HISTORY OF BUCHAREST

BUCHAREST OFFICIAL HISTORY

The history of Bucharest goes back in time in the early 15th century. It was the time when a shepherd named Bucur settled here for he found food and good water for his sheep. His name was written down by a Franciscan monk, Blasius Klainer in 1761. It was the time when the first monasteries had already been built, the lords had to buy their power from the Turkish Empire and the poor would always pay for that. The center of the city was the OLD COURT whose ruins can be visited today and where the lords of the Romanian Country would govern. It was the center of power.

DRACULA AND BUCHAREST HISTORY

Around this Old Court, an entire city has been built for more than 200 years. Let’s don’t forget Dambovita River. Bucharest will flourish on its shores. And also a smaller river, called Bucurestioara, maybe the real origin for the name of the city. Vlad the Impaler, the famous lord known better in literature as Dracula, signed a few laws where it is written down the name the fortress of Bucharest. This happened on September, 20, 1459, according to the history of Bucharest to be found at THE MUSEUM OF BUCHAREST.

BUCHAREST IN TIMES OF WAR

Another lord will make this fortress a real stronghold: Mircea the Shepherd. During his reign, between 1545 and 1554, markets appeared around the Old Court, also houses and churches. Many of them can be seen today at the VILLAGE MUSEUM IN BUCHAREST. Of course, the suburbs appeared, each one bearing its profile and name, according to the inhabitants’ skills. They are now the districts of Bucharest, although their inhabitants, their inhabitants’ skills and names were lost in time. The city will become the capital of the Romanian Country in 1659. The 18th century, Bucharest was under the power of the Turkish Empire, although the lords had their important independence and the most amazing architectural landmarks were built in that century. There were more than 200 years when Bucharest had to face many wars. A modern administration was to be brought from abroad, by Russians. But, ironically, it was a French influence to modernize the state and the capital too and to change the history of society, a change to last until World War II. The administration was at the beginning, which means in the 17th century, divided into The Inner Market and the Outer Market. The first one was the Old Court. The second was the suburbs. It was just like in other European capitals. In 1789, Bucharest was divided into five areas. In 1831, a sort of constitution will become the basis of the administration in the Romanian capital, the so-called Organic Regulations and those five areas will become colors. Thus, we will have the Red Color which was the Inner Market, Mogosoaia was to be The Yellow Area, the Outer Market was the Blue Color and so on. The Romanian National Bank( which has an interesting museum, learn more here MUSEUM OF THE ROMANIAN NATIONAL BANK) was the 13th central bank founded in the the whole world, before the FED or the Central Bank of Japan, in 1880. It was the time when the Jewish community would gather more power and, by law, they could finally become Romanian citizens. That was the moment when, the Choral Temple in Bucharest was built. In 1926, a new age is about to begin. Town Halls will come into being, under clear laws.

BUCHAREST AND NICOLAE CEAUSESCU

As history decided, the communists will divide the city again in 1950 into eight areas, in order to return to six areas, 20 years later. The most important change in Bucharest during the communist period was the center, the building of the HOUSE OF THE PEOPLE, the gigantic boulevard in front of it. The civic center was Ceausescu’s personal ambition and for that had to die a lot of people, many had to move for their houses were to be put to the ground, also churches, markets and so on. In 1989 communism fell after a bloodbath in December and the REVOLUTION SQUARE will always remember the moment. The entire center of Bucharest has got a new face in the 80s, as symbol of power. Now the power is at Presidency Headquarters, COTROCENI PALACE.
In 1861, the streets of Bucharest are lighted by gas before Paris or London were.
In 1899 lived in Bucharest six Chinese.
In the same period, the English baby-sitters thought they served some half-educated aristocrats in a country full of white slaves, but who payed them very well.
When they found  out that in Europe is a must to have a husband and also a lover, ladies in Moldavia decided to have a husband and two lovers to be higher than the high European society.
Why was Bucharest called the little Paris? See a part of the answer on our page dedicated to the BUILDINGS ON VICTORIA AVENUE BUCHAREST!

WHY CALL BUCHAREST THE LITTLE PARIS?

It has to do with the middle class which will become stronger and stronger under western influence since 1805. Businessmen come to Bucharest, young Romanians who studied abroad, artists, politicians. Bucharest was the only place in South-Eastern Europe where the Turkish had no more power about the inhabitants’ behavior and lifestyle. Bucharest was no longer part of the Balkans. The city found its identity in Paris. The architecture was influenced by great artists like Albert Galleron, Cassian Bernard, Xavier Villacrosse or Paul Gottereau. Thus, it will become the most important city in South-Eastern Europe after Istanbul, the capital of the Turkish Empire. At about 1830, there were more than 60.000 inhabitants in Bucharest, while Sofia, Belgrad or Athens only had about 20.000. Until 1895 there were no railway stations in the country and Bucharest was not quite a center of Romania with a decent infrastructure. You can see more about this at the RAILWAYS MUSEUM BUCHAREST.
Now, Bucharest is the capital of a country member of the European Union, NATO and so on. More than 2 billions of people live and work in Bucharest, more than 2 millions of foreign tourists come and visit The House of People, the Old City, its churches, museums and parks. Many of them enjoy its history, Dracula’s legend, its mysteries, Nicolae Ceausescu’s fate, famous painters’ work spread all around the city in museums, its night life or the friendly business environment. Bucharest changed a lot after the Revolution in 1989 against the communist party. In fact, it was a bloodbath you can learn more at REVOLUTION HEROES CEMETERY.

There are still many things to do in Bucharest. The administration, the traffic and so on. Yet, Bucharest is a great place to spend few days, a city-break, a week would be alright. Some fell in love with this city and never left it. Some have missed it for their whole life, like the great Romanian scholar, Mircea Eliade. For more about the Romanian literature, you need to visit BUCHAREST LITERATURE MUSEUM.  There is always something new to discover in Bucharest, strange streets and buildings, amazing sunsets or dawns, funny and interesting people, beautiful places.

SEE BUCHAREST AIRPORT