Palace of Parliament

The construction of the colossal Parliament Palace (formerly known as the People's Palace) was started in 1984 under the direct supervision of the Communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu. This building was supposed to be his personal residence and also the home of several state institutions of that time.

The building was designed by a team of 200 architects led by the main architect Anca Petrescu and it took 20.000 workers to build it. In 1989, when Ceausescu regime was overthrown, the building was almost finished, except some interiors and the furniture for some rooms. The project has never been completed.

The building is 86 m in height and 92 m underground and the interiors are simply amazing. This is a must-see attraction when you are in Bucharest. There are English speaking organized tours. You must bring your ID or passport with you.

Now, the building is used by the Parliament of Romania, the National Museum of Contemporary Art and several other institutions. Also, the building serves as an international conference and meeting centre.

The Palace of Parliament set some world records:

- The largest administrative building for civilian use;
- The heaviest building;
- Second largest building in the world in surface after the Pentagon;

Other interesting facts:
- There is a crystal chandelier in the Hall of Human Rights that weights 2.5 tons.
- There are chandeliers that have as much as 7000 bulbs.