Places in Bucharest: The House of the Parliament
The first thing you usually hear about The House of the Parliament in Bucharest is figures. Lots of huge figures. It is the second largest building in the world, after the Pentagon, as a general fact. But then it is also the heaviest construction in the world - 1 million cube meters of marble, 700,000 tons of steal and bronze, 3500 tons of crystal.
Some more technical data: 270 meters on its front side, 240 meters on the sides, 84 meters height (17 storeys) 92 meters depth - 8 underground storeys. 900.000 cube meters of wood were used or interior decorations, the carpets weigh tons and are made of red velvet and golden strings, some of them having been sewed right inside the "palace". Building such a monster nowadays would cost a country more than 4 billion euro.
The megalomaniac dictator, Ceausescu, began the project in 1984, wishing for the building to become his personal residence and also the hdq for the Central Comitee and the Great National Meeting - some strange names for state organisms of the time. The boulevard that goes straight from the Civil Center to Alba Iulia Square is one meter wider than the French Champs Elysees. It was called Victoria Socialismului (The Victory of Socialism), today we know it as Unirii Boulevard.
The Civil Center, in its turn, the half-circle square in front of the Palace is now called the Constitution square and the buildings that sorround it were meant to serve as hdq for communist ministerial departments.
Michael Jackson was the first public figure to speak from
the balcony while thinking he was in Budapest.
Anca Petrescu was chief architect over a team of 700 architects and 20.000 workers that built the House. Several buildings, a monastery and a stadium were abusively demolished to make way for the immense construction. Moreover the Romanian people had to endure greatly on account of the maniac's plans - less food, less energy and many other constraints which today make us look with great abhorrence at the monument of our poverty and suppression. So there is no national pride we take in having this unique kind of Palace, we actually sort of... hate it.
The House of the People - so it was called in those times, is today home to the Deputies' Chamber. The 1000 rooms and halls serve as offices and conference halls which can be rented for at least 2000 euro. The underground is kept far from the visitor's eye. No one really knows what's down there in the locked rooms and coridors. We only know about a parking place, a pool and a gym hall. Rumors say there is also a bunker which is was supposed to be connected to the subway train network. :)
Surprinsingly, the palace is not... over yet! There is still 10-15% to build. In 2003 a rear sector of the House was reconstructed to facilitate access inside the National Museum of Contemporary Art. You can visit the Palace daily, the admission ticket is 5 RON and you must also pay an additional tax if you want to take photos. The tour lasts 45 minutes and you'll only get to see 10 or 15 of the 1000 rooms. :)
More pictures in the gallery.
