Palace of the Parliament, Bucharest: as the second largest administrative building in the world and having become over the last quarter of a century a symbol of the Romanian capital, this colossal place is one of the most celebrated and popular landmarks of the city. It houses both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, it is often the host for various cultural, political and economical events and conferences, and also the place where you can discover not one, not two, but three museums – the National Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Communist Totalitarianism and, of course, the Museum of the Palace. And for those who think it is a big place – it isn't even finished. According to the original plans, the building was intended to have 1.100 rooms, out of which only about 400 have been completed and are in use.
Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum, Bucharest: picture a huge park, with lots of open space, filled with traditional peasant houses from various ages and regions of Romania, little shops, farms, churches, and the likes. There aren't any copies or fakes here; every single one of these exhibits has been carefully brought here and rebuilt as it was. There are over 270 such exhibits, many of them unique, and the origins of this splendid museum date to the 1930s, when the first plans were approved and the very first houses were found, bought and installed here. A lively presentation of traditional life and customs, it is one of the most popular museums of Bucharest and one of the cultural and touristic landmarks of the country.
Stavropoleos Monastery, Bucharest: it is one of the oldest places of worship that can be visited in Bucharest, and fortunatelly it has survived both the passing of time (it was built in 1724) and the demolition campaigns that have afflicted the Romanian capital in the 1980s. A wonderful place that still keeps it's original frescoes and intricate exterior decorations, a splendid example of the Brancovenesc style, also known as Wallachian or Romanian Renaissance, the Stavropoleos Monastery is a place to visit the past, to discover the beauty of the Orthodox religious service and the discover the old Bucharest.
The Black Church, Brasov: or Die Schwarze Kirche, the German name for this old Lutheran church, a massive and elegant structure, one of the rare examples of this size of Gothic architecture in Romania. The construction began in the XIVth century and over time the church we can see today has been extended, modified, reconstructed and consolidated, especially after the 1689 fire, which had darkened the walls as can be seen today. Is is not only the larges Gothic church of Romania, but it also has the largest church bell in the country, a huge one weighing about six tons. You can visit the wonderful interior, in a Baroque style or you can see some of the valuable items of the carpet collection.
Peles Castle, Sinaia: without a doubt the most popular Romanian castle and a symbol of the importance of history of the Romanian royal dinasty, the Peles Castle was built in Sinaia beginning in 1873 (it was mostly finished two years later) as a summer residence for King Carol I, who was impressed with the natural beauty and quietness of the places. This splendid monument, which has been a museum for several decades, was the creation of three German architects – Johannes Schultz, Carol Benesch, Karel Liman – while the interior decorations were the work of several famous decorators of those times. It was built and decorated according to the royal family's tastes and wishes, lavish rooms with wonderfully constructed furniture, a music room, a large hall with armors and weapons, the Council Hall and several other unique interiors. Just as interesting is the Turkish Room or the Royal Sleeping Room. It is one of the most famous Romanian museums and the most beloved of it's castles.
The Merry Cemetery of Sapanta, Maramures: it may seem strange to someone who comes for the very first time in this cemetery, lost somewhere in a village in Maramures, Romania. Nothing too sad, nothing too sobre, all is colourfull and surprisingly cheerful. The traditional crosses of most tombs are painted in vivid colours, mainly shades of blue, red and white, decorated with naïve portraits and scenes, and short, amusing and surprisingly clever poetry. The man who was mostly responsabile for the Merry Cemetery was one Stan Ioan Patras, who composed the first examples of funeral funny poems, naïve examples of traditional poetry, describind the faults and qualities of the deceased, what he or she liked or hated, how they lived and died. A strange and unforgettable place.
image - artLine.ro
April 2016
