for

7062-432: The first beginning in the late 19th century when the city was consolidated as the national capital and lasting until the Second World War, and the second during the Ceaușescu years (1965–1989), when a massive urbanization campaign was launched and many people migrated from rural areas to the capital. At this time, due to Ceaușescu's decision to ban abortion and contraception, natural increase was also significant. Bucharest

7169-400: The first quarter of 2020, by the newly elected government, in favor of a new future tender, based on European funds. In August 2020, the segment between Comarnic South and Comarnic North (5.2 km, according to the project) was tendered again, for 68.6 million euro, with a contract length of 36 months, of which 12 months for the project and 24 months for the construction. In December 2020,

7276-429: The following party composition: Voluntari has its own bus network, operated by the local council, consisting of five bus routes: 1, 2, 153, 155 and 167. Additionally, the city is connected to Bucharest by bus routes run by STB , Bucharest's public transport operator. Voluntari is the site of the American International School of Bucharest , the British School of Bucharest , the Mark Twain International School , and

7383-444: The following progress was recorded: The following segments also have contracts signed and are in early design and construction states: Bucharest Bucharest ( UK : / ˌ b uː k ə ˈ r ɛ s t / BOO -kə- REST , US : / ˈ b uː k ə r ɛ s t / -⁠rest ; Romanian : București [bukuˈreʃtʲ] ) is the capital and largest city of Romania . The metropolis stands on

7490-450: The gardens are the main recreational facility in the city centre. Bucharest parks and gardens also include Herăstrău Park , Tineretului Park and the Botanical Garden . Herăstrău Park is located in the northern part of the city, around Lake Herăstrău, and includes the site the Village Museum . Grigore Antipa Museum is also near in the Victoriei Square. One of its best known locations are Hard Rock Cafe Bucharest and Berăria H (one of

7597-399: The headquarters of the Vodafone Romania company. Voluntari literally means "Volunteers", in Romanian , having been founded by the volunteer soldiers who fought for Romania in World War I and were given plots to build their homes there after the war. The settlement received city status in 2004. The Voluntari Local Council ( Consiliul Local Voluntari ) has 19 councillors. It currently has

7704-416: The houses and building the concrete basin, the plan was abandoned following the 1989 revolution. For nearly two decades, the area shifted from being an abandoned green space where children could play and sunbathe, to being contested by previous owners of the land there, to being closed for redevelopment into a sports centre. The redevelopment deal failed, and over the following years, the green space grew into

7811-469: The implementation of national development plans and governing programs at local level. The prefect of Bucharest (as of 2024) is Mihai Mugur Toader. The city's general council has the following political composition, based on the results of the 2024 local elections : Bucharest's judicial system is similar to that of the Romanian counties. Each of the six sectors has its own local first-instance court ( judecătorie ), while more serious cases are directed to

7918-521: The interwar years, Bucharest's urban development continued, with the city gaining an average of 30,000 new residents each year. Also, some of the city's main landmarks were built in this period, including Arcul de Triumf and Palatul Telefoanelor . However, the Great Depression in Romania took its toll on Bucharest's citizens, culminating in the Grivița Strike of 1933 . In January 1941,

8025-518: The largest beer halls in Europe). Tineretului Park was created in 1965 and designed as the main recreational space for southern Bucharest. It contains a Mini Town which is a play area for kids. The Botanical Garden, located in the Cotroceni neighbourhood a bit west of the city centre, is the largest of its kind in Romania and contains over 10,000 species of plants (many of them exotic); it originated as

8132-428: The local government over a certain area are, therefore, shared both by the Bucharest municipality and the local sectoral councils with little or no overlapping of authority. The general rule is that the main capital municipality is responsible for citywide utilities such as the water and sewage system, the overall transport system, and the main boulevards, while sectoral town halls manage the contact between individuals and

8239-425: The local government, secondary streets and parks maintenance, schools administration, and cleaning services. The six sectors are numbered from one to six and are disposed radially so that each one has under its administration a certain area of the city centre. They are numbered clockwise and are further divided into sectoral quarters ( cartiere ) which are not part of the official administrative division: Each sector

