Given Bucharest’s lying in the heart of what once were but woods stretching forever, as well as the mostly flat terrain and meandering rivers around, the area never saw a shortage of water, ponds, swamps and greenery. In the late 19th century, works meant to correct the course of such wondering streams and rivers, to drain swamps or to protect the built area from the once frequent floods left behind old river beds complete with lush vegetation and ponds which were used to create parks, while the first half of the 20th century saw some other works, especially in the Northern part of town, this time meant to create a network of artificial lakes down River Colentina, some of which were to turn into extensive recreation areas. Other than that, with this part of Romania seeing a quite strong Oriental influence, an overwhelmingly rich flower pattern prevailed in people’s yards and gardens, especially as houses in Bucharest were mostly ground floor only, with generous patches of greenery around, until as late as the early 20th century; and this says nothing of the vast countryside commencing right at the city limits or often even before that. Therefore, even though somewhat chaotic, a taste for flowers and green spots prevailed in the Romanian society that was to lead to the creation of a great number of smaller or larger parks and gardens occupying virtually all available plots. Let us have a look at these parks starting from the city centre and going on towards the city limits. This list is not meant to be complete, it rather provides a selection of the most interesting and / or diverse parks in town. All parks below are open 24/7.
The Cișmigiu. The story started with an 18th century fountain and the adjacent pond. As Dumitru Suiulgi-Bașa, the head of the city fountains (Ro. the Cișmigiu, i.e. the master of the cișmea / fountain network) at the time, set his house nearby, the pond was called the Cișmigiu and floods were a frequent occurrence, which brought up the need for urgent works. So, in 1830, Pavel Kyseliov (locally known as Pavel Kiseleff following the French take of the name), the de facto Russian governor of Wallachia and Moldavia during the Russian - Turkish War and afterwards, until 1834, had the pond drained. The rule of Gheorghe Bibescu saw works started and carried on between 1847 and 1854, when the park was arranged in period Romanticism style to Austrian landscape architect Wilhelm Mayer’s plans, with a new artificial pond created and a draining channel provided, linking it with River Dâmbovița nearby. The park soon became the fancy place to be for well-to-do Bucharestians. The winter saw the lake turned into a skating ring (which still occurs), swans and pelicans were brought to populate the Northern ponds, a writer Rotonda was added in the North-Western part. The North-Western corner hosts the interesting ruins of an 18th century monastery. Children playgrounds, terraces, an island restaurant and rowing boats add too the attractions which turn the Cișmigiu into the busiest park in town, 7 days a week. The park is easily accessible in the city centre, with the nearest subway stops at Izvor or Piața Universității (each at a 10 minute walk). Jogging is recommended only very early in the morning, before it all gets too crowded, while cycling is forbidden, given the crowds.
The Cazzavillan. Luigi Cazzavillan, a former private in Giuseppe Garibaldi’s army, came to Bucharest as a war correspondent for Italian newspapers in 1877. He then married a Romanian and settled in, founding, among other publications, what was to be the most important local independent newspaper, the Universul. Following his death in 1902, this small park was created to his name next to his house. The house still lies on Temișana Street, it is the rather ruined Italian style small palazzo. The park is arranged around a 1905 fountain complete with a statue representing Cazzavillan. Note one of the cupids below holding the newspaper founded by Cazzavillan. The very small park is typical for the early 20th century when many such places dotted the city (as is the case of Icoanei or Ioanid parks hereunder, or of Nicolae Iorga Park Eastwards, upon the crossing of the Calea Victoriei and Nicolae Iorga). While cycling or jogging are rather obsolete due to the size of the park, it is inviting for a break while
walking around.
The Grădina Icoanei. It stands on the place of a former pond, the so-called Balta Icoanei (Icoana Pond), the source of Bucureștioara Stream. The stream used to flow Southwards, passing East of the actual Piața Universității (where it created a ford used by cattle, just off Batiștei Church, see below), to the back of the actual Colțea Hospital where Șuțu Pond used to exist. It then splat in two: one branch flowed to the SW and ran into the Dâmbovița near the Old Court, while the Eastern branch eventually met the Dâmbovița NE of the actual Piața Unirii. The stream slowly got clogged and the whole area turned swampy, being dried out and having a garden set on its place in 1870-1875. The ground was raised with 60 cm. so as to avoid the swamp to re-appear and trees were planted in the process.
