Romania Travel: Historic Bucharest
Ceaucescu's Palace of the Parliament and Revolution Square
In Romania's capital, there are sites linked to the country's former dictator. Here are some facts on the world's second biggest government building and more.
Where: Palace of the Parliament, Bucharest, Romania
What happened here: Whilst most of his country was suffering under strict rationing, former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu decided that the best use of the funds at his disposal would be to build an enormous palace. In 1984, construction began on the building, which is 10% bigger than the Great Pyramid at Giza, and it still hasn’t quite finished. Entire suburbs of Bucharest (approximately a fifth of the old city) were torn down to accommodate it and the surrounding plazas, and the only bigger government building in the world is the Pentagon in the United States.
Unsurprisingly, the House of the People (as it was then ironically known) was regarded with contempt by the poverty-stricken population, and it was nearly pulled down for symbolising the regime during the 1989 revolution. To destroy it would have been even more wasteful than building it in the first place, though, and Ceausescu’s folly was saved.
If you travel here today: The palace is open for tours in several languages daily, and inside you’ll find one of the most elaborately decorated interiors in the world. Amongst the paintings, sculptures and gold-tassled curtains you’ll find over a million square metres of Transylvanian marble and 200,000 square metres of carpet. The palace now houses the Romanian Parliament as well as many other organisations.
Where: Revolution Square, Bucharest, Romania.
What happened here: This was the scene of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu’s downfall. In response to riots in the western city of Timisoara, Ceausescu addressed 100,000 people that had gathered in the square below the Central Committee Building, ostensibly in support.
As he rattled on about his achievements, it was clear that things were not going well, with very few people applauding. He then offered miniscule pay rises for all workers, and sounds of gunfire or explosions emerged from the outer edge of the throng. Things then descended into chaos, and despite Ceausescu’s pleas for calm from the balcony, it turned into full-scale revolution.
If you travel here today: You can still see the balcony where Ceausescu endured his humiliation, and there are plenty of bullet holes in the walls dating from the 1989 revolution. The square is also home of the Athénée palace and the National Art Museum.
