Bucharest | Romania | Mid-century / Soviet-era Concrete and Design Stuff
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.
Aripi (Wings) | 2016 | Piata Presei Libere | Artist Mihai Buculei | Dedicated to anti-communist resistance. And yet you’d swear it was Soviet-era.
InterContinental Bucharest | 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 | On the grounds of the InterContinental HotelVintage Hotel signs outside vintage hotels in the Old Town
DDR-era TV | A much lusted-after item during the DDR yearsEgalitarian Soviet-era sculpture – Welder socialist chick. Maybe she’s called Alex and works in a steel mill daily and dances in a strip bar at night.60s factory in the process of being demolished. Randomly stumbled upon it – didn’t make a note of where – there were two angry dogs after my ankles.Random street views part 1…….
IT’S A 1960s PUBLIC FOUNTAIN, AND ITS WORKING!!Can’t find anything on this but got to be the 60s?Random street views part 2…
Sala Palatului | Concert Hall | Bucharest | Strada Ion, Campineanu 28, Bucuresti 010039, Romania | 1959 – 1960 Communist-era | Architect Hori Maicu
The Drift 