The Romanian Athenaeum is Bucharest's grand concert hall, a round domed building with a temple-like portico on Calea Victoriei. Opened in 1888, it was paid for partly by ordinary Romanians answering the appeal "Dați un leu pentru Ateneu!" (Give one leu for the Athenaeum), and inside its concert hall a 70-metre fresco tells the story of Romania.
The Romanian Athenaeum at a glance
- Where: on Calea Victoriei, at the northern end of Revolution Square, facing a small garden with a statue of the poet Mihai Eminescu.
- Built: 1886–1888, with further work until 1897; restored and modernised from 1994 to 2004.
- By: the French architect Albert Galleron; the fresco in the concert hall is by Costin Petrescu.
- What it is today: Bucharest's most prestigious concert hall, home of the George Enescu Philharmonic and a main venue of the George Enescu Festival.
- Time needed: 15 minutes outside; a guided visit or a concert takes one to two hours.
A temple of culture paid for by the public
In 1865 a group of scholars and public figures founded the Romanian Athenaeum Society, to spread art and science among Romanians. They wanted a building of their own, and when state money ran short they turned to the public: the slogan "Give one leu for the Athenaeum" became one of the best-remembered fundraising campaigns in the country's history. Construction began in 1886 on land in the old Episcopal garden, using the foundations of an unfinished riding hall, and the building opened on 14 February 1888. Many people at the time thought the site was too far from the city centre.
On 29 December 1919 the Athenaeum hosted the parliament that ratified the union of Bessarabia, Transylvania and Bukovina with the Old Kingdom, creating Greater Romania. In 1939 a concert organ commissioned at George Enescu's initiative was inaugurated. After years of decline, the building was consolidated and restored between 1994 and 2004 and reopened in 2005 for the George Enescu Festival. In 2007 it received the European Heritage Label.
What to look for
- The portico of six front Ionic columns, modelled on the proportions of the Erechtheion on the Athens Acropolis.
- The five mosaic medallions under the portico, showing great rulers of the Romanian lands, among them Neagoe Basarab, Alexander the Good and King Carol I.
- The names of Romanian scholars, such as Dimitrie Cantemir and Miron Costin, carved into the wall around the dome.
- Inside the concert hall: the circular room under the dome, about 28 metres across, and the fresco by Costin Petrescu running around it in 25 scenes, from Trajan's conquest of Dacia to Greater Romania.
- The statue of Mihai Eminescu, Romania's national poet, in the garden in front of the building.
The fresco that changed
The space for the fresco was reserved from the start: for decades a gilded inscription on the wall announced that a great fresco of Romanian history would one day be painted there. Costin Petrescu began in 1933 and the work was unveiled on 26 May 1939. Its last scene showed King Carol II among his people, but in 1940, after Carol was forced to abdicate, the painter was told to remove him and replaced the king with an allegory of peasant women representing the provinces of Greater Romania.
Tips for your visit
- The best way to see the interior is to attend a concert; the Philharmonic plays here through most of the season.
- Look at the façade from the garden in front: the portico and dome line up best from there.
- The building is lit at night, which makes it a good stop on an evening walk along Calea Victoriei.
- Combine it with Revolution Square and the National Museum of Art across the road.
Nearby
- Revolution Square: the square where the events of December 1989 came to a head, with the former Communist Party headquarters.
- National Museum of Art of Romania: in the former Royal Palace, just across Calea Victoriei.
- Athénée Palace Hotel: the historic grand hotel beside the Athenaeum, built in 1914.
- Calea Victoriei: Bucharest's grand old avenue, lined with palaces, churches and cafés, leading south towards the old town.
See Bucharest with World City Trail
Our Bucharest scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around three hours, with about 44 minutes of walking, and it includes places such as the National Museum of Romanian History, the Stavropoleos Monastery Church and the Cărturești Carusel bookshop. You can play in English, German, French, Italian or Romanian.
If you prefer a different format, Bucharest also has a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game.
Play the Bucharest scavenger hunt →
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Facts checked in October 2026.