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103-608: The PS had its headquarters in Bucharest , at the Socialist Club on Sfântul Ionică Street No.12, near the old National Theater (located just north of University Square , the street is currently a section of Ion Câmpineanu Street, after the latter was rerouted). The building eventually also housed all Romanian trade unions of the period, as well as the General Trade Unions' Commission . The Socialists edited

206-477: A fait accompli ). Confident, Argetoianu subsequently stated that "Communism is over in Romania". As the trial was under way, Argetoianu allowed for several Socialist-Communist defendants (including Leonte Filipescu ) to be shot while in custody — alleging that they had attempted to flee. Several of the detainees declared they had been beaten, and some were occasionally moved to solitary confinement . At

309-510: 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,

412-428: A German military intervention. The PSDR itself radicalized its message, adding to its previous calls for universal suffrage a republican program and support for land reform . Its program also called for an end to all forms of exploitation , but argued that this was to be fulfilled inside the existing legislative framework. King Ferdinand I 's promise to legislate the land reform, together with electoral reform ,

515-620: A Royal Commissioner stormed into the Sfântul Ionică building at 15:00 on May 12, 1921; all 51 Socialist-Communist delegates were separated from the group, arrested, and transported to the penal facilities of Jilava and Văcărești . An additional 200 known Socialist-Communist militants were also incarcerated. Among those taken into custody, aside from Cristescu and Stefanov, were Vitali Holostenco , Marcel Pauker , Elena Filipescu , Lucrețiu Pătrășcanu , and Elek Köblös , all of whom were later prominent Communists. The intervention occurred at

618-492: A bomb inside the Romanian Senate on December 8, 1920. Charges were based on the group's rejection of Greater Romania and their advocacy of " World revolution ", which had raised suspicion that they were trying to overthrow the existing order through actions such as Goldstein's. In technical terms, this was formulated by the prosecutors as: Congress overstepped [its] order of the day and submitted to debate affiliation to

721-475: A century of decline, it has recently been returning to this role. Today, the avenue is lined with new fashion shops, art boutiques, coffee shops and restaurants, making it an upmarket shopping strip in Bucharest . As of 2023 the association streets for people (in Romanian: Străzi Pentru Oameni) started a petition to make the entire avenue fully pedestrian. Major buildings and monuments along

824-466: A communist newspaper. According to journalist Victor Frunză, an additional and hotly contested demand involved submitting trade unions to party control. Dobrogeanu-Gherea, Popovici, and Cristescu met with Lenin, who urged them to adopt the resolution in this form, while allegedly making some promises to preserve a certain degree of autonomy for the Romanian group. Returned to Bucharest, Flueraş called on

927-510: 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 ,

1030-535: 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)

1133-457: 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

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1236-706: A former member of the National Romanian Council in Transylvania , Flueraş was deemed a " class enemy " by the Comintern. Specifically, Bukharin called on the PS to accept the policy changes theorized by Vladimir Lenin (the so-called 21 points ), to exclude Flueraş and others, to submit itself to supervision from the Comintern's Balkan Communist Federation , to vote in a new Central Committee , and to guarantee that Socialismul would be turned into

1339-522: 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,

1442-530: 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

1545-618: 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,

1648-724: A successor to the Second International . In 1920 the party sent representatives to the 2nd World Congress of the Comintern in Moscow , were they engaged in prolonged talks over the issue of affiliation with Christian Rakovsky , Grigory Zinoviev , and Nikolai Bukharin . These were Cristescu, Dobrogeanu-Gherea, David Fabian , and Constantin Popovici; the two delegates representing the Socialist Party of Transylvania and Banat were Eugen Rozvan and Flueraş — as

1751-483: A time when the floor was taken by Köblös, the PS delegate from Târgu Mureș , who was much later accused of conspiring with the authorities, based on speculation that his speech was in fact a signal. Authorities prosecuted those arrested (as many as 300 in one account) in the Dealul Spirii Trial , and attempted to connect them with Max Goldstein , a terrorist of uncertain affiliation who had detonated

1854-402: A total of 540, and, given the departure of the reformists, represented 51 out of 77 delegates. Commenting on the success of Leninist delegates, historian Adrian Cioroianu and journalist Victor Frunză both attributed it to manipulation of inner-party electoral procedures rather than actual appeal. Such supposition was however not shared by contemporaneous opponents of the affiliation: according to

1957-545: 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

2060-490: 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

2163-561: 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

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2266-410: 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,

2369-421: 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,

2472-586: 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

2575-550: 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

2678-406: 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

2781-463: 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 ,

2884-508: 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 is a beta global city , a major cultural, political and economic hub, and

