Walking along the marvelous Victory Avenue, we get a sense of the city’s soul, a perfect blend of past and present, sometimes with astonishing effects. Each step reveals new treasures and secrets, a perfect combination of fast cars and tourist buses, luxurious storefronts and decrepit facades!
Victory Avenue encloses the west side of Bucharest’s Old Town, from the bustling Victory Square in the north to the bank of Dâmbovița River in the south, for a total length of just over 2 km. Starting from the south, the highlights appear on both sides at a dizzying speed, starting with the imposing classical facade of the National History Museum of Romania. It houses the most important and interesting historical collections of the country, with an impressive wealth of priceless treasures. The building of the museum is known as the Post Palace and dates back to the end of the 19th century, housing the museum since 1970.
Today, the museum is undergoing an excruciatingly long process of renovation that started two decades ago, in order to reorganize the collections previously influenced by the communist regime. Nevertheless, a small but important part of its permanent collection can still be visited in several of its halls. The most valuable and impressive exhibits are displayed inside the Historical Treasury, with about 3000 extraordinary pieces that were discovered throughout Romania, many of them unique. Another hall houses the Lapidarium collection, with over 150 ancient and medieval objects of art and architecture. We can also admire a replica of the fascinating Trajan’s Column from Rome, made by craftsmen of the Vatican, as well as many interesting temporary exhibitions.
Crossing the road to the left side, there’s a charming building known as CEC Palace, finished in 1900 and built in a beautiful French architecture style. A little further, on the right-side, we can admire the gentle silhouette of Zlătari Church, rebuilt several times over the years. Next, still on the right side, we can discover one of the little secrets of Bucharest. The Macca-Villacrosse Passage is a truly amazing architectural marvel, with two forked small passages lined up with shops and cafes, covered by yellow glass-domed roofs. An old inn bought by the city, this space was opened in 1891 and continues to awe visitors to this day.
Before Victory Avenue intersects the large Queen Elizabeth Boulevard, we can also admire the Nifon Palace and the Grand Hotel du Boulevard buildings. Crossing the boulevard, on the left side, there’s the large building of the National Military Circle, with the Flag Square in front. A few steps further, on both sides of the avenue there are two marvelous historical landmarks of Bucharest. On the left side, the beautiful Capitol Hotel was formerly known as Luvru Hotel, while the right side is occupied by Capșa House which includes a restaurant and a hotel.
Still, on the right side, the small Odeon Square is located in front of the Odeon Theater, housed inside a charming building dating from 1911. Passing by the Telephone Palace and two modern hotels, we enter the large and impressive Revolution Square. First, on the left side, we can admire the scarlet silhouette of Kretzulescu Church, an important religious monument built at the start of the 18th century. The center of Revolution Square houses a small park dominated by the Rebirth Memorial monument, dedicated to the 1989 Revolution.
On the left side of the avenue, we can see the splendid building of the Royal Palace, the seat of the royal power before the Second World War. Today, it houses the National Art Museum, which features an impressive heritage of artworks that were gathered through the years, starting with 1948. We have the unique opportunity to admire many of the 70.000 exhibits that are displayed within the two main collections of Romanian and European art.
The Romanian Gallery is also divided into old art (14th century – mid-19th century) that includes icons, frescoes, manuscripts, jewels, ceramics or sculptures, and modern art (mid-19th century – 1970), with mostly paintings and sculptures by the famous Romanian masters like Theodor Aman, Nicolae Grigorescu, Ștefan Luchian, Nicolae Tonița, Constantin Brâncuși and others. The European Art Gallery is the largest of its kind in the country, including masterpieces signed by Rembrandt, El Greco, Rubens, Tintoretto, Monet, Rodin and many others. The museum also houses an islamic art collection and a virtual oriental art gallery. There are also a few other smaller art museums that are part of its experience. The most important of them is the Art Collections Museum, housed inside the former Romanit Palace and also located along Victory Avenue.
On the other side of the road, the mounted statue of Carol I sits in front of the Central University Library of Bucharest. A few steps further, we are awed by the classical elegance of the Romanian Athenaeum, one of the most beautiful buildings in Bucharest, built in an impressive combination of neo-classical and eclectic styles. Similar to a Greek Ionic temple, it was constructed at the end of the 19th century and includes exceptional features, like the marvelous interior fresco depicting stages from the history of Romania!
Our journey continues, passing by high-scale hotels, restaurants, cafes, and fashion shops. A few streets further, we can see the beautiful neoclassical Știrbey Palace on the left side, followed by the large and elegant Romanit Palace, which houses the Museum of Art Collections, a branch of the National Art Museum. The end of the journey is near, yet there are still several interesting places to discover along the way, including the small Nicolae Iorga Park, several churches, the George Enescu National Museum, and other buildings. Reaching the end of an unforgettable walk, we are surrounded by the overwhelming commotion of Victory Square, with streets converging from everywhere, making for one of the busiest places in the whole city. This is truly an unforgettable journey, a dive into the atmosphere of a small metropolis. It can take a few hours or a whole day, depending on how much one wishes to get immersed.
Best Hotels on Victory Avenue in Bucharest
Grand Hotel Continental 5*
9.1 Rating from 1418 Reviews!
Located in the heart of Bucharest along the Victory Avenue, this is one of the symbol accommodation brands of the city. The luxury five star hotel offers exquisite rooms, two high class restaurants, a club and wellness services!
Capitol Hotel 4*
8.9 Rating from 2876 Reviews!
Located in the center of Bucharest close to the Cișmigiu Gardens, this enchanting hotel features beautiful architecture and decorations, exceptional rooms with all amenities, an on-site restaurant, a lounge bar and conference facilities!
Victory Avenue Residence 3*
9.5 Rating from 74 Reviews!
Featuring several amazing apartments close to the center of Bucharest and the Victory Avenues, these accommodations are excellent for travelers looking for comfort and privacy. They include a large bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette!
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