13 Photos of the Romanian Athenaeum, Bucharest. Do you know if it still hosts performances? The painter was asked to remove from the fresco the image with King Carol II, who abdicated and became undesirable. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Copyright 01/08/2022 Alamy Ltd. All rights reserved. The Great Concert Hall is by far the most impressive one, and it is full of symbols. Find information on cookies and how to disable them. Any chance to see a concert in this acoustic accomplishment is highly recommended. It does not store any personal data. Captions are provided by our contributors. Starting from this idea of spreading knowledge for free among the Romanians, the Romanian Athenaeum Society was born. Bucharest is a bit strange. The video has been added to your shopping cart. Another option to see the beautiful interior is during a guided tour in Bucharest. Were the travel-crazy couple behind Wandertooth. As an Amazon associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Local Life Bucharest is about to select candidates for Best Places awards, dedicated to rewarding and encouraging excellence in products, service and ideas. @ 0.200 --> GetKeywords: Cached item The overall style is neoclassical, with some more romantic touches. Marvelous building, too. About Wandertooth. And if the day ends with a good book and a dry red glass of wine, then I live in a paradise. The palace hosted a gallery (Pinacoteca Statului), a library and sometimes film screenings. Enescu was also the one who launched the fundraising for a new concert hall. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The Palace also witnessed major political and cultural episodes that modeled the history of Romania. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. [1], The building was designed by the French architect Albert Galleron, built on a property that had belonged to the Vcrescu family and inaugurated in 1888, although work continued until 1897. We use cookies to optimize our content and service for you. A church called the Church of the Episcopate was built on the site of the orchard, in the courtyard of which a school operated. Powered by. Albert Galleron, a French architect, was the one who designed the Romanian Athenaeum. AsI emerged from the underground tunnels, I found that the sun had already retreated for the day, but I was unwilling to admit defeat. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. USA Opened in 1888, the ornate, domed, circular building is the city's most prestigious concert hall and home of the "George Enescu" Philharmonic and of the George Enescu Festival. Cozyness has dorm beds and a few different private rooms, and we ended up staying in a few different rooms during the two weekswe stayed there. This file contains additional information such as Exif metadata which may have been added by the digital camera, scanner, or software program used to create or digitize it. When I went, I was able to access the concert hall by taking the second staircase on my right (from the entrance). Row of columns and stairs in Royal Wawel Castle, Krakow, Poland. The garden was incorporated into the Athenaeum only in 1888 and was later called the Athenaeum Garden. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The construction was possible also thanks to ordinary people who paid for lottery tickets worth 1 Leu each. The Romanian Athenaeum and the Opera are two different places, although they are nearby one another. However, if youre tenacious, you should find the actual concert hall. Click the image and start planning your next trip! Availability: Image availability cannot be guaranteed until time of purchase. You may use this image, for up to 30 days following download (Evaluation Period), for your internal review and evaluation only (layouts and comps) in order to determine if it meets the necessary requirements for the intended use.This authorization does not allow you to make any use in final materials or products or make it available to third parties for use or distribution by any means. The most wonderful way to experience the Athenaeum is to attend a concert in the 1,000-seat auditorium; intensify the experience by choosing a performance of the Philharmonic George Enescu, the city's premiere orchestra, named for the nation's greatest composer who debuted here in 1898. The image comes in high resolution, as specified on each image. The main use of this building is as concert hall, but it also has a symbolic meaning, representing the grandeur of the Romanian cultural heritage and bringing to life a glorious past with important historical figures. After, 1864 the society moved the headquarters to Bucharest. make your trip both authentic and unforgettable. Now, the Athenaeum represents the Romanian National Philharmonic Hall hosting every week important classical music concerts and conferences. Maybe you have noticed the peculiar shape of the Romanian Athenaeum: circular central compartment. TheRomanian Athenaeum is a concert hall and symbol of cultural Bucharest. Mexico & Caribbean All of our guides are written by local experts and writers with extensive knowledge and insider tips. There were barely any tourists there, but it was right in the heart of the city, and has one of the most beautiful interiors that Ive ever seen (perhaps beaten only by Versailles). Tours of Romania and Eastern Europe 2020. Tom do stop in the next time youre in Bucharest. Closeup view, Entrance porch with brick columns and stairs, Columns and Stairs To Church in San Marino. The first festival was organized in 1958. All structured data from the file namespace is available under the. There are 794 seats for the audience, and the acoustics is one of the best in Bucharest. Held in honor of the celebrated Romanian composer George Enescu, this event is the biggest classical music festival and classical international competition in Romania and one of the biggest in Eastern Europe. Your email address will not be published. Also, there were organized the first large exhibitions, retrospectives of painting and sculpture of the masters of fine arts. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Yes, Heather! If the file has been modified from its original state, some details such as the timestamp may not fully reflect those of the original file. Since its inauguration, the great personalities and scientists of Romania have lectured here and artists from all over the world have performed. Even more gorgeous than the facade and garden is the building's interior which features lush frescoes, a gold leaf ceiling, pink marble columns, curving balconies and spiral staircases. In the pre-war period, the alleys of the Athenaeum Garden were adorned with busts representing great Romanian politicians or artists. The bust of composer George Enescu, who conducted the philharmonic while being only 17 years old, rests in the middle of this staircase. Zappeion Megaron entrance columns, national monument, landmark Athens, Greece. All rights reserved 2002-2022 Lifeboat Ltd. Your email address will not be published. Opened in the late 1880s, ithas also served as witness to important moments in Romanian history. Because it was severely damaged by the bombings of World War II, the Romanians mobilized again and donated to the call of the Athenaeum committee for its restoration. This part of Bucharest is wide and special as it includes elements from different stages of Romanian history. South & Central America, Travel Tips & Inspiration Wandertooth focuses on making insanely useful travel guides written by local experts helping you make the most of your vacation time! Some of the doors may be locked, so just keep trying different staircases. If my passion for traveling involves a bike, it's even better. Do you need extra details about Romania? A 75-by-3-metre (246.1 by 9.8ft) fresco by Costin Petrescu decorates the inside of the circular wall of the concert hall. The building has stone foundation. Classical pillars row, Marble colonnade and stairs. Exclusivity: Please contact us, if you wish to license this image with exclusive rights. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. You can find on the official websiteheremore information about the festival and the concerts. On our website, you will also find suggestions about what else you can experience in Bucharest:10 free things you can do in BucharestandFirst-Timers Guide to Bucharest. Travel Gear Reviews @ 0.100 --> GetKeywords: Request cached? One-time use in an editorial article. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. This hall is adorned by simple stucco columns and 4 marble monumental staircases. Our tour guides will be happy to present you with the story of this wonderful building and visit it with you. From the very beginning, conferences, painting exhibitions and concerts of the Romanian Philharmonic took place in the halls of the Athenaeum. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. @ 0.199 --> GetKeywords: File obtained The upcoming performances were of course after we already left! It happened in 1865 in front of 500 people, more than half being women. level of our approval. ERROR: please contact the IMAGO service desk. The idea of the call surprisingly turned into a lesson of unity. The Palace of the Athenaeum has a unique circular shape, and it attracts many curious eyes thanks to the special touch of the architectural style. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. At first glance, it seems as though this lobby area is all there is to see in theRomanian Athenaeum. The Romanian Athenaeum is located in the city center along the famous Calea Victoriei Boulevard. The highlights of the event were Bachs Concertos Concerto for Two Violins with Yehudi Menuhin and David Oistrakh as soloists and staging of Enescus sole opera, dipe, withConstantin Silvestriconducting. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Europe Please contact us, if you wish to license this image with exclusive rights. Only in 1939 Oscar Walcker built the impressive organ present today in the imposing concert hall of the Romanian Athenaeum. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. In the Romanian Athenaeum concert hall, the one that attracts attention is the fresco, 3 m wide and 75 m long. Perhaps it is this juxtaposition, combined with the fact that thediscoveriesweve made have comeso unexpectedly, that has left us with such a nice feeling about this place. Black and white columns and stairs in Vienna, greek style. Click on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. The building was built between 1886 and 1888 according to the plans of the French architect Albert Gallero. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. The concert hall has a capacity of 800 places, under a 16-m high dome, with a diameter of 28.5 m. Around the great dome of the edifice, there can be seen, carved in the wall, the names of known scholars. Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Over the years, at the festival organized at the Romanian Athenaeum and the Radio Hall, high-prestigious orchestras and musicians performed: the Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by Herbert von Karajan, the Stockholm Philharmonic, directed by Sergiu Celibidache, and the London Philharmonic, directed by Sir John Barbirolli. In 1935, George Enescu (the best-known Romanian musician) started a fundraising campaign for the construction of the concert organ, in the large concert hall. Image availability cannot be guaranteed until time of purchase. It reminds me a bit of Musee Palais du Garnier in Paris. In front of the building there is a small park and a statue of Romanian poet Mihai Eminescu. Romanian Athenaeum, the famous concert hall in Bucharest, is located in George Enescu Square, right on Calea Victoriei, opposite the Royal Palace. Extensive reconstruction and restoration work has been conducted in 1992 by a Romanian construction company and restoration painter Silviu Petrescu, saving the building from collapse. Places to see in the capital of Romania, Visit Transylvania Travel guide for first time visitors, Visit Bucovina Romania: The Ultimate Guide For Travelers, Visit Sighisoara citadel attractions & things to do, 8 Remarkable Things To Do In Maramures, Romania, Visiting Bucharest with kids things to do & useful tips. This page was last edited on 4 November 2021, at 15:20. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Now this is something to write home about. After a decade of travelling the world together, weve picked up a few tricks! The faade consists of 8 ionic columns of similar proportions to the columns of the Erechteion temple on the Acropolis in Greece and 5 medallions in the mosaic representing five great rulers of the country: Neagoe Basarab, Alexandru cel Bun, King Carol I of Romania, Vasile Lupu, and Matei Basarab. If youre standingat the bottom of the stairs of the main staircase, with your back to the lobby, itwill be slightly behind you and to your right. Please read our Romania Travel blog. The tour includes a visit inside the Romanian Athenaeum. Of the 25 scenes, the last two scenes represent the royal history of Romania and they were covered with red velvet during the communist period. Although in 1888 the construction was partially completed, due to lack of funds, the Athenaeum was put into use on February 14, and the works continued until 1897. Required fields are marked *. If youre standing facing the front of theAthenaeum, you should find a small door on the right-hand side of the building. Learn more about how you can collaborate with us. After days without sun, we were treated yesterday morning to a blue sky streaked with rays ofsunshine. Frommer's only recommends things we think you will enjoy and that will Initially, they were known as public courses, and the first ones were held near todays Cimigiu Garden Park, having the parks benches as seats for the public. Non-commercial use only, not for resale. Now, the festival takes place every 2 years in Bucharest for the whole month of September. The Philharmonic held concerts here since 1888, without interruptions, but the Athenaeum also hosted painting expositions, conferences and symposiums. @ 0.229 --> Keywords task start waiting Here, the wraparound fresco -- which was covered up during the Communist era -- tells the history of Romania, starting with the arrival of the Romans and culminating with the reign of King Ferdinand. Visit the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest, Is Bucharest worth visiting? As you step inside the Athenaeum, you are overwhelmed by the Great Entrance Hall, which reminds you of the interior of Ancient churches. Str. We stayed at Cozyness Downtown Hostel Bucharest, and havent ever felt more at home at a hostel. bride and groom standing near large columns and stairs. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. One-time use in an editorial piece that may be used in the following media: Websites, social media, newsletters and for in-house projects. I wandered through back alleys in search of the Romanian Athenaeum, one of Bucharests top attractions. He is joined by other Romanian artists. Your email address will not be published. The Romanian Athenaeum is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Bucharest. We have over 45 city and regional guides spanning four continents, with more being added each month! If at the end of the Evaluation Period you do not contract a license for its use, you must stop using the image and destroy / delete any copy of it. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Releases: No signed releases for this image. The circular foundation, prepared for the circus, and the idea of using these foundations forced the French architect of the Athenaeum to design the building in a circular shape and to add a roof in the shape of a dome. A portion of the construction funds was raised by public subscription in a 28-year-long effort, of which the slogan is still remembered today: "Donate one leu for the Ateneu!"