8346-781: The mid-2000s. In 2015, 64 people were killed in the Colectiv nightclub fire . Later the Romanian capital saw the 2017–2019 Romanian protests against the judicial reforms, with a 2018 protest ending with 450 people injured. The following treaties were signed in the city: The city is situated on the banks of the Dâmbovița River , which flows into the Argeș River, a tributary of the Danube. Several lakes  – the most important of which are Lake Herăstrău, Lake Floreasca, Lake Tei, and Lake Colentina – stretch across

8453-457: The motorway are the Câmpia Turzii – Nădăşelu segment (61.2 km), under several openings between December 2009 and September 2018, the Ungheni – Chețani segment (31.6 km), under several openings between December 2018 and September 2020, and the Biharia − Borș segment (5.4 km). The Suplacu de Barcău – Borș segment (64.5 km) has been under construction since 2004, but

8560-529: The motorway open for tendering. The official groundbreaking ceremony for the Transylvania Motorway was held near the village of Vălișoara on 16 June 2004. On 1 December 2009, the Turda – Cluj-Napoca West ( Gilău ) segment (42 km) was opened for traffic, followed on 13 November 2010, by the Câmpia Turzii – Turda segment (10 km). As of January 2012, works were being performed only on

8667-631: The nickname of 'Paris of the East' ( Parisul Estului ), with the Calea Victoriei as its Champs-Élysées . Between 6 December 1916 and November 1918, the city was occupied by German forces as a result of the Battle of Bucharest , with the official capital temporarily moved to Iași (also called Jassy), in the Moldavia region. After World War I, Bucharest became the capital of Greater Romania . In

8774-574: The northern parts of the city, along the Colentina River , a tributary of the Dâmbovița. In addition, in the centre of the capital is a small artificial lake – Lake Cișmigiu – surrounded by the Cișmigiu Gardens . These gardens have a rich history, having been frequented by poets and writers. Opened in 1847 and based on the plans of German architect Carl F.W. Meyer,

8881-527: The original contract was highly disadvantageous to the Romanian side. Following the contract renegotiation that occurred in June–July 2011, Bechtel agreed to lower the building cost per kilometer by 50% down to 6.9 million euro. Also it was decided that the American company will build only two segments ( Suplacu de Barcău – Borș and Câmpia Turzii – Cluj-Napoca West/ Gilău ), leaving all the other segments of

8988-555: The other tender was leaning towards a consortium led by the Spanish construction company Copisa . However, as of October 2017, after the termination of challenge procedures, only the Râșnov – Cristian segment was awarded for construction, to the Cypriot company Alpenside. The contract, which includes a 3.7 km connecting road, is worth 25.8 million euro and should take 6 months for planning and 18 months for execution. The bid for

9095-599: The overthrow of the Communist regime . Dissatisfied with the postrevolutionary leadership of the National Salvation Front , some student leagues and opposition groups organised anti-Communist rallies in early 1990, which caused the political change. Since 2000, the city has been continuously modernised. Residential and commercial developments are underway, particularly in the northern districts; Bucharest's old historic centre has undergone restoration since

9202-485: The people in the region. The section is divided into three subsections: Cluj-Napoca West (Gilău) – Mihăiești, Mihăiești – Suplacu de Barcău and Suplacu de Barcău – Borș. The remaining works on the Suplacu de Barcău – Borș subsection (64.5 km) were awarded for construction in April 2015 (to the joint-venture of Corsán and Corviam Construcción), but no progress had been recorded as of January 2016. In November 2016,

9309-475: The period between the two World Wars, the city's elegant architecture and the sophistication of its elite earned Bucharest the nicknames of Little Paris ( Romanian : Micul Paris ) or Paris of the East ( Romanian : Parisul Estului ). Although buildings and districts in the historic city centre were heavily damaged or destroyed by war, earthquakes, and even Nicolae Ceaușescu 's program of systematization , many survived and have been renovated. In recent years,

