Bucharest | Romania | Mid-century / Soviet-era Concrete and Design Stuff

Hero's Memorial | Carol Park. Horia Maicu and Nicolae | 1963. Hero's Memorial | Carol Park | Horia Maicu and Nicolae | 1963 | Built in honour of revolutionary socialist militants. Post-communism it was (instead) dedicated to the Unknown Soldier 1991.

Bucharest reminded me of being in Argentina. Or São Paulo. Sometimes Mexico City. It was kind of typical faded-grandeur, dictatorship, revolution-vibe, but with its own Romanian feel.

Obviously there is a whole smattering of communist-style architecture (so I’ll throw East Germany into that above list too) albeit the DDR were socialist and not corrupt-communism, as Romania was under that demon Ceausescu. They both shared the same status though – countries aligned with the Soviets but not actually part of the USSR. So there are A LOT of DDR bits and pieces lying about. Mostly in the flea markets.

I LOVED it there. AND, your money – your Lei – goes a LONG way – my Airbnb was £19 a night and one of the best I’ve stayed in (which is over 100, so trust me.) Your dinner will set you back around £15, and that’s including a couple of drinks (Romanian beer: Ursus) and 3-courses.

Thinking it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to own one of the numerous decrepit-yet-beautiful, turn-of-the-century villas to renovate. So many semi-derelict ones to choose from. Pft. Like I ever will. Did I also say Bucharest felt like Vienna in places? And maybe a bit like Milan. Anyway, I mostly have a fetish for the whole iron-curtain thing so yeah. Bucharest. Go.

(No actual Vampire encounters, sadly).

National Military Museum, Romania | Strada Mircea, Vulcanescu 125 - 127, Bucuresti 010819, Romania | Expect to see nobody else the entire time in you're in this military​ museum. Expect to read nothing in English. Expect to see the best example of a mid-century interior​ in the most unlikely place. Expect to really like the place. I did.
National Military Museum, Romania | Strada Mircea, Vulcanescu 125 – 127, Bucuresti 010819, Romania | Expect to see nobody else the entire time in you’re in this military museum. Expect to read nothing in English. Expect to see the best example of a mid-century interior in the most unlikely place. Expect to really like the place. I did.

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Aripi (Wings) | 2016 | Piata Presei Libere | Artist Mihai Buculei | Dedicated to anti-communist resistance. And yet you'd swear the style of it was Soviet-era.
Aripi (Wings) | 2016 | Piata Presei Libere | Artist Mihai Buculei | Dedicated to anti-communist resistance. And yet you’d swear it was Soviet-era.

 

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Bulevardul Nicolae, Balcescy 4, Bucuresti 010051, Romania 1967 - 1970 | Dinu Hariton | Gheorghe Nadrag | Ion Moscu | Romeo Belea
InterContinental Buchrest | Bulevardul Nicolae, Balcescy 4, Bucuresti 010051, Romania | 1967 – 1970 | Architects: Dinu Hariton, Gheorghe Nadrag, Ion Moscu, Romeo Belea | Hotel of choice for the foreign press – they had prime views of University Square during the Romanian Revolution 1989. Didn’t even have to leave their rooms.
Clock Tower | In the grounds of the InterContinental Hotel
Clock Tower | In the grounds of the InterContinental Hotel
Vintage Hotel Sign
Vintage Hotel signs outside vintage hotels in the Old Town

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DDR-era TV | A much lusted-after item during the DDR years
DDR-era TV | A much lusted-after item during the DDR years
Egalitarian​ Soviet-era​ sculpture - Welder socialist chick. Maybe she's called Alex and works in a steel mill by day but dances in a strip bar at night.
Egalitarian Soviet-era sculpture – Welder socialist chick. Maybe she’s called Alex and works in a steel mill by day and dances in a strip bar at night.
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60s factory in the process of being demolished. Ramdomly stumbed upon it – didn’t make a note of where – there were two angry dogs after my ankles
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Random street views part 1…….

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1960s fountain
IT’S A 1960s PUBLIC FOUNTAIN AND ITS WORKING!!
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Can’t find anything on this but got to be 60s?
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Random street views part 2….

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Sala Palatului | Concert Hall | Bucharest | Strada Ion, Campineanu 28, Bucuresti 010039, Romania | 1959 - 1960 Communist-era | Architect Hori Maicu
Sala Palatului | Concert Hall | Bucharest | Strada Ion, Campineanu 28, Bucuresti 010039, Romania | 1959 – 1960 Communist-era | Architect Hori Maicu

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Random street views part 3…

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