Piața Unirii (, ''Union Square'') is the largest square in central
Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...
,
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
, and one of the largest public spaces in Europe, being located immediately south of the
old town
In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins. In some cases, newer developments on t ...
and within the boundaries of
Sectors 3.
Part of the
Civic Centre, it is bisected by
Unirii Boulevard, originally built during the
Communist era as the Boulevard of the Victory of Socialism, and renamed after the
Romanian Revolution
The Romanian revolution () was a period of violent Civil disorder, civil unrest in Socialist Republic of Romania, Romania during December 1989 as a part of the revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several countries around the world, primarily ...
of 1989.
Overview
The square functions as part of an extended
reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete, also called ferroconcrete or ferro-concrete, is a composite material in which concrete's relatively low tensile strength and ductility are compensated for by the inclusion of reinforcement having higher tensile strength or ...
bridge
A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whi ...
crossing the
Dâmbovița River The part of the square capping the river is called the Union Floor (), measuring wide by long, stretching diagonally through the square.
The
Unirea Shopping Center and the Cocor department store are located on the east side of this square, while the historic
Hanul lui Manuc is on the north side, near the northeast corner. The centre of the square boasts a park and the fountains which are particularly popular with commuters and passers-by in the torrid summer months, as it is the largest complex of fountains in Europe and one of the most impressive in the world, its spectacle becoming a huge tourist attraction after the reopening of the fountains in 2018, as part of the celebrations of the Centennial of the
Great Union of 1918. There were plans since the
interwar period
In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period, also known as the interbellum (), lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days) – from the end of World War I (WWI) to the beginning of World War II ( ...
to build the
Romanian National Salvation Cathedral on the place of this park, but in the early 2000s the idea proved technically impossible due to the busy underground environment and therefore the location was changed.
History
Construction of the square began in December 1934 and was inaugerated on October 15, 1935 as Nation Square () as the start of a plan by mayor
Dem I. Dobrescu (and continued by ) to cover the whole of the Dâmbovița through Bucharest, which city officials had seen as a nuisance because of its pollution and flood risk.
. The square incorporates the older stone and masonry arched bridges of the Coșbuc bridge and the Șerban Vodă bridge.
In 2023, an analysis carried out by civil engineers revealed severe degradation to the cover of the Dâmbovița River at Piața Unirii. The cover, which was part of a larger, unrealized project between 1938 and 1941, was found to be in a state of advanced degradation, with exposed
rebar and crumbling concrete. Following the discovery, traffic of over 3.5 tonnes was banned from traveling through the square.
On May 27, 2024,
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
Nicușor Dan approved a construction permit for the reconstruction of the square.
Transportation
The square is a significant transportation hub, containing the
Piața Unirii metro station and a major interchange for
STB buses; there is also a tram terminal near the southwest corner and a large
taxi stand.
See also
*
Centrul Civic
Gallery
File:IMG-20171002-15321-romania-unirea-bucharest.jpg, Unirea Shopping Center
File:Ansamblul de fântâni din Piața Unirii, București.jpg, Fountains in the center of Unirii Square
File:Splaiul Independentei 2 - Piata Unirii.jpg, Splaiul Independenței
File:Bulevardul Unirii (11321355423).jpg, Bulevardul Unirii passing through Piața Unirii
File:Dambovita si biblioteca nationala WP 20170316 17 47 32 Pro highres.jpg, National Library
A national library is a library established by a government as a country's preeminent repository of information. Unlike public library, public libraries, these rarely allow citizens to borrow books. Often, they include numerous rare, valuable, ...
and the Dâmbovița River as seen from Piața Unirii
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Piata Unirii
Unirii
Historic monuments in Bucharest