9416-411: The pleasure park of the royal family. Besides them, there are many other smaller parks that should be visited, some of them being still large. Alexandru Ioan Cuza Park, Kiseleff Park, Carol Park , Izvor Park, Grădina Icoanei , Circului Park and Moghioroș Park are a few of them. Other large parks in Bucharest are: National Park, Tei Park, Eroilor Park and Crângași Park with Morii Lake . Lake Văcărești

9523-544: The private partner would contribute with 75%. As of December 2018, the tender's deadline, there were five companies or joint-venture interested. The project received criticism from the NGO called Asociația Pro Infrastructură for lacking details of major importance. In October 2019, it was announced that the joint-venture selected for the construction works was China Communications Construction Company (China) – Makyol Insaat Sanayi Turizm (Turkey). The project was, once more, cancelled in

9630-543: The regions surrounding Bucharest were largely rural, but after 1989, suburbs started to be built around Bucharest, in the surrounding Ilfov County . This county , which has experienced rapid demographic growth in the 21st century, being the fastest growing Romanian county between 2011 and 2021, had a population of 542,686 people at the 2021 Romanian census . In the 21st century, many of Ilfov county's villages and communes developed into high-income commuter towns , which act like suburbs or satellites of Bucharest. Bucharest has

9737-463: The river valley until Posada, where it would cross on the opposite side of the river and would run along the mountain range until Sinaia , from where it would then run nearly straight until Azuga , crossing through two twin tunnels that would bypass Sinaia and Bușteni, before crossing again to the eastern side of the river. According to media reports, works were expected to begin in April 2014, but they were still pending, due to financial arrangements and

9844-514: The second half of the 19th century, the city's population increased dramatically, and a new period of urban development began. During this period, gas lighting , horse-drawn trams , and limited electrification were introduced. The Dâmbovița River was also massively channelled in 1883, thus putting a stop to previously endemic floods like the 1865 flooding of Bucharest . The Fortifications of Bucharest were built. The extravagant architecture and cosmopolitan high culture of this period won Bucharest

9951-513: The seven hills of Rome. Bucharest's seven hills are: Mihai Vodă, Dealul Mitropoliei , Radu Vodă, Cotroceni , Dealul Spirii , Văcărești , and Sfântu Gheorghe Nou. The city has an area of 226 km (87 sq mi). The altitude varies from 55.8 m (183.1 ft) at the Dâmbovița bridge in Cățelu, southeastern Bucharest and 91.5 m (300.2 ft) at the Militari church. The city has

10058-595: The summer residence of the royal court. During the years to come, it competed with Târgoviște on the status of capital city after an increase in the importance of Southern Muntenia brought about by the demands of the suzerain power – the Ottoman Empire . Bucharest finally became the permanent location of the Wallachian court after 1698 (starting with the reign of Constantin Brâncoveanu ). The city

10165-521: The surrounding Ilfov County, is part of the București – Ilfov development region project, which is equivalent to NUTS-II regions in the European Union and is used both by the EU and the Romanian government for statistical analysis, and to co-ordinate regional development projects and manage funds from the EU. The Bucharest-Ilfov development region is not, however, an administrative entity yet. The city government

10272-575: The tender for the Suplacu de Barcău – Chiribiș segment, awarded to the Constructii – Hidroelektra Mehanizacija joint venture, was canceled in October 2019, after the Croatian partner filed for insolvency, whereas the one for the Chiribiş – Biharia segment has been contested again and was still under trial procedures until June 2020, when it was signed with a joint-venture led by Trameco. The value of

10379-453: The world’s best galleries, museums, and theatres, and its tranquil parks. As per the 2021 census , 1,716,961 inhabitants lived within the city limits, a decrease from the figure recorded at the 2011 census. This decrease is due to low natural increase, but also to a shift in population from the city itself to its smaller satellite towns such as Popești-Leordeni , Voluntari , Chiajna , Bragadiru , Pantelimon , Buftea and Otopeni . In

