București

București

RO
Population1,883,425
Bucharest (UK: BOO-kə-REST, US: -⁠rest; Romanian: București [bukuˈreʃtʲ] ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater metropolitan area of 2.3 million residents, which makes Bucharest the 8th most-populous city in the European Union. The city area measures 240 km2 (93 sq mi) and comprises 6 districts (Sectoare), while the metropolitan area covers 1,811 km2 (699 sq mi). Bucharest is a major cultural, political and economic hub, the country's seat of government, and the capital of the Muntenia region. Bucharest was first mentioned in documents in 1459. The city became the capital in 1862 and is the centre of Romanian media, culture, and art. Its architecture is a mix of historical (mostly Eclectic, but also Neoclassical and Art Nouveau), interbellum (Bauhaus, Art Deco, and Romanian Revival architecture), socialist era, and modern. In the period between the two World Wars, the city's elegant architecture and the sophistication of its elite earned Bucharest the nicknames of Little Paris or Paris of the East. Although buildings and districts in the historic city centre were heavily damaged or destroyed by war, earthquakes, and even Nicolae Ceaușescu's program of systematization, many survived and have been renovated. In recent years, the city has been experiencing an economic and cultural boom. It is one of the fastest-growing high-tech cities in Europe. In 2016, the historical city centre was listed as "endangered" by the World Monuments Watch. In January 2023, there were 1.74 million inhabitants living within the city limits, and adding the satellite towns around the urban area, the proposed metropolitan area of Bucharest would have a population of 2.3 million people. In 2020, the government used 2.5 million people as the basis for pandemic reports. Bucharest is the eighth largest city in the European Union by population within city limits. In 2017, Bucharest was the European city with the highest growth of tourists who stay over night, according to the Mastercard Global Index of Urban Destinations. As for the past two consecutive years, 2018 and 2019, Bucharest ranked as the European destination with the highest potential for development according to the same study. Economically, Bucharest is the most prosperous city in Romania and the richest capital and city in the region, having surpassed Budapest since 2017. The city has a number of large convention facilities, educational institutes, cultural venues, traditional "shopping arcades" and recreational areas. The city proper is administratively known as the "Municipality of Bucharest" (Romanian: Municipiul București), and has the same administrative level as that of a national county, being further subdivided into six sectors, each governed by a local mayor.

Places to Explore

Curated experiences in București

Muzeul Național Geologic

Muzeul Național Geologic

The National Geological Museum (Romanian: Muzeul Geologic Național) is located on Şoseaua Kiseleff (street), in Bucharest, Romania. It is located …

Muzeul Național de Istorie Naturală "Grigore Antipa"

Muzeul Național de Istorie Naturală "Grigore Antipa"

The Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural History (Romanian: Muzeul Național de Istorie Naturală „Grigore Antipa”) is a natural history …

Ateneul Român

Ateneul Român

The Romanian Athenaeum (Romanian: Ateneul Român) is a concert hall in the center of Bucharest, Romania, and a landmark of …

Muzeul Național de Istorie

Muzeul Național de Istorie

The National History Museum of Romania (Romanian: Muzeul Național de Istorie a României) is a museum located at 12 Calea …

Pasajele Macca-Villacrosse

Pasajele Macca-Villacrosse

Pasajul Macca-Vilacrosse is a fork-shaped, yellow glass covered arcaded street in central Bucharest, Romania. Câmpineanu Inn (Romanian: Hanul Câmpineanu) once …

Muzeul Municipiului București

Muzeul Municipiului București

Muzeul "K. H. Zambaccian"

Muzeul "K. H. Zambaccian"

The Zambaccian Museum in Bucharest, Romania is a museum in the former home of Krikor Zambaccian (1889 –1962), a businessman …

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român

The National Museum of the Romanian Peasant (Romanian: Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român) is a museum in Bucharest, Romania, with …

Muzeul Național al Hărților și Cărții Vechi

Muzeul Național al Hărților și Cărții Vechi

Muzeul Național de Artă Contemporană

Muzeul Național de Artă Contemporană

The National Museum of Contemporary Art (Romanian: Muzeul Național de Artă Contemporană, or MNAC) is a contemporary art museum in …

Muzeul Național de Artă al României

Muzeul Național de Artă al României

The National Museum of Art of Romania (Romanian: Muzeul Național de Artă al României) is located in the Royal Palace …

Muzeul Băncii Naționale a României

Muzeul Băncii Naționale a României

Muzeul Colecțiilor de Artă

Muzeul Colecțiilor de Artă

The Museum of Art Collections (Romanian: Muzeului Colecțiilor de Artă) is a branch of the National Museum of Art of …

Muzeul "Theodor Pallady"

Muzeul "Theodor Pallady"

The Theodor Pallady Museum is a museum located at 22 Spătarului Street in Bucharest, Romania. Situated in one of the …

Muzeul "Theodor Aman"

Muzeul "Theodor Aman"

The Theodor Aman Museum is a museum located at 8 C. A. Rosetti Street in Bucharest, Romania. It is dedicated …

Colecția "Maria și Dr. George Severeanu"

Colecția "Maria și Dr. George Severeanu"

Muzeul Militar Național "Regele Ferdinand I"

Muzeul Militar Național "Regele Ferdinand I"

The King Ferdinand I National Military Museum (Romanian: Muzeul Militar Național "Regele Ferdinand I"), located at 125-127 Mircea Vulcănescu St., …

Muzeul Național "George Enescu"

Muzeul Național "George Enescu"

Grădina Botanică

Grădina Botanică

The Bucharest Botanical Garden (Romanian: Grădina Botanică din București), now named after its founder, Dimitrie Brândză, is located in the …

Mănăstirea Stavropoleos

Mănăstirea Stavropoleos

Stavropoleos Monastery (Romanian: Mănăstirea Stavropoleos), also known as Stavropoleos Church (Romanian: Biserica Stavropoleos) during the last century when the monastery …

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