2987-596: Is today named after him. In 1842 the road was paved with cobblestone . It was later upgraded to asphalt . The road was renamed "Calea Victoriei" on October 12, 1878, following the Romanian victory in the Independence War of 1877–1878 . Calea Victoriei was Bucharest's showpiece street in the Interwar period . Tudor Octavian wrote, "this is how the whole of Bucharest would look if we had been allowed…, if its builders had been clever enough…". After roughly half

3090-585: The Afro-Romanians ), Iranians, Vietnamese, Filipinos, Nepalis, Afghans, Sri Lankans, Bangladeshis, Pakistanis, and Indians. 226,943 people did not declare their ethnicity. Calea Victoriei Drumul Brașovului Calea Victoriei ( Victory Avenue ) is a major avenue in central Bucharest . Situated in Sector 1 , and having a length of 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi), it leads from Splaiul Independenței  [ ro ] (which runs parallel to

3193-751: The Central Powers , and maintained links with the Social Democratic Party of Germany ; the group, also including Ecaterina Arbore , Constantin Popovici , Ilie Moscovici , Ghiță Moscu , and Constantin Titel Petrescu , protested the peace with the Central powers and was arrested by the Alexandru Marghiloman government, but released through an amnesty soon after. The PSDR's history was decisively marked by

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3296-558: 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

3399-626: The Dâmbovița River ) to the north and then northwest up to Piața Victoriei , where Șoseaua Kiseleff continues north. Initially, the road was known as Ulița Mare ( Large Street ), also known as Drumul Brașovului ( Brașov Road ), being part of the trade route between Bucharest and the city of Brașov , in Transylvania . In 1692, ruler Constantin Brâncoveanu paved the road with wood and partly regularized it, making it pass through

3502-597: The Entente Powers in August 1916, the group came under suspicion of supporting the Central Powers , and was outlawed soon after. While its secretary Dumitru Marinescu was drafted and killed in action during the Romanian Campaign , several of its prominent activists, including Rakovsky, were arrested. Gheorghe Cristescu , Alecu Constantinescu , and others remained active in Bucharest under occupation by

3605-676: 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

3708-712: 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

3811-865: The Russian Revolution of 1917 . Following the February Revolution , Rakovsky was set free by Russian troops present in Iaşi , and took refuge in Odessa — he became active in revolutionary politics against the Romanian state, and joined the Bolsheviks. As a member of the Rumcherod authority in Odessa , he joined with Mihai Gheorghiu Bujor , Alexandru Nicolau and Ion Dic Dicescu 's short-lived Romanian Social Democratic Action Committee in planning an insurgency, before being driven out by

3914-746: The Second International , and affiliated instead with the Paris Bureau (it was joined in this by a group on the PSD's left wing). Journalist Victor Frună claims the Communists encouraged several myths about the Socialist Party: in 1921, Rakovsky allegedly made the claim that the PCdR had inherited the vast majority of the PS' 40,000 members (such a view was virulently rejected by the FPSR, who credited

4017-609: 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,

4120-411: 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

4223-465: 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,

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4326-495: The 1920s and 1930s at between 400,000 and 820,000 people. Notable PS activists at the time were David Fabian , Elena Filipescu , and Panait Muşoiu . Among the PS' sympathizers were the artist and former prisoner of war Nicolae Tonitza , who regularly contributed graphics to Socialismul , and the writer Gala Galaction . The major issue splitting the party involved affiliation to the Comintern , seen by many PS members as

4429-613: The 3rd Comintern Congress in July, Karl Radek reported that the Russian Bolshevik government and the international group at large continued to recognize the Socialist-Communist leaders in prison as the official executive body of the Romanian party. Several refugees, mostly natives of Bessarabia , were elected as the party's representatives in Moscow : they included Saul Ozias and Gelber Moscovici . Joining them

4532-549: 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

4635-417: 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

4738-631: The Liberals! To the Liberals!»"). Voinea also left detail on the impact the Congress had on the outside: The matter had become a slogan with which people would greet each other throughout the city: «Long live the third [International]! Long live the third!». Children would say to one another: «Long live the third!». At the time, it took real civic courage to declare oneself against the IIIrd International. Romanian Army regulars headed by

4841-504: The PCdR with no more than 500 members, while the Comintern itself eventually reduced the official claim to 2,000 members); in 1951, several years after the Communist Party came to power, its leader Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej encouraged the notion that voting on affiliation to the Comintern had occurred on May 13 instead of May 12 (and at a time when most people who voted in favor had already been taken into custody) — this version

4944-734: The PS continued to have nominal existence after it merged into the newly created Federation of Romanian Socialist Parties or FPSR (May 1922). Using PS symbolism and reuniting the country's reformist groups, this established its own faction in the Chamber of Deputies , and was represented to the 2½ International . On May 7, 1927, the various groups in the Federation merged to reestablish the Romanian Social Democratic Party (PSD), led by Constantin Titel Petrescu . The Socialist Party, unlike other groups, refused to join

