Royal Palace of Bucharest, Royal palace in Sector 1, Bucharest, Romania
The Royal Palace of Bucharest is a U-shaped building on Calea Victoriei, completed in 1937 to plans by Nicolae Nenciulescu. Its interior hall has a light vaulted ceiling with molded panels enclosing rosettes, round-headed windows, and a polished stone floor in a diagonal checkerboard. Dark paintings in gold frames hang above arched openings.
A Neoclassical mansion built for the boyar Dinicu Golescu between 1812 and 1815 stood here, with 25 rooms. It housed Alexandru Ioan Cuza from 1859 and became Carol I's residence on 10 May 1866. A fire in December 1926 destroyed the central wing; the remains were demolished in 1936–1937 and replaced by Nicolae Nenciulescu's palace, completed in 1937.
The National Museum of Art of Romania occupies the palace and displays medieval and modern European works throughout its rooms. Visitors can see art collections that span several centuries of creative expression.
The building forms a U around an inner courtyard open toward Calea Victoriei, with the central body holding the former Throne Hall and the south wing beside the Kretzulescu church. The museum entrance is reached from the square in front, where Carol I's equestrian statue stands. The palace is still used for official royal occasions, so some rooms may be closed.
The palace's official rooms were mostly ceremonial: the royal family actually lived in Casa Nouă, a separate villa behind the palace, reached by an outdoor alley. It was there that Marshal Ion Antonescu was arrested on 23 August 1944 during King Michael's coup; the next day Luftwaffe bombing destroyed the villa and badly damaged the palace.
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