Places: Arcul de Triumf
Strolling down Bucharest's Champs-Elysees, Kiseleff street, longer, but not as nice as the authentic, you can see the oasis close to Herastrau park: Arcul de Triumf (Arch of Triumph).
Built after the French model, older and larger, our Arch is itself venerable. Although what can be seen today goes back to 1935-36, the concept of a monumental gate which celebrates triumphant troops was first thought of in 1878, when, after the Independence War a similar Arch was built, but in those times Romania probably started to get sick of the superficiality and the rush that lasted until today and the Arch rapidly deteriorated.
Older brother (with like a hundred years) in Paris
A couple of decades later, a new war asked for a new celebration for heroes. In 1922 another Arch was built, almost entirely out of wood. Parades from the First World War walked under it. The purpose wasn't only to celebrate the troops, but also the Royal family - although Ferdinand was king since 1914, his crowning took place in 1922 (video here).
Another decade later, a newly designed Bucharest was in need of a better and more stable monument, so that the Arch was rebuilt, this time out of stone (1935-36), under the architect Petre Antonescu. On the front, it reads:
After centuries of sufferings and hard battle for the preservation of national soul, after defending with sacrifices the human civilization, justice was acquired for the Romanian people by the sword of King Ferdinand, with the help of the entire nation and Queen Maria's thought.
photo source
The two bronze medallions with Ferdinand and Maria's faces were destroyed in communist times and remade after '89.
The facades were decorated by sculptors Jalea, Medrea, Paciurea and Baraschi and portray different stages of the Victory. They are placed above the medallions; on the other side are placed Manhood and Faith, one with a sword, the other with a cross.
virtual tour (360 degrees) here
Today, a huge flag is placed under the arcade, which is also used for photographs. The Arch gets back its dignity on December 1st, Romania's national holiday, when officials cover it with flowers in memoriam, so that the pour arch looks like a funeral stone.
photo source
