Bucharest

Bucharest (Romanian: Bucure?ti) is the capital city and industrial and commercial centre of Romania, located in the southeast of the country, on the Dâmbovi?a river. The city proper has a population of 2,082,000 inhabitants, together with the metropolitan area comprising approximately 2.3 million people.

History

Main article: History of Bucharest

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Middle Ages

The legend says that Bucharest was founded by a shepherd named Bucur, another variant, more likely, is that it was established by Mircea cel B?trân in the 14th century after a victory won over the Turks (bucurie means joy in Romanian). Like most ancient cities of Romania, its foundation has also been ascribed to the first Wallachian prince, the half-mythical Radu Negru.

Related Topics:
Bucur - Mircea cel B?trân - 14th century - Radu Negru

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Bucharest is first mentioned under its present name as a residence in 1459 of the Wallachian prince Vlad ?epe? (Vlad the Impaler). It was then that the Old Royal Court (Curtea Veche) was built and during the rule of Radu cel Frumos it became the summer residence of the court. In 1595 it was burned by the Turks; but, after its restoration, continued to grow in size and prosperity and in 1698, Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu chose it for his capital.

Related Topics:
1459 - Vlad ?epe? - Curtea Veche - Radu cel Frumos - 1595 - 1698 - Constantin Brâncoveanu

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Modern history

During the 18th century the possession of Bucharest was frequently disputed by the Turks, Austrians and Russians. In 1812 it gave its name to the treaty by which Bessarabia and a third of Moldavia were ceded to Russia. In the war of 1828 it was occupied by the Russians, who made it over to the prince of Wallachia in the following year.

Related Topics:
18th century - Turks - Austrians - Russians - 1812 - Bessarabia - Moldavia - 1828

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On 23 March 1847 a fire consumed about 2,000 buildings of Bucharest (about a third of the city) .

Related Topics:
23 March - 1847

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A rebellion against Prince Bibescu in 1848 brought both Turkish and Russian interference, and the city was again held by Russian troops in 1853-1854. On their departure an Austrian garrison took possession and remained till March 1857. In 1858 the international congress for the organization of the Danubian principalities was held in the city; and when, in 1861, the union of Wallachia and Moldavia was proclaimed, Bucharest became the Romanian capital. Alexander John Cuza, the first ruler of the united provinces, was driven from his throne by an insurrection in Bucharest in 1866.

Related Topics:
1848 - 1853 - 1854 - 1857 - 1858 - 1861 - Alexander John Cuza - 1866

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In the second half of the 19th century, the population of the city increased dramatically. The extravagant architecture and cosmopolitan high culture of this period won Bucharest the nickname of The Paris of the East (or Little Paris, "Micul Paris"), with Calea Victoriei as its Champs-Élysées or Fifth Avenue, but the social divide between rich and poor was described at the time by Ferdinand Lassalle as "a savage hotchpotch."

Related Topics:
19th century - Champs-Élysées - Fifth Avenue - Ferdinand Lassalle

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20th century

On December 6 1916 the city was occupied by the German forces, the capital being moved to Ia?i, but it was liberated in November 1918, becoming the capital of the new united Kingdom of Romania.

Related Topics:
December 6 - 1916 - German - Ia?i - 1918 - Kingdom of Romania

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Bucharest suffered heavy loses during WWII due to the English and American bombardments. On November 8 1945, the king's day, the communists suppressed pro-monarchist rallies.

Related Topics:
WWII - November 8 - 1945

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During Nicolae Ceau?escu's leadership, most of the historical part of the city, including old churches, was destroyed, to be replaced with the grandomanic socialist buildings of the Centru Civic, notably the Palace of the Parliament. Some historic districts remain, but many argue whether Bucharest is really the Paris of the East today.

Related Topics:
Nicolae Ceau?escu - Centru Civic - Palace of the Parliament

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In 1977, a strong 7.4 on the Richter-scale earthquake claimed 1,500 lives and destroyed many old buildings.

Related Topics:
1977 - 7.4 on the Richter-scale earthquake

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Mass protests began in Timi?oara in December 1989 and continued in Bucharest, leading to the overthrow of Ceau?escu's communist regime.

Related Topics:
Mass protests - Timi?oara

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Unhappy with the results of the revolution, mass protests supported by the students' leagues continued in 1990 (the Golaniad) and were violently stopped by the miners of Valea Jiului (the Mineriad). Several other Mineriads followed, the results of which included a government change.

Related Topics:
Golaniad - Valea Jiului - Mineriad

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After the year 2000, due to the advent of Romania's economic boom, the city has modernized and many historical areas have been restored to their former glory.

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Treaties signed in Bucharest

• Treaty of May 28, 1812, at the end of the Russo-Turkish War. Romania loses Bessarabia
• Treaty of March 3, 1886, at the end of the war between Serbia and Bulgaria
• Treaty of August 10, 1913, at the end of the Second Balkan War (see: Treaty of Bucharest, 1913)
• Treaty of August 4, 1916, the treaty of alliance between Romania and Entente (France, England, Russia and Italy)
• Treaty of May 6, 1918, the treaty between Romania and the Central Powers, which was never ratified