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Bucharest – the capital of Romania

Union Square or Piata Unirii is the biggest square of Romania; it was named in honor of Romania’s unification.

On the city’s squares and streets statues and monuments are erected in commemoration of different historic events. The most vivid monument is an equestrian statue of voivode Mihai the Brave –– the first Hospodar who united Romanian princedoms. On the pedestal there are coats of arms of all the princedoms: the Wallachian eagle, the Moldavian aurochs and coats of arms of Transylvania.

Among many statues and monuments decorating Bucharest the most famous is Miorita Fountain. The fountain is very big –– 50 meters by 20 meters and is decorated by mosaic friezes made of black and white stone, on which episodes of touching national legend about a little lamb Miorita are depicted; Miorita warned its owner about an attack of wolves but could not save him because the shepherd did not want to go away and was killed,.

Bucharest is renowned for its gardens and parks. One of the best parks in the capital stretched forth on the slopes of Filaret hill. Later, it was renamed to Liberty Park.

In the center of the park a monument-pantheon “To the Heroes of the Struggle for the People’s and Motherland’s Freedom” is erected. The monument is 48 meters high. Black and red granite, of which the pantheon is made, adds to it stateliness and sonority. The pantheon is a place of burial of prominent people of Romania. On the upper terrace of the park Eternal Fire in a granite amphora is burning.

In the very center of Bucharest Cismigiu Garden is located. In the garden decorated by fountains there is a so-called Romanian Round ornamented by roses where busts of prominent Romanian poets and writers are standing; among them are those to Nickolae Balcescu, Mihai Eminescu and others.

Herastrau Park is laid out on the bank of the eponymous lake. Picturesque and huge (its area is 187 ha) it is the favorite place of Bucharest’s residents to take a stroll. In the middle of the lake there are picturesque islands; one of them, the Island of Roses, is connected to the park by gracious, little light bridges.

One of the oldest streets of Bucharest is Victory Street (Calea Victoriei), named so in honor of a triumphant procession of Romanian troops in 1878 after they had defeated the Turks in the Russian-Turkish war. On Victory Street there are the palace of the Republic, Academy of Science, Romanian Athenaeum, Romanian history and folklore museums, the University library and one of the most luxurious hotels in Bucharest “Athena-Palace.” Victory Street ends at Victory Square (Piata Victoriei). In 1945, a monument to a Soviet Soldier was erected on the square as a tribute of respect and appreciation to the Soviet soldiers for their heroism in their fighting against the fascists.

A chain of boulevards stretches parallel to the Victory Street; it is the busiest part of town with stores, cinemas, hotels, cafes and restaurants. Near the big boulevards there is the Opera and Ballet Theater. A Triumph arch reminds of the Romanian army’s battles in 1916-1918. On the Aviators Boulevard there is an impressive monument to pilots. Upon a high stone pedestal a huge figure of brass Icarus with wide open wings is standing. This monument embodies man’s dream of conquering the air.

In the very center of Bucharest the University is located. It sprang up from schools of XVII-XVIII centuries –– so-called Greek Academies, in which subjects were taught not in Romanian but in Greek. The university was established in 1864.

On the Heroes Square the building of Military Academy is located. It is decorated by fountains, a stairway and a sculptural group standing in front of the entry into the Academy. The monument was created in honor of the Romanian soldiers fallen in battles against fascism for freedom and independence of their Motherland. On the pedestal there are figures of a sailor, a pilot and a soldier holding in a highly raised hand the symbol of victory –– an oak’s branch.

In the center of the capital the building of Athenaeum is located. A concert hall is in it. In a park in front of the Athenaeum there are always crowds of people resting on benches; it is a green oasis in the center of the capital. In the park there is a statue to the famous poet Mihai Eminescu.

The museums of Bucharest are very interesting. The Arts of Romania museum contains a National Gallery, a gallery of the World’s Art including sections of Western, Eastern and Russian Art and an engravings cabinet. The museum’s collection has more than 1,200 paintings and around 300 sculptures, while the engravings cabinet has more than 40,000 engravings and drawings by Romanian and foreign artists. The exhibition of Romanian Art begins from X century. In its fund there is a splendid collection of icons, manuscripts decorated with miniatures, sculpture, and pieces of decorative-applied art (furniture, golden and silver items, fabrics, embroideries).

In the gallery of the World’s Art the art of the countries of the Orient and Europe is represented: Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Flemish, Netherlandish and French schools. Here there are works of such masters as Jan van Eyck, El Greco, Rembrandt, Monet, Rodent, Bourdelle and other artists.

In the section of Eastern and Far-Eastern art samples of Chinese and Japanese art are represented: scroll paintings, sculpture, items made of jade, ivory, ceramics, varnishes, fabrics and others.

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