Lipscani is both a street and the name people use for Bucharest's Old Town (Centrul Vechi), the tangle of lanes between Calea Victoriei and the ruins of the princely court. From the Middle Ages to the early 19th century it was the busiest trading quarter of Wallachia, and its name comes from Leipzig: the lipscani were the merchants who brought goods from there and from the rest of Western Europe.
Lipscani at a glance
- Where: the Old Town of Bucharest, roughly between Calea Victoriei, Bulevardul Brătianu and the Dâmbovița river, with Strada Lipscani running through the middle.
- Created: the area grew around the princely court, first mentioned in 1459; the main street was called Ulița Mare, the Broad Lane, until about 1750.
- What it is today: a largely pedestrian quarter of restored 19th-century buildings, old inns, churches, bookshops, restaurants and bars.
- Time needed: one to two hours for a walk with a few stops; longer if you go into the churches and the bookshop.
- Best for: architecture by day, food and nightlife in the evening.
From the princely court to a party district
The oldest written mention of Bucharest is a document issued here on 20 September 1459 by Vlad III, the prince remembered as Vlad the Impaler, who called the fortress his princely residence. Around the court grew a market town. Craftsmen and traders settled in their own lanes, and some street names still tell you who worked there: Blănari for the furriers, Șelari for the saddlers. Merchants from across the Balkans and Central Europe stayed in large inns built around courtyards. Manuc's Inn, finished in 1808 by the Armenian merchant Manuc Bei, is one of the few that survive, and the Peace of Bucharest that ended the Russo-Turkish War was signed there in May 1812.
In the late 19th century banks and department stores moved in and gave the area its grand façades. Under communism the whole district was planned for demolition. That never happened, but the area was left to decay, and by 1990 many buildings were crumbling. Restoration began in the early 2000s, much of the quarter became a pedestrian zone, and by the 2010s Lipscani had turned into the place where Bucharest goes out. Some buildings are still waiting for repair, so you will see restored façades next to empty shells.
What to look for
- The ruins of the Old Princely Court (Curtea Veche): brick walls and vaults of the palace of the Wallachian princes, with the princely church beside them, built in 1559 and the oldest church in Bucharest that keeps its original form.
- Manuc's Inn (Hanul lui Manuc): the long two-storey inn with wooden galleries around a large courtyard, still used as a restaurant.
- Cărturești Carusel at Strada Lipscani 55: a bookshop in a white early 20th-century building that once belonged to the Chrissoveloni banking family, reopened in 2015 after a five-year restoration.
- Caru' cu Bere on Strada Stavropoleos: a beer hall founded in 1879, in a building of 1899 with a Gothic Revival front and an Art Nouveau interior.
- Stavropoleos Monastery Church: the small church of 1724 with a carved stone porch, a few steps from Calea Victoriei.
- The street signs: look for trade names such as Blănari and Șelari, a record of the guilds that once filled these lanes.
Why Leipzig?
In the 17th and 18th centuries Leipzig held some of the biggest trade fairs in Europe, and Romanian speakers called the city Lipsca. A lipscan was a trader who brought cloth, glass and other wares from Leipzig and the West, and the street where they kept their shops took their name. It is a reminder that this corner of the Balkans was linked to Central European trade long before the boulevards and banks of the 19th century.
Tips for your visit
- Come in the morning or early afternoon for the architecture: the lanes are quiet and you can look up at the façades. In the evening, especially at weekends, the terraces and music take over.
- The cobbles are uneven and some lanes are steep near the court ruins; wear flat shoes.
- Step into the courtyards: Manuc's Inn, the Stavropoleos courtyard and the arcaded passages are part of the experience.
- Stavropoleos is a working monastery: dress modestly and keep quiet inside.
Nearby
- Macca-Vilacrosse Passage: a fork-shaped covered arcade of 1891 with a glass roof, linking Calea Victoriei with the edge of the Old Town.
- CEC Palace: the savings-bank palace of 1900 by Paul Gottereau on Calea Victoriei, with its domes and arched entrance.
- National Museum of Romanian History: the large museum in the former Post Office Palace on Calea Victoriei; parts of the building are due for restoration, so check what is open.
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 3 hours, with about 44 minutes of walking. It includes Stavropoleos Monastery Church, the Cărturești Carusel bookshop and the National Museum of Romanian History. You can play in English, German, French, Italian and Romanian.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Bucharest.
Play the Bucharest scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Bucharest →
Play the outdoor escape game in Bucharest →
Facts checked in October 2026.