Photographer's Note
In the historic center of the capital Bucharest, in Romania, is the colossal Palace of the Parliament, one of the most expensive and extravagant construction projects carried out in the last century. Considered the jewel in the crown of the ambitious urban development plan of the megalomaniac Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, and at the same time an embarrassment to its citizens, the palace was built at great economic and human cost. To build the Palace of Parliament, the dictator leveled an entire hill and wiped out a fifth of the historic center of Bucharest. The project consumed one third of Romania's budget over 5 years. And despite being an object of contempt, it is the most visited tourist attraction in Bucharest.
The Palace of Parliament has some superlatives: it is the second largest administrative building in the world, after the Pentagon in the United States; it is the heaviest building in the world; It is also the most expensive administrative building in the world, costing $ 4 billion. The cost of electric heating and lighting alone exceeds $ 6 million a year, as much as a medium-sized city.
The idea for the Palace of Parliament, originally called "House of the People", took root in Ceausescu's mind after a visit to North Korean Kim Il-sung in 1972. Impressed by what his fellow dictator had built, Ceausescu began to make plans. to get the most luxurious palace in the world, which would contain all the functions of his socialist state, in addition to serving as a residence for himself and his wife. After a devastating earthquake in 1977 and after the stabilization of Bucharest, Ceausescu seized the opportunity and decided to completely rebuild the city from his own point of view.
To accommodate his massive plans, Ceausescu demolished most of Bucharest's historic neighborhoods, which included more than two dozen churches, synagogues, temples, numerous factories and hospitals, as well as hundreds of houses. Some 40,000 people were forcibly removed. One fifth of downtown Bucharest was razed, including a hill.
Construction of the palace itself began in 1984. Between 20,000 and 100,000 workers worked 24-hour shifts, seven days a week. To finance the project, Ceausescu took on a huge external debt that he would repay by exporting all of the country's agricultural and industrial production, while the Romanian people starved and the standard of living sank to an all-time low. It was confirmed that some 3,000 people died as a result of the construction of the palace.
A young young architect Anca Petrescu (named by the BBC as "the worst architect in the world") was appointed chief architect of the project. Anca, who was 28 at the time, collaborated with nine other architects and some 700 subordinates on the design of the building, which combined elements and motifs from a multitude of classical sources. The palace was built 240 meters long, 270 meters wide and 12 stories high. There are eight levels underground, the last being to serve as an anti-nuclear bunker for the Ceausescu family, in the event of a nuclear war.
Inside the palace there are 1,100 rooms with a total area of 365,000 square meters. 900,000 cubic meters of wood, 1 million cubic meters of marble and 200,000 square meters of woven rugs were used. 3,500 metric tons of crystal were consumed to create 480 chandeliers.
By December 1989, when the building was two-thirds complete, a revolution broke out in Romania and Ceausescu had to escape the capital in a helicopter. Later he was captured and executed by firing squad.
The building was finally completed in 1994. Today it houses the Romanian Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, as well as a modern art museum that occupies the ground floor. 70% of the building still remains empty.
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En el centro histórico de la capital Bucarest, en Rumania, se encuentra el colosal Palacio del Parlamento, uno de los proyectos de construcción más caros y extravagantes llevado a cabo en el siglo pasado. Considerado como la joya de la corona del ambicioso plan de desarrollo urbano del megalómano dictador rumano Nicolae Ceausescu, y a la vez una vergüenza para sus ciudadanos, el palacio fue construido con un gran coste económico y humano. Para construir el Palacio del Parlamento, el dictador niveló una colina entera y acabó con una quinta parte del centro histórico de Bucarest. El proyecto consumió un tercio del presupuesto de Rumanía durante 5 años. Y a pesar de ser un objeto de desprecio, es la atracción turística más visitada de Bucarest.
El Palacio del Parlamento cuenta con algunos superlativos: es el segundo mayor edificio administrativo en el mundo, después del Pentágono en los Estados Unidos; es el edificio más pesado del mundo; también es el edificio administrativo más caro del mundo, con un coste de 4 mil millones de dólares. El coste de la calefacción y la iluminación eléctrica por sí solos supera los 6 millones de dólares al año, tanto como una ciudad de tamaño medio.
La idea para el Palacio del Parlamento, originalmente llamada «Casa del Pueblo», se arraigó en la mente de Ceausescu tras una visita al norcoreano Kim Il-sung en 1972. Impresionado por lo qué su compañero dictador había construido, Ceausescu comenzó a hacer planes para conseguir palacio más lujoso en el mundo, el cual contendría todas las funciones de su estado socialista, además de servir como residencia para él mismo y su esposa. Después de un terremoto devastador en 1977 y tras las estabilización de Bucarest, Ceausescu aprovechó la oportunidad y decidió reconstruir completamente la ciudad bajo su propio punto de vista.