When crossing the actual Icoana Garden, it is impossible to miss the artificial bed stream winding through the central part of the park: it flows from a fountain in the Northern tip and is eventually piped in.
Across Gheorghe Cantacuzino Square from the Icoana Garden there is the easily missable entrance to Ioanid Park (look for the signpost reading ‘Parcul Ion Voicu’ next to the Gendarmerie kiosk by the Jordanian Embassy), a small reminder of the extensive park that once stood here, set in 1830-1860 and complete - back then - with a large orchard; the actual Ioanid Park was set by the City Hall on a small plot of land belonging to the former one, in 1920. Both small parks make it for a great break during a walk around, while jogging is more recommendable along the asphalt-covered alleys of the Ioanid (instead of the gravel-covered those in the Grădina Icoanei); cycling can be rather frustrating, given the size of these parks. The area is easily accessible by subway to the Piața Romană, from where there is a 10 minute walk.
Izvor Park. When, in the mid 1980s the former Izvor and Uranus quarters
were razed off to make room for the actual
Palace of the Parliament, this plot was created and then remained unoccupied with the end to the development of the Civic Centre in 1989. Following more than a decade of neglect, the park was arranged and the works were completed with the addition of the Youth Mini-Parliament, a castle-like playground. While the park lacks a major landscape attraction such as a pond, stream or hill, it is a pleasant place for jogging and cycling, walking around or taking a break on a sightseeing walk; for a snack visit the pastry shop next to the subway station exit at Izvor. The park is easily accessible downtown, by subway to Izvor Station, which lies right next to its Northern entrance.
Carol I Park. Set on the extensive place of a former lake, the park hosted the 1906 General Exhibition of Romania, and the urban Luna Bucureștilor (En. Bucharest’s Month) in the May 9 - June 9 interval, with a yearly occurrence between 1935 and 1940. One enters the park from 11 Iunie Square, passing by the monumental (but unkept) Zodiac Fountain. It was built 1935 to the plans drawn by Architect Octav Doicescu, with the zodiac signs being done in mosaic; the bowl is 6 meters wide and the water jet used to raise 25 meters in the air. Among the headlights in the park, there are a few samples of Sequoia Gigantea and the even taller, imposing, red and black granite Memorial of the People’s Heroes. A graveyard dedicated to the people heroes was meant to be set there, together with a monument and a military museum after 1943, yet the war stopped the works and they did not continue afterwards until 1959-1963, when the actual structure was set, dedicated to the Socialist militants. The monument used to contain the graves of major representatives of Communism in Romania, among which Dr. Petru Groza, Gheorghe-Gheorghiu Dej, Constantin Ion Parhon. An eternal flame used to burn in a granite amphora. In 1991 the Unknown Soldier Grave was brought back and set in its initial place again, after it had been dispatched to Mărășești in 1959.
On a happier and more interesting note there is the story of the Giants, the two statues set at the opposite ends of an alley running perpendicular on the main one in the park. They are both 3.50 m. tall and depict nudes of standing young men. They were initially set next to an artificial cave that used to exist in the park. The complete set also contained the statue of Beauty, a young girl sleeping, so that the cave was called the Charming Cave; the statues were inspired by a legend, that of two twins falling in love of the same girl. Due to their impossible love, they were both turned into stone, while the girl was turned into a waterfall. The two giants were sculpted in stone by Dumitru Paciurea and Frederic Storck, while the girl was sculpted in marble by Filip Marin; if you wonder where the third sculpture lies nowadays, it lies in Herăstrău Park, in the opposite side of town: walk in Herăstrău Park through the main Charles de Gaulle Square entrance, go straight on for 100 m. and the Sleeping Beauty sculpture lies in the middle of the green area between the two main alleys. Other than that, one of the two most famous wells in Bucharest at the time (the other was that in the Cișmigiu), Filaret Well was built in 1793 by the Mitropolite; it used to collect water from 4 springs and was endowed with a monumental kiosk. The initial structure was demolished in 1863 and replaced with a new, Neo-Classical one by George Grigore Cantacuzino in 1870; the current structure bears Cantacuzino’s name. It is decorated with bas-reliefs depicting medieval knights and coats of arms. Other than that, the whole district of Filaret
is well worth a look. The park provides good conditions for jogging and some cycling. It is accessible by subway to either Piața Unirii or Tineretului, from where there is a 10-15 minute walk.
