Palace of Parliament, Bucharest

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Parliament of Palace building, Bucharest

Palace of Parliament

Built by Communist Party leader, Nicolae Ceausescu, the colossal Palace of Parliament is the second largest building in the world after the Pentagon. It is an immense structure that took 20,000 workers and 700 architects to build, and cost billions. It has 12 storeys, 1,100 rooms, a 328 ft-long (100m) lobby, and four underground levels including an enormous nuclear bunker.

Started in 1984, the dictator intended it to be the headquarters of his Communist Government, but it was still unfinished when he was executed in 1989. Today it houses the seat of Romania's Parliament and is an international conference centre. Widely viewed as a personification of his obsession with grandiose things and actions, the construction entailed the demolition of a quarter of Bucharest's historic centre, including 26 churches, and the relocation of 40,000 inhabitants from their 19th century homes to new developments on the outskirts.

Built and furnished exclusively from Romanian materials, the building reflects the work of the country's best artisans. A guided tour takes visitors through a small section of dazzling rooms, huge halls and quarters used by the Senate (when not in session). The interior is a luxurious display of crystal chandeliers, mosaics, oak panelling and marble, gold leaf and stained glass windows, and the floors are covered in rich carpets. The largest room has a sliding roof wide enough for a helicopter to enter. Tour guides delight in recounting tales of the vast amounts of money that went to waste in decorating and re-decorating its rooms.

Address: Bulevardul Unirii
E-mail: cic@cdep.ro
Website: www.cdep.ro/cic
Telephone: (0)21 312 17 80
Transport: Metro Izyor or Unirii, or bus 136 or 385
Opening time: Daily 10am to 4pm
Admission: 20 L (foreign adults). Must present valid ID/passport