[2]. Currently, it also houses the headquarters of the George Enescu Philharmonic. Places to see in the capital of Romania. Apparently, the venue ranks third best in Europe for its acoustics. Besides the traditional classical music concerts and the Cultural Conferences, the Romanian Athenaeum is home to one of the most important International Music Festivals: George Enescu International Festival and Competition. The image has been added to your shopping cart. It represents scenes from the national history, from the conquest of Dacia by emperor Trajan, the reign of Stephen the Great, the unification of Michael The Brave, the reign of Cuza, the independence war, the reign of King Carol I and Ferdinand I. I grabbed my camera and took the metro from our hostel to the Piata Romana. Alamy and its logo are trademarks of Alamy Ltd. and are registered in certain countries. Personal prints, cards and gifts, or reference for artists. Inside, the ground floor hosts an ornate conference hall as large as the auditorium above; in the auditorium there are 600 seats in the stalls, the rest of the seats being placed in 52 loges. Read our full disclosure, privacy policy and disclaimer/terms of use. Explore Destinations: You can also have a look overour tours and enjoy a full-day Bucharest city tour. You need to pay a small fee to whoever is manning the side entrance, and he'll let you see the grand foyer and remarkably intimate, yet beautiful, auditorium. Pre-pay for multiple images and download on demand. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. Our experts personally appraise each choice Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. @ 0.199 --> GetKeywords: File to Json It includes 25 episodes from the history of the Romanians, symbolizing the open book of national history. A place with one star is worth a lookafter all, it made the list. The image of the building, the neo-Greek portico, located under the Ionic pediment, and the beautifully decorated dome, has long been the emblem of Bucharest. They have performances there all the time. After the destruction of the church and the school, on the remaining land, a garden was arranged, called the Episcopal Garden. The Romanian Athenaeum concerts represent a perfect experience for those who love classic music. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Id love to hear a concert there. You can see the next concerts on the official website. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Unfortunately, they were not preserved, because they were destroyed during the years of the communist regime. In 2005 it was opened on the occasion of a new edition of the George Enescu International Festival. @ 0.053 --> GetKeywords: Getting cache The French architect Albert Galleron built the building according to the scientific research and the indications of Alexandru Odobescu. During World War II, this last scene is covered with another picture. . The fresco ends with the picture of the last 2 kings of Romania: Kind Carol II and his son, King Michael I On a modern city background, Carol II, the king of culture, accompanied by the heir to the throne, the Great Voivode Mihai, descends among the people to patronize science, literature, art, agricultural work, and industry. The building is dominated by a large dome adorned at the entrance with beautiful elements that recreate the entrance to a Roman-Greek Ancient temple. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip. All were top notch! The main piece is the 70m long and 3m wide fresco painted in 1933 by Costin Petrescu. The foundations of this circus were preserved, giving the Romanian Athenaeum the circular shape we can all admire today. In order to raise the sums necessary to build the organ at the Athenaeum, Enescu performs both in Bucharest, at the Romanian Athenaeum, and in many cities in the province. Facing the Royal Palace and standing adjacent the Athne Palace Hilton hotel, the lovely exterior is matched by interior frescoes and mosaics. You will not regret it for sure. Under the dome, all around the concert hall is a fresco 3 m height and 75 m length, by Costin Petrescu. The concert hall can be accessed from the curved staircases (not the main staircase, as far as I could tell) around the lobby. From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository, Add a one-line explanation of what this file represents. At present, in its place, in the Athenaeum Garden is placed the statue of Mihai Eminescu (the greatest Romanian poet), executed in bronze, in 1963. We also participate in many other affiliate programs. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. At the entrance of the 41 m high building, the spectator is welcomed by a majestic lobby with 12 Carrara marble columns, between which are four monumental spiral stairs on the sides of one staircase of honor. Between 1919 and 1920, the Athenaeum building was used by the state authorities at the time as the seat of the Chamber of Deputies. One of the best places weve stayed. The nine million Euro required were contributed in equal shares by the government and the Council of Europe Development Bank.