Certainly a symbol of Bucharest - and of Romania - the Romanian Athenaeum is the most popular concert hall in the country and also one of the most beautiful architectural achievements. You can find it in the Revolution Square (the former Palace Square) and it also hosts the "George Enescu" Philarmonica and, every year, the international music festival which bears the name of George Enescu, definetly Romania's most important composer. In front of the building you can also admire a statue of Mihai Eminescu, the national poet of Romania.
The idea of a big concert hall first appeared in Bucharest in the last decades of the 19th century, and finally the place was chosen on today's location, then property of the Vacaresti family. The actual building began in 1886, and a large part of the funds were collected by public subscription, under the inspired slogan "Dati un leu pentru Ateneu" (Give one leu for the Athenaeum). The plans of the future concert hall were made by the French architect Albert Galleron, very popular in those times for his classical and impressive creations. Actually, Galleron began his project with an already laid foundation, for the place was initially planned to host the horse race track of the "Romanian Horseriding Society" (Societatea Equestra Romana). Even if some other projects took a long time, which seemed neverending, the Romanian Athenaeum was finished in 1888, a true record for the city, and the official opening was a show in itself.
It was one of the most impressive architectural projects of Bucharest, forever changing it's appearance and actually drawing much attention on the city, from the locals to travellers from other countries. Galleron had found a winning combination : a massive structure, ressembling an ancient temple, with a 40 meters high dome and guarded at the entrance by several Dorin columns (actually six). The facade is even more atractive due to the five mosaics depicting five great rulers in Romania's history : Neagoe Basarab, Alexandru cel Bun, King Carol I, Vasile Lupu, Matei Basarab. An interesting choice of heroes then, a brilliant piece of history now. It was, by all means, the beginning of a legend.
The Romanian Athenaeum is still the same today : a beautiful building, with rich and elegant interior decorations, hosting the best concerts of classical music in the city (or even in the country), very popular among those who treasure a true musical experience. Now, the concert hall has 600 seats in the stall, with another 52 in the loges, but many times this number has been proven to be quite small. Especially on important festivals and concerts, where the number of the music lovers is far greater than the number of the seats.
Another more than impressive feature of the Athenaeum is the fresco, right above the loges, 70 meters long, 3 meters wide, comprised of 25 representantions of major scenes in Romanian history. This history of Romania is the work of the painter Costin Petrescu and although his imagery and representations are mostly marked by the Romantic and idealistic historiography of his times, from an artistic point of view they are beautifully well done. This kind of telling the history of a country, at a time when new nations emerged while old empires crumbled, is still fascinating, for every country tried to build a heroic and long past, as a heritage which gave it rights. Romania was certainly no exception. The voyage pictured in the 25 scenes begins with the triumphant entering of Emperor Traian in Dacia, after winning the war (so the accent was placed on the Latin origin) and ends with the interwar period, presented as a period of settling and evolution, of peace and development. The barbarians, the beginnings of the Romanian people, the founding of the historical provinces, the national heroes, the 1848 revolutions, the making of Greater Romania, the first years of monarchy in a unified country, all are presented in a Romantic and strongly idealistic manner. It was therefore suitable of the Romanian Athenaeum to host on December 29 1919 the meeting of the first Chamber of Greater Romania, which voted the union with Bassarabia, Transilvania and Bucovina.
Since it's first opening, the Romanian Athenaeum has been the most important concert hall of Romania, one of the most popular and loved cultural landmarks and a place of meeting for all music lovers.
2007-11-16