Tineretului Park. The area was known around 1900 as the ‘Valea Plângerii’ (En. The Crying Valley), it was granted the City Hall to be used as a landfill for 25 years and then, in 1965, the park was set in, being completed in 1974, but with the main works carried on by young volunteers during 8 months, hence the name of the Parcul Tineretului (En. the Youth Park). The park was arranged around a lake. The large Sala Polivalentă, a multi-purpose event hall, set in also in 1974 and the 1980s saw the addition of the large playgrounds called the Orășelul Copiilor (En. Youth Town), the biggest theme park in Romania at the time. The playgrounds were entirely refurbished and upgraded in a few years ago, with skateboard places and a small ski slope added. The park also hosts a children club, the Palatul Copiilor.
Bellu Graveyard and Cenușa Crematory, two recommended visits, lie just off the park. The park itself is rather pleasant, even though the alleys are not always even and the one around the lake has a disruption under the bridge, with a set of stairs, which makes it less than fit for jogging. The rather extensive alley network makes the park a good option for cycling; there is a bike rental venue next to the Northern exit, on the crossing of Tineretului and Gheorghe Șincai avenues. There is a nice cafeteria and restaurant on the Eastern shore of the lake, while concerts are sometimes held close to the North-Eastern park access point.
Alexandru Ioan Cuza Park (a.k.a. I.O.R. Park or less frequently as the Balta Albă). Possibly the best looking and refurbished park in the city, this one however lies well off the beaten path, without any major sightseeing place around, unless one comes to see the interesting
subway station at Titan. The area where an old lime pond used to exist was known as the Balta Albă (En. the White Pond), name still informally used in reference to Titan Neighbourhood. In 1813-1814, Bucharest was hit by a major bubonic plague and corpses of some of the 50,000 dead were covered in lime and buried there, but the lime came to surface when it rained, hence the name. The park was arranged in two sections between 1965 and 1970, with the Northern part called the Reconstrucției and the Southern one called the Flax. Later on, the whole park was called the IOR, taking the name of an optical equipment factory nearby. The park was entirely refurbished a few years ago, with pleasant alleys, plenty of benches and fitness equipment; the four islands on the lake add to the charm of the IOR, while the wooden church on the Eastern side provides an appropriate teaser for a trip up North. There are well designated cycling routes and the alley around the lake is excellent for jogging, with stairs on the sides for other exercises; children are at their happiest here, with swan-shape paddle boats available to rent and a mock train running around. There are a few cafeterias on the lake shore, as well as a few snack places around. A mall will open on the South-Western side in 2017. The park is reachable by subway to the Titan.
The Circus Park (Ro. Parcul Circul de Stat, better known as the Parcul Circului) was set in 1961 on the site of the former Tonola Hole, a place where clay was extracted for Max Tonola’s brick factory until WW2. The park is arranged around a small and relatively round pond with natural springs. In summer time, the pond is nearly entirely covered with pink flower Nymphea lotuses among which turtles can sometimes be spotted. Alleys gravitate around the pond and they are sometimes bordered by carved wood statues. The park itself is not all that big compared to other ones in the city, but it has a charm of its own and provides a welcome addition to a visit to the Circus,
a walk through Icoanei District and around Dacia Avenue to the South or, why not, a shopping stroll across the busy
Obor Market a subway stop away. While it can make one a bit dizzy, jogging around the 0.75 Hectare pond is possible and cycling, while not at its best, can be done on the upper alleys. There is a small terrace with refreshments on the Northern, Lacul Tei Avenue side of the park. The access is easy by using Ștefan cel Mare subway station nearby.
