Bucharest’s Rich History
In the south of Romania lies a beautiful city that has become the pulse of the country. With an urban population today of almost 2 million people, Bucharest city has come a long way from the smallish military fortress of its origins.
It was founded in the late 1300s, as Dambovita citadel, for protection along the trade route leading to Constantinople. For many lovers of superstition around the world, Bucharest is most famous for having been the home of the Walachian prince, Vlad III the Impaler, the inspiration behind Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
Today’s visitors need no longer fear for their lives, however, and are free to wander the twisting maze of streets that have sprouted organically from its heart over the centuries. For a traveler wishing to use that heart as a sojourn starting point, the Bucharest hotel known as the Athenee Palace is ideal.
Now a Hilton hotel, Athenee Palace was built in 1914 and is reputed to have been Europe’s main lair for espionage agents in the years leading up to World War II. With its ornate interior, replete with pillars of marble and gold and huge glittering crystal chandeliers, this hotel is an easy walk from many of Bucharest’s main attractions, including the Romanian Athenaeum and the former Royal Palace – now
the National Museum of Art.
Being the financial and cultural center, there is a host of other Bucharest hotels to choose from, and one could do worse than a room at the InterContinental Bucharest. Also centrally located, this 25-story five-star hotel was the tallest building in the city upon its opening in May 1971. While no longer the tallest building in Bucharest,every single room still retains its original design function of allowing visitors a unique view of this fascinating city.
Regardless of which hotel in Bucharest one chooses to stay in, the beauty of this city will positively overwhelm visitors. It is hard not to be impressed by the stately Palace of the Parliament, one of the world’s largest and most expensive buildings, and the heaviest.
If it is religious-styled, historical architecture you crave, the Metropolitan Church (1649), the 17th-century St. George Church, the Radu Voda (1649) and Stavropoleos (1724-30) will satiate even the most unbelieving. Superstition, espionage, architecture and history, dotted with libraries, theatres and
parks; this is Budapest. Find a place to rest and call it home for a while.
Processing your request, Please wait....