5047-524: 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

5150-568: The Sfântul Ionică building and marched on the Ministry of Industry headquarters on Calea Victoriei , asking for the eight-hour day , salary increases, the guarantee of civil liberties , and more say for the trade unions . The group quickly swelled in numbers, to about as many as 15,000 workers in a contemporary account. On orders of the Constantin Coandă cabinet, who feared Bolshevik agitation, troops were ultimately ordered to fire on

5253-642: The Socialist group were fulfilled after the Transylvanian Socialists Iosif Jumanca and Ioan Flueraş , urged by Constantin Titel Petrescu , came to Bucharest and discussed the matter with both King Ferdinand and the new Premier , Ion I. C. Brătianu . In May 1919, delegates of the Transylvanian and Bukovinian groups began negotiations with the PS to form a single political movement, and elected representatives to

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5356-854: The Socialist-Communists officially established the Communist Party of Romania (PCdR), of which Cristescu was the first general secretary . It was outlawed by the Ion I. C. Brătianu cabinet in April 1924, through the Mârzescu Law (named after its proponent, Minister of Justice Gheorghe Gh. Mârzescu ). In 1925, Cristescu himself left the Communist group after clashing with the Balkan Communist Federation over

5459-745: The Socialists. During negotiations, Argetoianu observed that unease was growing between Moscovici's group and the party's far left , rallied around Cristescu. After the election of 1919 , when it reused the PSDR's logo of two crossed hammers, the PS sent 7 representatives to the Chamber of Deputies ; it was awarded 19 seats in the latter and 3 in the Senate following the 1920 elections . The three senatorial candidates of that year — Cristescu, Alexandru Dobrogeanu-Gherea and Boris Stefanov — were not validated into Parliament , despite having carried

5562-417: The Third International, deciding to vote on it. The instigator for the move was Constantin Argetoianu , Minister of the Interior in the Alexandru Averescu People's Party cabinet, who later admitted that the arrest lacked legal grounds. He also stated that he had given Cristescu approval for the Congress as a means for the arguably illegal motion to be discussed, and evidenced that he had planned to arrest

5665-512: 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

5768-420: 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

5871-432: 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

5974-448: 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

6077-655: 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

6180-411: 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 the period between

6283-445: The crowd and assail it with bayonets in as many as three successive waves. They also stormed into the Sfântul Ionică building and arrested several Socialist leaders, including the general secretary Moscovici and I. C. Frimu (Frimu later died in custody). Four PS members, including Alecu Constantinescu , were each sentenced to five years in prison, while all others arrested were acquitted. Eventually, in February 1919, most demands of

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6386-477: The deposition of reformist leader Iacob Pistiner during the Dealul Spirii Trial , had the PSR leaders failed to affiliate to the Third International, the mass of the party membership would have overridden them. A third PS wing, comprising the centrists who supported conditional affiliation and provided 111 mandates, was marginalized inside the Communist group over the following period. The procedures were cause for much deliberation: according to his own testimony,

6489-403: The domains of the Bălăceni , of the Saint John Monastery , Zlătari Monastery and of the Cantacuzenes up to the Sărindari Monastery . Since 1692 it was known as Podul Mogoșoaiei ( Mogoșoaia Wood-Paved Road ) because it also was connecting the Bucharest's center with Brâncoveanu's Mogoșoaia Palace some kilometres outside the city. Most roads in the Balkans at that time became muddy in

6592-417: 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

6695-633: 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

6798-432: 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

6901-450: 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

7004-416: 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

7107-469: 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

7210-399: 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,

7313-443: The issue of Greater Romania and being progressively marginalized. The PCdR survived as a marginal grouping in the underground, with much of its leadership taking refuge in the Soviet Union ; upon the close of World War II , it was resurrected with the help of Soviet occupation , to become the ruling party of Communist Romania . Reestablished in January 1922 and led by Ilie Moscovici , Litman Ghelerter and Constantin Popovici ,

7416-518: 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

7519-487: The leaders based on his belief that, once this was accomplished, "all agitation will crumble like an edifice raised on sand". The move provoked mixed reactions inside the executive: according to Argetoianu, Premier Averescu was hesitant, while the Minister of Justice, Grigore Trancu-Iași , advised against it (reason why Argetoianu decided to order the arrest without prior knowledge from his fellow People's Party members, as