Para dar cabida a sus masivos planes, Ceaucescu demolió la mayor parte de los barrios históricos de Bucarest, los que incluían más de dos docenas de iglesias, sinagogas, templos, numerosas fábricas y hospitales, además de cientos de casas. Unas 40.000 personas fueron trasladadas por la fuerza. Una quinta parte de centro de Bucarest fue arrasada, incluyendo una colina.
La construcción del propio palacio comenzó en 1984. Entre 20.000 y 100.000 trabajadores se afanaban en turnos de 24 horas, siete días a la semana. Para financiar el proyecto, Ceausescu asumió una enorme deuda externa que devolvería mediante la exportación de toda la producción agrícola e industrial del país, mientras que el pueblo rumano moría de hambre y el nivel de vida se hundía a un mínimo histórico. Se llegó a confirmar que murieron unas 3.000 personas a causa de la construcción del palacio.
Un joven arquitecto joven Anca Petrescu (nombrado por la BBC como «el peor arquitecto en el mundo«) fue nombrado arquitecto jefe del proyecto. Anca, que tenía 28 años en ese momento, colaboró con otros nueve arquitectos y unos 700 subordinados en el diseño del edificio, que combinaba elementos y motivos de una multitud de fuentes clásicas. El palacio se construyó con 240 metros de largo, 270 metros de ancho y 12 pisos de altura. Hay ocho niveles subterráneos, siendo el último para servir como un búnker antinuclear para la familia de Ceausescu, en caso de una guerra nuclear.
Dentro del palacio hay 1100 habitaciones con una superficie total de 365.000 metros cuadrados. Se utilizaron 900.000 metros cúbicos de madera, 1 millón de metros cúbicos de mármol y 200.000 metros cuadrados de alfombras tejidas. 3.500 toneladas métricas de cristal se consumieron para crear 480 lámparas de araña.
Para diciembre de 1989, cuando el edificio tenía dos tercios completados, en Rumania estalló una revolución y Ceaucescu tuvo que escapar de la capital en un helicóptero. Más tarde fue capturado y ejecutado por un pelotón de fusilamiento.
El edificio finalmente fue terminado en 1994. En la actualidad, alberga el Senado rumano y la Cámara de Diputados, además de un museo de arte moderno que ocupa la planta baja. El 70% del edificio todavía permanece vacío.
holmertz, Fis2, worldcitizen, PaulVDV, COSTANTINO, NickVu, ikeharel, Royaldevon, jhm, burmaman has marked this note useful
Critiques | Translate
holmertz
(93664) 2021-02-03 12:03
Hello Luis,
This is actually one of the buildings in Bucharest I really wanted to see, not for its beauty but for its strange history. I made sure to get inside. The interior is quite tasteless too. You managed to capture all of it in one photo without having cars spoiling the foreground. You took the photo seconds before the man would have stepped outside the frame. The light clouds are very nice and created a pleasant light which you handled well.
Best regards,
Gert.
pajaran
(103781) 2021-02-03 12:20
Pozdrav.
lepo mesto i arhitektura, dobro pokazano sa lepim bojama, kontrastom i dobrim tekstom.
lepa zgrada Parlamenta.
Lepa fotografija i uhvaceni trenutak sa oblacima koji dolaze.
Zelim vam lepu i mirnu noc, sve najbolje.
Paja.
Fis2
(156870) 2021-02-03 13:06
Witaj Luis!
A very interesting view of the Ceausescu Palace.
This building is an image of a bygone era.
Excellent framing, colors and sharpness.
Very impressive picture!
Well done my friend.
Good night.
Krzysztof
worldcitizen
(14494) 2021-02-03 13:26
Hola Luis,
It's bizarre how dictators think that large buildings and monuments represent their power. The sheer size of this structure is amazing, and the cost is outrageous, but I did enjoy all the information in your note. :-) Nice capture, with some splashes of color like the red bus and the man on the right. Take care!
lousat
(130709) 2021-02-03 13:38
Hi Luis,Ceasescu is gone but the symbol of his power is still there,impressive building, obviously made in the typical soviet architechture, a bad memory of romanian history taken in a perfect full view,well done! Have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano
PaulVDV
(55593) 2021-02-03 14:38
Hello Luis,
I remember this giant Palace of Parliament and I have also had a tour inside.
Actually, I don't think it's a beautiful building and it shows the megalomania of Ceausescu.
I see that the garden was more or less well maintained during your visit. I remember in 2005 it was an unkempt area of tall grass. But a lot of places in Bucharest was unkempt at the time.
I also notice there's a hop on hop off bus now.
