See

Everything you need to become an expert on Bucharest's sights.

Much of the interest in a city for the tourist is the influence of it's history, so here is a very brief history of the area.


Like many other European countries, Romania's history has not been a peaceful one. Over time, various peoples have invaded Romania. In ancient times Romania was inhabited by Thracian tribes known as Dacians. The Greeks traded along the Black Sea and the Romans conquered and brought with them the Latin language. Later in it’s history the provinces of Wallachia and Moldova strongly resisted the invading Ottoman Turks.

Among the legendary figures in this struggle was Vlad Tepes, known as Vlad the Impaler due to his barbaric method of dealing with his enemies, that of impaling them on stakes. It is said that he was the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s book, Dracula. Vlad was called Dracula, meaning Son of the Dragon, after his father Vlad Dracul who was a knight of the Order of the Dragon.

Transylvania was successively under Hapsburg, Ottoman or Wallachian rule, while remaining an autonomous province. After World War Two, Romania's history under communism was better known by the rest of the world, owing to it’s former notorious dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. It was in December 1989 that a national uprising led to his overthrow. The 1991 Constitution established Romania as a republic with a multiparty system, market economy and individual rights of free speech, religion and private ownership.

Bucharest is becoming the place to go. The face of communism sits alongside Bucharest’s elegant past. Soviet architecture is mixed with monasteries, churches and gardens. The city only threw off Ceausescu’s legacy about two decades ago. His crimes against architecture and the community included bulldozing one sixth of the city to build the vast House of the People now known as the Palace of Parliament. Despite it’s history, this building has become one of the main attractions of the city.

Sights (9)    Day Trips and Places to Visit    Events    Museums    Parks and Gardens    Webcams    Guide Books    Famous Film Locations    Events (Exhibitions)    Art Galleries    Viewpoints    Events (Trade shows)    Castles    Monuments    Bridges    Churches    Statues

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