Bucharest Guided Tours

Cișmigiu Park Bucharest.

Cișmigiu Garden or Cișmigiu Park is the oldest public garden in Bucharest that exists today with an area of about 16 hectares, situated in the city centre of Bucharest on Regina Elisabeta Boulevard, 46 across from the City Hall of Bucharest.
The name Cișmigiu comes from the Turkish word – çeşme, which translates in the Romanian language as cișmea – which means – public fountain.

The original fountain was built in 1779 at the west side of the park. The head of works over the city’s fountains was then called then “cișmegiu” meaning in the Romanian language “fântânar” or in English – water fountain builder.

Later in 1847 the authorities decided to transform the surrounding area into a public garden. It was made after the design of the Viennese landscape architect Carl Wilhelm Meyer (former director of the Imperial Gardens in Vienna) and helped by the gardener Franz Harer.
The works were complete in 1854 when the Cișmigiu Garden was officially inaugurated.

The alleys lead the visitors through the trees, flowers, birds, famous statues, playgrounds, chess zone, kiosk where the military band plays on different occasions, and features five arched bridges that cross the water ways and features a restaurant with a nice terrace toward the lake named Monte Carlo Restaurant.

The lake has little boats for hire in the summer where one can have a relaxing journey and in the winter, has an ice rink where people of all ages can skate.

Monte Carlo restaurant

In the centre of Cișmigiu park stands proudly the Monte Carlo Restaurant built, on the water with a beautiful terrace towards the lake. This restaurant was built in1964 on the site of the original restaurant which was constructed in 1926 and was destroyed later by the earthquake of 1940.

The statue of Sissi Stefanidi Fountain

The statue of Sissi Stefanidi fountain, installed in 1927 in Cișmigiu Park in Bucharest, is a sculpture made by Ion Dimitriu-Bârlad.
The statue depicts a mother grieving the death of her daughter, pouring water from a jug. The monument, carved in stone was donated by the Stefanidi family to the city hall in the memory of their daughter, Sissi Stefanidi, who died at the age of 21.

The Monument of the French Heroes

The monument of the French Heroes was inaugurated on October 25, 1922 and created by the Romanian sculptor Ion Jalea , dedicated to the French soldiers who fell on the battlefield, on Romanian soil, during the Great War (1916-1919).

The statue made of Carrara marble depicts a female nurse, holding in his arms a young wounded soldier and kisses him on the forehead.

On the pedestal there is an inscription as a tribute dedicated to the French soldiers. It is written in French and in Romanian language, means in English: TO THE FRENCH SOLDIERS FALLEN ON THE FIELD OF HONOR ON ROMANIAN LAND DURING THE GREAT WAR 1916-1919.
Years later, in 1968, when General De Gaulle visited Romania, Ion Jalea would receive the French Legion of Honor at the rank of Officer.

La Cetate – At the fortress

Another nice feature in the park is La Cetate – At the Fortress, which is the ruined part of a former monastery built in 1756.

Chrissoveloni Bank and Chrissoveloni House, Bucharest.

Chrissoveloni Bank

Chrissoveloni Bank was founded and run by the Nikolaos Chrissoveloni family originally from Chios, Greece.

The Palace of Chrissoveloni bank, located at 16 Lipscani Street, Sector 3, Bucharest (in the old town) and was built in the Italian Renaissance – Florentine style between 1925 and 1928, according to the plans of architect George Matei Cantacuzino and architect August Schmiedigen.

The building was designed with two entrances, the one on Lipscani Street being used for the bank's clients, and the other one on Stravopoleos Street, for the employees.

The bank's vaults were located in the basement, on the ground floor were the public relations counters and the clerks' offices, on the first floor were the offices of lower-ranking directors, and on the second floor were Chrissoveloni's office and other meeting rooms.

The beautiful building has inside: stained glass windows, stone floors, murals, fireplaces and lighting fixtures, Carrara marble interior elements, Renaissance-style painted ceiling and other decorations.

Since 1948 the bank has been a branch of the National Bank of Romania.

Cărturești-Carusel Building

The Cărturești-Carusel building is a bookstore on Lipscani Street, number 55, in the Old Center of Bucharest.
It was built initially in 1860 and later in 1904 it was purchased by the Nikolaos Chrissoveloni banking family who opened a Galeries Lafayette-style department store on Lipscani commissioned the engineer and architect Nicolae Cuțarida to build a commercial building at Lipscani.

Nicolas Chrissoveloni used the building in the first decades of its existence as headquarters of the Chrissoveloni Bank and later he repurposed it to become a "Popular Bazaar".

From 1950 until 1990 it became a general store called – “The Family” – “Familia”.
In 2007 the building was claimed in inheritance of Chrissoveloni family – Jean Chrissoveloni.

After five years of rehabilitation, consolidation and conversion, completed in 2015, the beautiful building became a cultural center that houses a bookstore, DVDs with music, a venue for various exhibitions, book launches and on the upper floor (the third floor) there is a bistro overlooking the bookstore which belongs to the Romanian bookstore chain called Cărturești.

Chrissoveloni House

The beautiful villa situated at number 1B Negustori Street, Sector 2 Bucharest, was the former residence of the Chrissoveloni family, Romania's banking family, which today is the “Grand Boutique” Hotel.

The building was constructed in 1893 by the civil engineer Constantin Colibășeanu (a relation of the Chrissoveloni family), in the French eclectic style of academic design.

Being in a central location, personalities of those times, from members of the royal family through Queen Marie herself, to senators, bankers, ambassadors and internationally famous artists were the guests of the house.

During the Communist era the building served as headquarters for state institutions.

After renovations the former Chrissoveloni House opened as a hotel, named The Grand Boutique Hotel.

Bloc Adriatica Trieste and Bloc Agricola Fonciera, Bucharest centre.

Just beside the Dâmbovița River ,at the end of Victoria Avenue in United Nations Square we can admire two of the nicest buildings in Bucharest, built between the years 1926 – 1929 by two Romanian architects.

These two palaces of insurance companies are Adriatica-Trieste, also called the Romanian Building, on the left and Agricola-Fonciera on the right, when facing north.

Around the year 1930 Romania had a long tradition in the field of insurance.

On the top of each building there is a beautiful architectural terrace with ornamental columns adorning a belvedere ( viewing point).

The Insurance companies had the headquarters and offices on the first level / floor of the buildings, with nice large apartments above.

Since 1948 the former offices of insurance companies are not in use, with the apartments above remaining occupied by private tenants.

Bloc Adriatica Trieste.

The insurance company Adriatica – Trieste, also called Romanian Building, is situated at 2 Victoria Avenue and was built to the plans of the Romanian architect Paul Smărăndescu (1881 – 1945) in the Beaux-Arts architectural style and features a long belvedere (viewpoint), giving a spectacular panorama of the city.

Bloc Agricola-Fonciera.

The palace of Insurance Society Agricola-Fonciera unfolds with two symmetrical wings and is situated on the corner of two streets - Splaiul Independenței and Nicolae Tonitza peinter Street, sector 3.
The building was built after the plans of the Romanian architect – Petre Antonescu (1873 – 1965) in Beaux-Arts architectural style.

Caryatids -

The main entrance of Agricola-Fonciera insurance company has a door featuring ornate ironwork and is guarded by two ladies – caryatids, which support a balcony, inspired by Greek antiquity.

Pediment -

Below the belvedere of the Agricola Fonciera building we can admire a decorated pediment which represents a farmer and a shepherd.