Nice front view of the building. Pretty with the branch on top.
Best regards, Paul
lucasgalodoido
(27122) 2021-02-03 16:08
Olá Luis,
impressionante mesmo o tamanho desse palácio, nossos governantes e suas megalomanias... Tirando isso, uma bela foto, com nitidez e cores ímpares.
Parabéns e Abraço,
Lucas
ifege
(33729) 2021-02-03 20:32
Hi Luis
Ceausescu was responsible for a lot of dark deeds and slo for monstrosities like this. Good photo if it.
cheers
Ian
Silvio1953
(207145) 2021-02-03 22:16
Ciao Luis, the building is truly impressive and monstrous, stands out against a magnificent sky and is awe-inspiring, fine details, splendid light, wonderful colors and excellent clarity, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio
COSTANTINO
(105083) 2021-02-03 22:43
Hello dear friend and have a nice day
in the historic center of the
capital bucharest
a wonderful costruction
and according to your
useful information
one of the most expensive
and extravagant ...
regards
Costantino
jemaflor
(136366) 2021-02-03 23:05
Hi Luis,
Impressive building well photographed, perfect sharpness and colors contrast, a souvenir of the sad time of Ceaucescu !
ikeharel
(106433) 2021-02-03 23:39
A palace big edifice from the era of communisim, Luis, it is an imposing sight, but carry memories for many of Romania population from that times.
Anyway, a fair distant POV that shows its whole width and the garden in front.
Buenas dias,
Ike
emka
(153358) 2021-02-04 0:02
Hello Luis, I saw the photos of this monster. Difficult to comment sense of it. Good presentation.
Best regards Malgo
Royaldevon
(76832) 2021-02-04 3:06
Hello Luis,
I heard all about this building and the ravages of the Romanian economy by Ceausescu! I had a Romanian friend who married a Romanian, living in England, and came to live in England. She told me tales of the secret police who rudely questioned anyone, who was seen speaking to a foreigner. They had spies everywhere!
This building, so gigantic and so expensive, was built whilst ordinary people were queuing outside shops for hours, just to obtain basic foodstuffs!
Your photograph captures the whole of the palace! It clearly reveals the size and implied royalty, like a pompous palace.
I enjoyed reading your notes.
My warm regards,
Bev :-)
jhm
(204077) 2021-02-04 10:02
Hello Luis,
You show us nice the megalomania of Ceausescu and Elena
Excellent panorama picture with nice detailed building details
Very well done, TFS.
Best regards,
John
jmdias
(103992) 2021-02-04 10:36
luis
de certa forma o prédio me lembra a base de um daqueles arranha-céus feitos por Stalin em moscou, mas obviamente aqueles prédios tem uma grandiosidade vertical mais interessante. mesmo assim esse prédio tem alguma graça, uma pena que destruiu o centro histórico que era infinitamente mais rico e melhor e arruinou a nação.
abraço
jorge
Tue
(83106) 2021-02-04 11:56
Hello Luis,
Many dictators still build large and extravagant palaces for themselves, often with taxpayers' money and Ceausescu was not different. You captured this huge building from a good angle and in a fine, soft sunlight. Well done.
Lars
mkamionka
(62372) 2021-02-04 12:25
Hola Luis,
a very interesting story. The note was long but I read all of it! The architecture is not so bad, quite elegant and photogenic, it is just realizing the cost of it, what makes you feel strange about it.
It is strange that so much of it is still empty, they could use it for something else like shopping centre, hospital or university.
Great reportage,
M
abmdsudi
(89469) 2021-02-05 6:27
Hi Luis
A lively city scene dominated by the imposing landmark aptly fitting the frame that brings all its features to life. Crispy, bright and superb contrast making this a very fine image and tx to your intriguing lengthy notes. The overall effect is very pleasing to the eye.
Best regards
burmaman
(1082) 2021-02-06 11:00
Hello Luis!
An impressive building with a sad dictatorial history.
You had a good timing to have not so much traffic in the foreground.
The green tones look very unreal and are totally oversaturated.
Regards,Ronny
ricardomattos
(15582) 2021-02-10 14:07
Olá Luis
Impressionante este prédio e lendo a sua nota eu não poderia imaginar o quanto custou esta megalomania de Nicolae. Linda foto e muito bem enquadrada e nítida. Belo trabalho amigo.
Saudações de um Brasil chuvoso
Ricardo
Photo Information
-
Copyright: Luis Garcia (adramad)
(67624)
- Genre: Places
- Medium: Color
- Date Taken: 2019-06-05
- Camera: Nikon Coolpix P 90
- Exposure: 30 seconds
- Photo Version: Original Version
- Date Submitted: 2021-02-03 11:54