Kiseleff Park. Its name comes from that of Pavel Kyseliov, Governor of Wallachia and Moldavia during and shortly after the Russian - Turkish War. The park is located just North of the Piața Victoriei, on both sides of Kiseleff Avenue; actually, as the city advanced to the North, a former forest was turned into a park following Wilhelm Mayer’s plans (the same landscape architect that worked at Cișmigiu Gardens) drawn the same year the avenue was laid: 1832. There are a few playgrounds and several statues across the park, with an interesting cluster of sculptures in the Eastern section (between Kiseleff and Aviatorilor avenues), done by George Apostu and bearing a strong Constantin Brâncuși touch. While not extensive, the park provides a convenient break between the lengthy visits of
the Peasant Museum, Gheorghe Antipa Museum or the Geology Museum. The two avenues crossing it, the Kiseleff and the Aviatorilor - and especially the latter - feature wide, long tree-shaded sidewalks lined with bicycle lanes going all the way North to Herăstrău Park; they are also great for jogging if one does not mind the traffic noise. The park is accessible by subway to Piața Victoriei.
Herăstrău Park. The shores of the lake around which the park was to be set was a popular walking area for the well-to-do Bucharestians in the 19th century. The vast swamp around was cleared and a dam was installed in 1935, so that the biggest park in town was set by 1939. The park was further expanded in 1951 and it then remained in the same shape until nowadays. The main entrance lies off Piața Charles de Gaulle.
Past President Charles de Gaulle’s statue, do not miss the Caryatid Alley (Ro. Aleea Cariatidelor), bordered by statues of young women dressed in traditional outfits. There are 20 statues (10 on each side of the alley) of women from Muscel and Mehedinți areas (South of the Carpathians) holding clay pitchers on their heads and holding their hands in an alternatively different position. The pillars towards Charles de Gaulle Square bear the city blazons made of bronze: the 1879 and actual ones. The monument was initially raised by Sculptor Constantin Baraschi in 1939, but it was completely destroyed by the Communists in 1950 and it was rebuilt by Sculptor Ionel Stoicescu in 2005.
A bit farther in the park (before the stairs going down to the lake shore, right in the middle of the main alley, between ornamental bushes) there is the Beauty, initially part of the Giants’ statuary group (the Giants lie in the initial place, in Carol I Park, see above). Once on the lake shore, one has the option of turning to the right, with the shore alley leading past a dam to an area of fancy terraces and restaurants, ending with quieter playgrounds before the railway bridge; the other option takes one to the left, towards the Insula Trandafirilor (En. Rose Island) and on to the gate to the Village Museum, then the Hard Rock Cafe and the H Beer House (a huge venue seating up to 2000 people inside and 1000 outside) and, past the rowing boat and small ferry dock, farther on to the railway bridge. Apart from the park itself, the neighbourhood hosts some interesting places that might add to one’s reasons to visit. With its size, this is one of the best parks in Bucharest for cycling and jogging, with the remark that a complete lake tour requires going up and down the stairs to and from the railway bridge, while a pedestrian, level crossing is discussed by the City Hall. The access is easily done from the South, by subway to the Aviatorilor, or from the West by bus to Muzeul Satului or Piața Presei Libere stops (bus #331, 301 and 131 from Piața Romană).
First, in 1920 the Country Club Sports Association (currently the Diplomatic Club) was founded in what was to be the North-Western part of the park; one can nowadays play golf down there. 1936 saw the Professor Dimitrie Gusti founding
the Village Museum in the South-Western part of the park and the same year saw Elisabeta Palace completed in a blend of Moorish and Brâncoveanu styles; it was there that King Mihai I forcedly signed his abdication on December 30, 1947 and it is there that the Royal Family of Romania currently lives. Other interesting places nearby include the 1937
Royal Station, the 1936
Miorița Fountain with its fine mosaics,
Dr. Nicolae Minovici House accomplished in 1905 in the style of an Oltenia kula and the
Dumitru Minovici House built in English Gothic style in 1939 and currently hosting the Museum of West European Art.
As mentioned in the beginning, the list above is not meant to be complete. There are many others parks that can be enjoyed in Bucharest, for instance the recently reopened after a thorough - if overdone - restoration Drumul Taberei Park in the homonymous district in Western Bucharest, or the large - but not very well kept - Tei and Plumbuita parks on the shore of the homonymous lakes, two of the dam lakes created in the 1930s down River Colentina.