Visiting the Arch of Triumph
If Bucharest has a unique connection to the French language, a quick walk through the city reveals that its nickname, the Little Paris, is about more than just vocabulary. Standing before the Arch of Triumph, a sense of déjà vu is hard to shake. However, the structure tells a distinctly Romanian story. As a symbol of the Great Union of 1918, it was inaugurated in 1922 during the coronation ceremony of Ferdinand I and Queen Marie. Located near Parc Herastrau and intersected by major thoroughfares like oseaua Kiseleff (Kiseleff Road), it stands as one of the city's most notable landmarks.
The arch of victory and unity
This is not the first triumphal arch to appear in the city. Erecting such monuments for major events is a tradition in Bucharest, though previous versions were only temporary structures. It took the country's victory in World War I and the unification of the four regions that form modern Romania for the Arch of Triumph to be built in reinforced concrete. With architect Petru Antonescu at the helm, it rises 27 meters (88 feet) high as an arch designed for victorious troops to march through. Originally decorated with materials that could not withstand the elements, it was only after a renovation using stone and marble that the façade gained its current look. Illustrious sculptors adorned it with portraits of the early sovereigns, while the vault depicts decisive battles of the Romanian army. The communist regime later degraded this harmony by covering the effigies of the king and queen with large floral reliefs. It was not until after the 1989 revolution that bronze images of the pair were restored to acknowledge this chapter of history. Now an integral part of the city's architectural identity, the Arch of Triumph is no longer just a small-scale echo of Paris, but a defining feature of grand Bucharest.
During my stay, it was unfortunately under construction. My friend who is Romanian told me that you have to visit in the evening, because there is a tradition where they kidnap the bride during the wedding reception, and the new husband has to get her back in exchange for a ransom. And it is traditionally at the Arch of Triumph that they bring them! You can find several brides there at once, and I would have loved to witness that!