NATIONAL ART MUSEUM

A GREAT ART MUSEUM TO VISIT IN

BUCHAREST

The National Art Museum in Bucharest, or the Royal Palace in Bucharest was built by King Carol II on the ruins of a building that belonged to King Carol I. It was, from the beginning, the Royal Palace. The first building appeared in the first half of the 19th century and it was the sign of Dinicu Golescu’s power. His relatives sold he building, which had 25 rooms, perfect for receptions, to the state in 1833.

ART MUSEUM IN BUCHAREST HISTORY

Another Lord of the Romanian Country, Alexandru Dimitrie Ghica decided to make the palace a modern piece of architecture, so it was rebuilt and the first electric illuminating system was installed. The Art Museum as we know today took the nae o Lord’s Court for it had become the palace of the rulers. Alexandru Ioan Cuza lived here during his reign, between 1859 and 1866. In 1881 Romania changed its political regime and as Carol I was the king, a new residence was asked, to answer the royal ceremonial needs. So, the Palace was changed. The French architect Paul Gottereau made the project and the new building had three edifices, with the Throne Hall, Receptions Halls, Festivities Hall, which were all almost destroyed by a fire in 1926, just before King Carol I’s death. The authorities started the works to rebuild the Palace right away, yet, they were finished not under the rule of King Ferdinand, but of Carol II, late in the 40s. You can see more about all the BUILDINGS ON VICTORIA AVENUE on the link.

ROYAL PALACE OF BUCHAREST

The entire National Art Museum in Bucharest or Royal Palace is a 7 levels building, 2 underground and 5 outside and the facades were designed in Corinthian style. The central part of he building has got two entrances, one for the king and the other one for the employees of the Crown. Both entrances lead to Guests’s stairs, yellow Sienna marble and to the Honor Stairs, Carrara marble architecture style. In the central building there were also the Small Saloon, the Smoking Room and, of course, the Hall of Throne, opened only on special occasions.

On the left of the Palace it was the headquarters of the Guards and on the right side is KRETULESCU CHURCH. Since Carol II loved movies, the Royal Palace had to cinema halls, its own telephone service, two elevators. It served as Royal House for Carol II and Mihai I, the last king of Romania, who lived here from 1940 to 1947 when he was forced to leave the country. In 1948, the Communist Party will seize all Royal Family goods and will transform the Royal Palace into the headquarters of the Ministries Council. Part of the building will serve the Minister of Information. The entire building will be called the Palace of the Republic.

ART MUSEUM IN BUCHAREST AND COMMUNISTS

The Museum of Art in Bucharest was opened in 1950. All paintings taken from the so-called enemies of the socialist people, will be brought here. During the Revolution in 1989, many of masterpieces will be damaged or even destroyed. Even the palace needed to be repaired but everything was done by 2000 when the new Romania National Art Museum in Bucharest was opened. You can see here The European Art Gallery, which means works of famous artists like Rembrandt, Tizian, Tintoretto, El Greco, Rubens, Renoir, Monet, Delacroix, Sisley, Rodin and so on. Seven halls were given to the Old Romanian Art Gallery where you can see 9500 pieces of national history, like Curtea de Arges frescoes, relics, sculptures in wood and stone, in fact, everything you may find interesting in the cultural life or the Romanian people between the 14th and the 19th centuries.

WHAT TO SEE AT THE ART MUSEUM IN BUCHAREST

The Romanian Modern Art Gallery was opened in 2001 and you will find it at the 2nd floor. 8.4790 paintings and 1817 sculptures are permanently exhibited here and they are signed by famous artists like Theodor Aman, Nicolae Grigorescu, Stefan Luchian, Nicolae Tonitza, Theodor Pallady, Dimitrie Paciurea or the great Constantin Brancusi. Part of the Bucharest City Tour, The Romania National Art Museum in Bucharest can be a highlight in your journey around Revolution Square, before you have a beer in Cismigiu Garden or after you take a walk on Victory Avenue where you must be very careful at the prices in the stores. Don’t miss the ROMANIAN ATHENAEUM, Kretulescu Church just near The Royal Palace and THEODOR AMAN MUSEUM, or REVOLUTION SQUARE and all its story about the great revolution in 1989 against the communist party that had changed the whole country forever.

SEE BUCHAREST ART MUSEUM MAP…