[3]. Treasures of Romania & Bulgaria Tour 11 days, The Countryside of Romania Tour 12 days, Romanian traditions, legends and superstitions. The ceiling is extraordinary with beautiful carvings and the names of important study subjects through which science, art, and culture are being spread to the country. Park, gardens sunny day background. The Romanian people cannot go forward without science, knowledge, and art because during the times we live in; only the enlightened nations can aspire and reach the real fulfillment.. The style is neoclassic, with eclectic elements of the 19th-century. Other musical personalities who have participated throughout the festival were Joseph Palnciek, Claudio Arrau, Arthur Rubinstein, David Oistrakh, Kurt Masur, Boris Berezovski, Antonio Menses, Jose Van Dam, Lawrence Foster. In 1865, cultural and scientific personalities such as Constantin Esarcu, V. A. Urechia, and Nicolae Creulescu founded the Romanian Atheneum Cultural Society. Dont be fooledby the locked front doors and assume it is closed. Original file (2,848 4,288 pixels, file size: 5.11 MB, MIME type: image/jpeg). The project of the Romanian Atheneum was made by the French architect Albert Galeron, together with Romanians Grigore Cerchez, Constantin Olnescu, Ion Mincu. [4], Romanian Athenaeum awarded Label of European Heritage, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Romanian_Athenaeum&oldid=1068490038, Articles with Romanian-language sources (ro), Short description is different from Wikidata, Infobox mapframe without OSM relation ID on Wikidata, Articles containing Romanian-language text, Articles with MusicBrainz place identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 28 January 2022, at 18:12. Asia The timestamp is only as accurate as the clock in the camera, and it may be completely wrong. The owner, Marius, is really friendly and likes to hang out with guests. Read our full disclosure, privacy policy and disclaimer/terms of use. And then just when youre about to give up, you come acrossgenteel, cobbled streets with cafes and chocolate shops on every corner. TheAthenaeum is close to Revolution Square, and it is quite possible to visit both within only a few hours. The Society decided that an emblematic construction was needed to host all the Conferences. Built more than 130 years ago, the palace of the Romanian Athenaeum is not only one of the symbols of Bucharest but also of the entire country. Inspired by ancient Greek temples, the building surprises at first sight with a historic colonnade that supports a triangular pediment. In the Romanian Athenaeum, there were moments of historical significance for the Romanian people. Neoclassical architecture at an academic building. See our full disclosure and privacy policy here. Our star system does not denote hotel amenities but it does denote the The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Representatives of the Romanian intellectual class, educated in France, organized and held Public Conferences in front of their curious and varied audience. See if you can spot Vlad Tepes (the inspiration for Count Dracula), dark and ominous on horseback, more or less above the stairs. I paid my 10 leu (about 2.30 or $3.10), which pretty much gave me free reign of the place, and began to wander around. The Romanian Athenaeum (Romanian: Ateneul Romn) is a concert hall in the center of Bucharest, Romania and a landmark of the Romanian capital city. The guide will tell you all his known and less known stories about this architectural gem and will walk you through the beautifully decorated rooms. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The entrance is onthe side of the building. View Images & Videos by Jacques Alexandre. Nowadays, we all refer to the Romanian Athenaeum as the musical building of Bucharest.. Canada The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". The media type for use is not restricted with this license (excluding TV, movie production and betting sites). in terms of their overall enthusiasm for it. The ticket is 10 Lei per adult, and you get to see the Main Entrance Hall with the monumental staircases and the Great Concert Hall. On Racism, the Romani and Romania - WanderTooth Travel Blog. @ 0.200 --> GetKeywords: DocLastUpdate checked Its the interior that makes this place remarkable. Or even better, checkherethe calendar with the concerts and book your ticket. Its next modernization took place in 1994-2004. During the Communist times, the fresco was covered with red cloth for 2 decades, and only in 1966 was it uncovered and left to be admired by the people. Washington DC building with columns and stairs. All rights reserved. The Athenaeum is surrounded by important buildings like the historic Athenee Palace Hotel (today Hilton Hotel), the National Romanian Art Museum hosted in the former Royal Palace, the equestrian statue of King Carol I, the University Library, and of course, the Revolution Square. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Neoclassical historical famous building halls exhibitions. Pingback: On Racism, the Romani and Romania - WanderTooth Travel Blog, Your email address will not be published. Travel is my first name. Hi! The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". From the outside, its beautiful, althoughnot particularly remarkable. Back then, the fundraising motto was on everybodys lips, and finally, the amount needed was raised. During these concerts, you can visit also the interior of the building. Get an instant quote for one of our industry-leading volume pricing deals. The place where the Athenaeum and the garden in front of it are located was in 1730 an orchard, owned by an important family at that time, the Vcrescu family. We usually recommend to our travelers to go there in the first part of the day. This website is using cookies to improve the user-friendliness. To serve its purposes, the Romanian Athenaeum, a building dedicated to art and science, would be erected in Bucharest.