Most epic markets and monuments in Bucharest

Bucharest is a city with a strong personality, acquired during its long history. Once named The Little Paris, as the elites and aristocracy have been educated in France, its iconic downtown reminds in many places of this first love of the Romanians.

Walking, riding or driving on the iconic Boulevard Regina Elisabeta and observing its amazing old houses, you feel already in a strange atmosphere fin de siecle. In the square C.A.Rosetti, former prominent Romanian politician, it is a monument dedicated to the master, creation of the German architect W.C. Hegel. The statue is a masterpiece itself, showing a big artistic intrinsic value. All the traces of his face are perfectly designed and engraved, and the honored wears a fancy suit (for that time) and trench coat over it. The bas-reliefs on the statue show the crucial moments of the Romanian history where he was present and took part   very actively (the Unification from 1859 and the Declaration of Independence in 1877).

Monument of C.A Rosetti, prominent Romanian politician of the XIXth century

Not far from  it, one of the strangest building and museum of Bucharest: The Fire Tower/Foisorul de Foc. Nevertheless, remember that during the Middle age the houses of Bucharest where mostly build on wood, and the city falled more times victim to devastating fires. Nowadays, the building can seem weird and useless, but has a big emotional value. You can visit inside the special Museum of Firemen, with interesting data and tools.

The square  Pache Protopopescu and the controversial fountain

Observe in the area the Boulevard Pache Protopescu, a residential area. Pache Protopescu was the mayor of the city, which used to have a statue in the square Pache Protopescu. Unfortunately, the statue disappeared, but you can see a nice fountain instead. many people would love having back the statue of the former Mayor, destroyed by the communists when they took over in 1948.

Now please turn around and direct towards Piata Romana, or the Roman Square, a good name to underline the Roman origin and sympathies of the Romanian people. France has been looked for long time as the older  Latin sister, and you will notice for sure many similarities its rich culture. In the Roman Square observe the statue the Capitol Wolf, o copy of the original one located in Rome.

The original of Lupa capitolina is in Rome. The Bucharest's Lupa Capitolina  is one of the most nomadic city statues, and changed its location many times. Meanwhile is already removed from Piata Romana.

Observe now carefully the square, and on one of its sides The  Economy High School, a nice old building, with an ornamental ball on it. There is a wonderful underground legend about, and I wonder if is convenient or corect unvealing it to you, but we are grown up, I hope, and it is not such a bad history. According this myth, when the first student girl shall finish the High School as a virgin, the ball will fall down. 80 years after the inauguration of the building the ball is still sitting there!

The most important things to know about the Bucharest fountains

Every  fountain, including the little ones, keeps in it something from the living water source located in the Eden, near the life tree, and promising endless youth,immortality and wisdom. Situated to the gates of the Bible fortresses, the fountains represented not only the vital source of water, but also a place for miracle meetings and new starts.

The Fountains from Piata Unirii are the newest and  most spectacular of Bucharest, build by Ceausescu during his communist regime

Very similar, in the Romanian villages, the fountains always represented an agora, where everybody could meat anyone, exchanging informations. The fountains from the Romanian villages have been also a favorite secret dating place (only at night, of course). Beyond everything else, the fountains keep an unknown relation with the sacred things. An Orthodoxe christening  consists in immersing the crying scared baby in water, while the other ones are very happy. Furthermore, every fountain when is ready to use, is christened by a priest.

The Cantacuzino Fountain from Carol Park is one of the oldest in the today Bucharest

When Bucharest started its history at 1456 was not different than a village. Few centuries latter, after becoming a capital and gaining importance and ambitions, Bucharest started to think deeper to its aspects, including fountains. In Bucharest the monumental fountains appeared even before the statues.

Among the first mentions: the fountains build by the ruler Nicolae Mavrogheni by 1786, at the end of Podul Mogosoaiei (nowadays Calea Victoriei) to the delight of the happy inhabitants. Latter on that place appeared the Kisseleff park. At 1847, on Soseaua Kiseleff, Bibescu voda made the inauguration of His Fountains with many priests, canon fires and military ceremony. It was an art and technique masterpiece, much more advanced compared to other neighborhoods.

The Mine and Stone Careers Fountain lies also in the Carol Park, and was build at 1906

The many fountains and water sources of Bucharest are mentioned in the names of many streets of Bucharest (observe the different names like Putul, Cismeaua, Fantana). Maybe not so spectacular like the fountains of Rome (Fontana di Trevi e.g.), the fountains of Bucharest have a strong long history behind, and there are plans for building in Bucharest the biggest fountain in Europe.

One of the oldest fountains still in use is the Cantacuzino fountain from Parcul Carol I. It was build at 1870 by the former Mayor of Bucharest, latter twice prime minister, George Grigore Cantacuzino, being similar in some aspects white the Medicis Fountain from the Paris' Jardin de Luxembourg. Prior, on that place was another fountain, demolished with that occasion.

The wonderful Miorita Fountain from the Herastrau Park

At 1906, in the same Carol I park, was inaugurated the Mines and Stone Career Fountain. It is a sober simple building from stone blocks, with elements of specific Romanian architecture. The water basin is more elaborated, build in carved stone. Lies upper the Cantacuzino Fountain, towards the Roman Arena.

Carol IInd, son and follower of Carol I, inaugurated the Zodiac Fountain at the main entrance of Carol parc. The fountain was designed by an architect, but the sculptures of zodiac signs belong to another artist, the stone carver Mac Constantinescu.

One of the nicest and most spectacular fountains of Bucharest lies at its Northern entrance, in the Herastrau Park. It was build at 1936 by the architect Octav Doicescu, with carved stones from Milita Petrascu, describing Miorita, a Romanian epic poem. The long renovation from 2000 was successful, keeping the original momentousness and value of this fountain.

Wow, I still have much to say about The Bucharest Fountains, but I will be back soon. Too much water in my opinion, shall also concentrate on wine. Maybe is a good idea organizing wine tasting near a fountain.