10486-502: Was awarded for construction. It was divided into two larger segments, with a total of five lots, which sum up 51.8 km. By December 2021, all segments have been opened to traffic, with the exception of Chețani − Câmpia Turzii (15.7 km), of which contract was terminated in March that year. Additional works on the Nădășelu – Borș section (approx. 157 km, in total) were auctioned between 2018 and 2019, with contracts awarded for

10593-463: Was awarded to the joint-venture between Astaldi and Max Bögl, for a cost of 379.7 million lei (excluding VAT). The Ogra – Câmpia Turzii lot 3 (between Chețani – Câmpia Turzii, 15.7 km) was awarded to the joint venture Straco Grup - Specialist Consulting - Total Road, for a cost of 279.7 million lei (excluding VAT). The contract for the Târgu Mureș – Ungheni segment (lot 1) was terminated in April 2016, due to delays in pre-construction arrangements by

10700-473: Was built by the Italian joint venture between Impresa Pizzarotti and Tirrena Scavi , while the second segment, between Moara Vlăsiei – Ploiești (43.0 km), was built by the Romanian companies Spedition UMB , Pa&Co Internațional and EuroConstruct Trading '98. Total construction cost of this section was estimated at 450 million euro. The section between Bucharest Ring Road – Ploiești (55.5 km)

10807-549: Was largely completed, but unusable due to the fact that the bridge across the Someșul Mic river connecting with the Câmpia Turzii – Cluj-Napoca West (Gilău) segment was not completed. A contract for the remaining works to this bridge was signed in September 2017, and they were expected to be completed by August 2018. The works were finally completed in September 2018. The contractor was the Italian company Tirrena Scavi. The section from Târgu Mureș, via Ogra, to Câmpia Turzii, with

10914-457: Was opened on 19 July 2012, while the rest of the section towards downtown Bucharest remained to be completed. The Bucharest – Bucharest Ring Road segment (6.5 km) is part of the Bucharest – Moara Vlăsiei subsection and was built under separately awarded contracts, as the one with Impresa Pizzarotti was terminated. It starts with a roundabout at the junction between the Fabrica de Glucoză and

11021-409: Was partly destroyed by natural disasters and rebuilt several times during the following 200 years. The Ottomans appointed Greek administrators ( Phanariotes ) to run the town ( Ottoman Turkish : بكرش , romanized :  Bukreş ) from the 18th century. The 1821 Wallachian uprising initiated by Tudor Vladimirescu led to the end of the rule of Constantinople Greeks in Bucharest. In 1813–14

11128-405: Was ranked among the top 100 safest cities in the world in a list compiled by Numbeo. The study found Bucharest to be very safe with regard to aspects such walking alone, home invasions, muggings, cars being stolen, assault, insults, assault due to skin color, ethnic origin, or gender, drug dealing, and armed robberies, with the only crimes in the high category being corruption and bribery. In 2015,

11235-466: Was re-tendered as a concession contract in February 2013. It has been awarded in December 2013 to the joint venture between Vinci , Strabag and Aktor , for a period of 29 years, with an estimated construction cost of 1.8 billion euro. This section of the motorway would have three twin tunnels, with a total length of 19.4 km, at Sinaia , Bușteni and Predeal , and four interchanges, at Comarnic, Bușteni, Predeal and Râșnov . The route would follow

11342-487: Was related to bucurie (joy), bucuros (joyful), or a se bucura (to be joyful), while an early 19th-century book published in Vienna assumed its name to be derived from 'Bukovie', a beech forest. In English , the city's name was formerly rendered as Bukarest . A native or resident of Bucharest is called a 'Bucharester' (Romanian: bucureștean ). Bucharest's history alternated periods of development and decline from

11449-415: Was terminated through mutual agreement. The construction status of the Suplacu de Barcău – Borș segment is reportedly at 50%. An additional 8.7 km segment, between Cluj-Napoca West ( Gilău ) and Nădășelu , was tendered in August 2012, and awarded to the joint venture between Spedition UMB and Tehnostrade in April 2013. Works on this segment were scheduled to begin as late as six months after signing

#114885