Upon setting eyes on Bucharest’s Palace of the Parliament I was slightly underwhelmed. Yes, it’s a massive building but it didn’t strike me as being particularly remarkable or memorable. It didn’t have that grandiose feeling I had experienced when seeing photos in the past. But when entering the first of countless marble filled halls I realised just how extravagant this 370,000 sqm building really is.
Walking through the palace you’ll be faced with wall-to-wall marble; staircases, meeting rooms, hallways and floors are covered in local Transylvanian marble. Most rooms are lit with crystal chandeliers and the windows covered with gold and silver encrusted velvet curtains.
Many of the vast rooms are unfurnished as the building was never completed and Communist leader Ceaucescu was executed before he had the chance to move in.
More than anywhere the ridiculous extravagance is seen in the theatre. There are multiple levels, private boxes and plush seats. The theatre has it all. Except a stage. The Parliament’s theatre doesn’t have a stage or a backstage. Something most people would consider important when constructing a theatre. At least it looks impressive.
Most of my time in Bucharest was spent getting my Moldovan visa so I didn’t see much of the city aside from this wacky parliament building. The building is incomplete and only a small part of it is in use. Not exactly money well spent. But it’s an interesting place to visit and get an idea of what sociopath Ceaucescu was up to just before he died.
It certainly looks beautiful. Bucarest is next on my list …
I didn’t like the little I did see. Loved the rest of Romania though.
Again Andrea, another city for 2014.
Looks like you have a lot on your list!
If I remember correctly, it is the second-largest building in the world, after the Pentagon
That’s what they say. 🙂
Wonderful photographs! Wish I’d taken some when I visited – attended an international conference there in 1995. Our delegation met the architect who was so proud of her creation. I’m pretty sure she said it was the second biggest building in the world after the Pentagon She couldn’t quite grasp that most national delegations were appalled by the building rather than awed by it. But it really is huge, there were over 1000 people at the conference and yet we occupied only a small part of the building with all its marble, crystal chandeliers, silks and velvets and sweeping staircases. It was built when the people of Romania were so poor they couldn’t afford to feed their children and had to put them into orphanages. Yet all these resources were diverted to build a palace for a dictator. The Ceaucescu government bulldozed a huge area of the old town to make way for this edifice and also for the avenue leading up to it which was meant to be bigger and better than the Champs Elysees. Along the tops of the luxury buildings (for his favoured staff and ministers etc) lining this street on both sides there is unusual architectural decoration which was designed only partly for decorative purposes, really mostly to shelter all the soldiers who were always to be stationed on the roofs all along the route with heavy weapons to guard the entrance to the palace. The rather odd thing about the palace in 1995 was that there were very few toilets. It was designed really for one man and his family and acolytes so they didn’t think too carefully about it potential for being used by hundreds or more. Rather a problem with a conference attended by over 1000!
Bucharest is an interesting city, some very beautiful old orthodox churches and chapels, still unrestored when I was there – a feeling of great beauty and sanctuary. If you’re thinking of visiting, it’s interesting to read Olivia Manning “The Balkan Trilogy”, partially set there in the lead up to WWII. It’s interesting to visit some of the places in the novel. Before the war they used to call the city the Paris of the East. Definitely worth a visit.
Thanks for sharing that info Pamela. The palace has a fascinating history that’s for sure. Our tour guide shared many facts although not those about the toilet situation! The Balkan Trilogy sounds like an interesting read. I might check it out before my next trip to Romania.
I went here years ago but only ever saw the outside of the building so thanks for posting such an interesting photo essay on the interior. Fascinating!
It’s fascinating and quite odd seeing as it is so empty, at least the small portion we saw.
Going there next month and now I’m slightly demoralized that you didn’t like Bucharest! How did you book the tour to the parliament palace?
I loved our road trip through Romania then when we got to Bucharest I was a little disappointed as I saw it simply as a modern big city and so not particularly interesting. I’d be willing to give it another go though. For the tour we just turned up and joined the first one available. I’m not sure how often they run so you might want to stop by and ask. You’ll need to take your passport with you which they hold on to until the end of the tour. There’s another tour which takes you down to the lower levels of the building but that wasn’t available on the day we were there. Let me know what you think of Bucharest!
Wow – beautiful!!
WHAT PHOTOS! I have always wanted to go to Romania. Wow,those photos. I am still in awe. Poor bugger never even got to see his palace… what a shame.
It’s quite incredible and to think we saw less than 5% of the building in our 90 minute tour. There is so much unseen!
If you read my comment above and google him further, you might not feel quite so sympathetic to Ceaucescu.
thank you Pamela,
you are soooo right. I hated him. I almost put myself and my new born baby in fire because he decided that we don’t need electricity between midnight and 5 in the morning.. and while flashlight batteries were in high demand, of course were rare item on the market.. so. the only option were candles. .. in i forgot to light the candle off one time. and i almost started a fire. .. for that .. for putting me in the position to endanger my baby.. i will never forgive him.. not even now. 27 years after that horrible moment..
Sorry to hear that Dana, it must have been a terrible time. My husband is Albanian and he has shared many, many stories of life under a dictator. I know it wasn’t easy.
I’m in Bucharest at this moment. Just visit the Parliament – the complete tour – plan it in afternoon hrs you’ll have a good light over the city. From the roof you’ll have a impressive look over Bucharest. Also don’t skip the Old Town – dozen of pedestrian streets – is full with bars, terraces, pubs, restaurants, clubs (visit Caru cu Bere and Bordello’s for late evenings). We ware hunting for art deco buildings and local style churches. If you have good eyes, you can find here that Paris of the East, but also a Little Manhattan. This evening (for a good fall light) will visit the Village Museum, and tomorrow we fly to Belgrade. After Sofia (Bulgaria) and also Athens (Greece) we enjoyed Bucharest very much. I’ll place it on second position after Istanbul in a top of major cities of Balkans. Let see what Belgrade will have for our trained eyes.
Cool, thanks for the info. I didn’t really have time to appreciate Bucharest as I was only there to get a Moldovan visa but I’m very surprised you’d rate it as second after Istanbul. Enjoy the rest of your travels, I hear great things about Belgrade!