Description of the attraction
The word Athenaeum, or Athenaeum, is another reading of the name of the Greek goddess Athena, in whose temples scientists and poets of antiquity read their works. Then educational and cultural institutions, literary clubs, magazines, museums and concert halls began to be called so.
The Romanian Athenaeum is not just a concert hall, it is a visiting card of Bucharest. The high dome and Doric columns in the style of Greek temples live up to the name of the Athenaeum, and make the building an adornment of the capital and one of the most recognizable landmarks.
The idea of its construction belongs to Constantin Esark, Vasile Urekia and Nicolae Cretulescu - prominent public figures of the 19th century. They founded the cultural society "Romanian Athenaeum", which included leading representatives of art, culture and science. Through the efforts of this society, a building appeared, which was to become the center of science and culture of the country. The plot of land for it was given from their property by the Vacarescu family, one of the oldest noble families in Romania. Almost all construction was funded by the public. “One lei - for the Athenaeum” - this was the slogan of the fundraising campaign, which was very successful in the wake of the enthusiasm caused by the country's gaining statehood.
The Athenaeum, designed by the French architect Albert Galleron, was opened in 1888. The concert hall has delighted residents of the city and the country for almost a hundred years. The building was not even damaged during the bombing of World War II. However, in 1992, restoration work was required. The reconstruction was carried out with the assistance of funds from the Council of Europe. At the same time, the historical appearance of the Athenaeum has been preserved.
Particularly noteworthy is its interior design, richly decorated and not inferior in grandeur to the exterior of the building. The walls of the concert hall are decorated with a unique 75-meter fresco. It depicts all the major events in the history of Romania. But its main advantage is incredible acoustics, which puts the Athenaeum on a par with the best European scenes.
Currently, the Romanian Philharmonic named after George Enescu is located here, and tours are held.
