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 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 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 by day and dances in a strip bar at night.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 anklesRandom street views part 1…….
IT’S A 1960s PUBLIC FOUNTAIN AND ITS WORKING!!Can’t find anything on this but got to be 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 