The building was designed by the French architect Albert Galleron and opened in 1888, although work continued until 1897. It was funded partly by a public subscription whose slogan, “Donate one leu for the Athenaeum!”, is still remembered today. In December 1919 it hosted the conference that ratified the union of Transylvania, Bessarabia and Bukovina with Romania. In 2007 it was awarded the European Heritage Label as a symbol of Romanian culture.
The circular concert hall is crowned by a dome and encircled by a remarkable fresco by Costin Petrescu, 75 metres long and 3 metres high, depicting key moments in Romanian history from the Roman conquest of Dacia to the creation of Greater Romania in 1918. The neoclassical exterior faces a small park with a statue of the poet Mihai Eminescu. The best way to experience the building is to attend a concert.
Whether for a performance or simply to admire its architecture, the Romanian Athenaeum is a highlight of any visit to Bucharest.
