Bucarest - una capitale in forte crescita

We visit the capital of Romania, a rapidly growing city eager for redemption after the many years of darkness that ended in 1989. We stopped at the beautiful Stavropoleos Church, founded by a Greek monk. From there, we moved on to lunch at the nearby historic Caru Cu Bere restaurant, with its stunning interior. If you come during the week, they also offer an affordable lunch menu. We then continue our tour of the city, strolling through its streets and admiring the grand buildings that line the streets. We then stop at the Carosello bookstore, a six-story building formerly home to a bank, which fell into disrepair after 1989 and was renovated starting in 2016. We then reach Piazza Roma, where the statue of a Capitoline she-wolf donated by Italy stands. We cross the Latin underpass and arrive at the Church of St. George, rebuilt shortly after 2000 on the ruins of the old church destroyed during the communist era. A pleasant surprise with its beautiful frescoes both inside and out. We return to this side of the passage to another Orthodox church, the Church of St. Anthony, the oldest religious building in the city. It's then time for Bucharest's main attraction, the controversial Palace of Parliament. It is currently the second largest building in the world, after the Pentagon. To build it, 15% of all the city's buildings were demolished, including numerous churches and even a monastery. The hundreds of rooms are almost all decorated. We then climb the Patriarchate Hill, where the Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helena stands at its summit. The Holocaust Memorial is located in an under-appreciated spot, surrounded by parking lots. A tea break at the Café Van Gogh is a must, entirely lined with paintings by the Dutch artist. Its fantastic staircases feature motifs from his most famous paintings. A quick stop at the Church of St. Nicholas and the Cretelescu Church. We then reach the site where the 1989 revolution began, with its controversial monument nicknamed "Olive on a Toothpick." Further on, in front of the Central University Library, stands the equestrian statue of King Carol I. The Romanian Athenaeum, a neoclassical concert hall, is very beautiful. Our last stop is the White Church of Bucharest, seen only from the outside as it is already closed. In front of the hotel, we admired the imposing Cathedral of the Salvation of the People, still under construction. Dinner at the traditional Hanul lui Manuc, with accompanying singing and dancing performances. We conclude our two days in Bucharest with some night shots of the Parliament Building.