BUCHAREST 575

Romanian

Athenaeum 7

Ateneul Român

Benjamin Franklin 1–3. Map E3.

Tel (021) 315 0026. @ 131, 182,

301, 330. # 9am–6pm Mon–Sat. &

Designed by French architect

Albert Galleron and completed

in 1888 with the help of public

donations, the impressive

George Enescu

Memorial

Museum 8

Muzeul Naţional

George Enescu

141 Calea Victoriei. Map D3.

Tel (021) 318 1450. # 10am–5pm

Tue–Sun. & http://www.georgeenescu.ro

The magnificent 20th-century

Cantacuzino Palace was

the one-time residence of

Romania’s most illustrious

composer, conduc tor and

musician, George Enescu.

Enescu resided here briefly

after his marriage to Princess

Maria Cantacuzino in 1939,

but the opulent Baroque

palace was too much for him

and he chose to live with his

wife in the servants’ quarters

behind the building instead.

After his death in 1955, the

palace became the George

Enescu Memorial Museum.

Three of its stunning rooms

feature an array of musical

scores, manuscripts, photo-

graphs and memorabilia

related to the musician’s

life and works.

Colourful onion domes of the
Russian Church

the first floor balcony of this

block that Ceauşescu gave his

last speech to a gathering of

80,000 people on 21 December

1989, just a few days after

thousands were killed by

police in Timişoara (see p585).

Surprised by shouts of

“murderer” and Timişoara”,

the dictator famously faltered

on live television. The crowd

seized on his weakness and

tried to storm the building.

Ceauşescu’s minister of def-

ence, General Vasile Milea,

was executed on the spot

for refusing to order his

troops to open fire on the

protestors. Ceauşescu him-

self fled Bucharest in a

helicopter from the roof of

the building and was exe-

cuted shortly there after.

Today, a huge marble

needle stands opposite

the building and forms the

centrepiece of a memorial to

the thousands killed during

the revolution. The only other

reminder of the event is the

bullet-scarred façade of a

building to the left of the

square, which now houses

government offices.

Russian Church 5
Biserica Rusă

Str Ion Ghica 9. Map E4. @ 336,

601. 
     

     7:30am–7pm.

     
     

The imposing Russian Church,
with its seven onion domes,
has stood opposite Bucharest
University since 1909 when it
was commissioned by Russian
Tsar Nicholas II to serve the
Russian Embassy’s staff.
Its splendid yellow brick
façade is deco rated with floral
motifs and mosaics featuring
images of saints. Intricate
details such as fish head
gutter ing add to its appeal.
A portrait of St Nicholas
stands over the entrance.
Entered through a narrow
passage, the church’s interior
is lit by can dles, which
have blackened the murals
over the years. In 1992, the
church became the official
chapel of the academic com-
munity, but has remained
open to visitors.

Façade of the historic Communist

Party Headquarters

Romanian Athenaeum is

home to the George Enescu

Philharmonic Orchestra. The

concert hall is encir cled by

a 3-m (10-ft) high fresco

depict ing glorious moments in

Romania’s his tory. The audito-

rium, with plush red velvet

chairs beneath a lavish dome

featuring stucco sculptures of

mythological crea tures, can

seat up to 600 people.

Detail, Neo-Classical colon nade of

the Roman Athenaeum

Communist Party

Headquarters 6

Partidul Comunist Român

Piața Revolutiei. Map E3. @ 300.

Closely associated with the
downfall of Nicolae Ceauşescu,
the General Secretary of the
Communist Party, Revolution
Square (Piața Revolutiei)
is over looked by build-
ings which once housed
Romania’s Communist Party
Headquarters. It was from