A MASSIVE BUILDING DEDICATED TO THE FREE ROMANIAN PRESS IN

BUCHAREST

Free press house Bucharest has been the highest building in the Romanian capital for more than 50 years. That is since 1956 to 2007. It follows the axis of the Arch of Triumph. From the Arch you can directly see this massive building.

FROM SCANTEIA HOUSE TO FREE PRESS HOUSE BUCHAREST

Works started in 1950 on the old racecourse complex built by King Carol I in 1905. The architect Horia Maicu wanted to resemble Lomonosov University and Leningrad Hotel in Moscow here. The building was called Scanteia House. Scanteia was the name of the Communist Party official newspaper.

KING CAROL I BECOMES LENIN

The image of the House of Free Press became symbol of the city on the reverse of 100 lei banknote from 1952 to 1966. The foundation has an area of 280 / 260 m and it is 91.6 m high without the antenna. This can be seen on the main building part, the central one. In 1960 the communists leaders took the bronze from the statue of King Carol I and made a giant statue of Vladimir Lenin.

They placed this statue in front of the House of Free Press. Authorities removed it in 1990, following the anti-communist revolution in 1989. The pedestal made of red marble is still there. Now, it is a symbol of freedom on it, like the wings of a bird. See details HERE. Or read below a short story.

THE MONUMENT AGAINST COMMUNISM

The Wings monument you will see in front of the massive communist building is 24 meters high. They made it from stainless steel. Everything is platinated with bronze. The base looks like a grave which remembers the graves of Romanian citizens killed in prison by communists.

MASSIVE ARCHITECTURE

There are four architectural elements to be found all over the building. In fact, there were the socialist aims: science and knowledge for the people, gigantic industrial factories, the socialist star and the symbol of the Communist Party, the sickle and the hammer.

HOUSE OF FREE PRESS IS PART OF BUCHAREST CITY TOUR

For the first time in Bucharest the possibility of a great earthquake was taken into account following Italian rules. So, it was important not the shape of the building but the possible magnitude. Which means the building is safe from this point of view. The central building is surrounded by 4 smaller structures. They housed a printing office, reception halls, a library and many offices for the main newspaper, Scanteia.

Now, it is the headquarters of many newspapers. How it was built?

Well, it was built by the entire people. The communists persuaded, which means forced everybody to give money. Officially it was a free subscription.

The House of the Free Press in Bucharest was built following the Russian architectural style. Yet it borrowed elements from the Romanian religious monuments, like Moldavian churches and monasteries.

It is a Bucharest highlight, near VILLAGE MUSEUM due to its massive structure.

It can also be seen from the Arch of Triumph top.
SEE MAP…