7622-428: 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

7725-425: 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

7828-724: 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

7931-741: The newly created General Council of the Socialist Party. A single statute was adopted in October 1920. In late 1919, the main Socialist Party and the Transylvanian wing were approached by the emerging People's Party for a fusion; the matter was discussed between, on the Socialist side, Moscovici, Flueraş, and Jumanca, and, from among the People's Party, by Alexandru Averescu and Constantin Argetoianu . Talks yielded no results, especially after Averescu attempted to impose his party's platform on

8034-413: The newspaper Socialismul , headquartered on Academiei Street. In 1915, at a time when Romania kept its neutrality, the PSDR, led by the revolutionary-minded Marxist Christian Rakovsky , played a prominent part inside the anti-war Zimmerwald Movement . Throughout the following year, it organized rallies in support of non-intervention into what it deemed "an imperialist conflict". When Romania joined

8137-631: 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

8240-613: The night, starting July 1814. The wood was not a very sturdy material and often it was in a bad state, despite being repaired several times (including in 1793 and 1814). During the Russian occupation of the Danubian Principalities , in the aftermath of the Russo-Turkish War (1828–1829) , an extension from Piața Victoriei northward was built by Pavel Kiseleff , the commander of the occupation troops, and

8343-574: 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,

8446-599: 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

8549-410: The party to return to a reformist stance and support for Greater Romania ; together with the similarly-minded Iosif Jumanca , he severed all links with the PS in after its Conference of January–February 1921 (they were later followed by George Grigorovici ). At the same time, the maximalist wing, led by Cristescu (who renounced his reserves after first engaging in a heated polemic with Rozvan), passed

8652-411: 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

8755-409: The popular vote. The PS' involvement in the 1920 strike caused authorities to organize a swift crackdown (50 party members were still held in prisons by early 1921). In early 1921, the PS had 27 branches nationwide, totaling 40,000 to 45,000 registered members and rallying support from most workers affiliated with trade unions (more than 200,000 people). Estimates place the industrial working class of

8858-587: The reformist Şerban Voinea , who translated Lenin's 21 points, was accused of having fabricated them as a means to give the Bolsheviks bad press (a fellow delegate shouted that "It was absolutely impossible for the Third International to have voted such a text, with such conditions"), while Boris Stefanov allegedly heckled him, suggesting Voinea leave the PS and join the National Liberal Party ("[he] kept shouting at me [...]: «To

8961-543: 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

9064-484: The resolution to join the Comintern and accept Lenin's 21 points. The Cominternist motion was drafted with support from 18 out of 38 members of the General Council, and submitted to the Congress which took place after May 8, with the maximalist faction adopting the name of Socialist-Communist Party (PCdR). According to sources, during the vote on May 11, advocates of the Comintern had received 428 mandates from

9167-514: 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

9270-513: 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

9373-404: The spring and autumn, and the wood prevented this. Consequently, the road was one of the most important construction works of the area and a source of pride to Bucharesters. The area surrounding the road became the most fashionable part of Bucharest: 35 boyar houses were located on the road itself in 1775. Podul Mogoșoaiei was the first street in Bucharest to be illuminated with candles during

9476-618: The street include (from north to south): The avenue was also long home to the Constantin Tănase Revue Theatre (as of 2006, relocated to the Lipscani district), and was the site of the old Romanian National Theater , just north of Palatul Telefoanelor; the departed theatre's façade is replicated by the front of the Bucharest Novotel that opened in summer 2006. The Romanian Athenaeum is set back slightly from

9579-592: The street, with a small park in between. The National Museum of Art of Romania (the former Royal Palace) and the University Library across the street from it (both damaged in the 1989 Revolution ) were restored in the 1990s; Palatul Telefoanelor was restored between 1997 and 2005. There has also been an ongoing refurbishment of the street's many hotels, including the Athénée Palace, the Majestic,

9682-535: 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

9785-521: 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

9888-456: 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,

9991-453: 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

10094-508: Was Alecu Constantinescu , as the only prominent socialist present. Victor Frunză credited this moment with severing ties between the PS' tradition and the new Bolshevik course; his view was disputed by Vladimir Tismăneanu , who concluded instead that subordination to the Comintern was equally demanded from all pro-Bolshevik PS members. Most of the accused were eventually amnestied on orders King Ferdinand . At their 1922 Congress in Ploieşti ,

10197-462: Was embraced by PSDR's moderate wing. After the party adopted its new name, it proclaimed its commitment to dictatorship of the proletariat , and became involved in supporting the radicalized labor movement , culminating in the 1920 general strike . On December 26 [ O.S. December 13] 1918, just days after the party was founded, typesetters at various presses in Bucharest, who had been protesting since November, rallied in front of

10300-510: Was interpreted as an attempt to depict the PCdR as a natural successor to the PS. 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 the River Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population

10403-409: 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

10506-405: 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,

10609-487: 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

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