Roman Square (Piața Romană) is a public square and a major traffic intersection in central Bucharest.
History Of Roman Square
Roman Square started to take its shape around 1900, and was initially named after Lascăr Catargiu, who served as prime minister of Romania four times in the second half of the 19th century. A statue of the statesman was located on the square, but this was demolished by the communist regime who also changed the name to Ana Ipătescu Square. Ipătescu was a revolutionary who participated in the Wallachian Revolution of 1848. The current name Roman Square is derived from the nearby Roman Street, which is now Mihai Eminescu Street.
When the M2 subway line was built in the 1980s, the Piața Romană metro station was not part of the plans. According to Elena Ceauşescu, the wife of the communist dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu, the Romanian middle class was becoming too fat, so placing the metro stations in too close proximity of each other would cause them to walk less. The metro station was built anyway, but in secrecy behind a wall. When the demand for the station became clear later, the Ceauşescu couple agreed to build it, and when the walls of the already existing station were knocked in 1985, it looked like it was built in record time.
Between 1997 and 2010, the Capitoline Wolf Statue was located on Roman Square, but has since been relocated to Rome Square.
Nowadays, Roman Square is an important commercial and social center of Bucharest as the area is bustling with shops, cafes, and restaurants.
Transportation Hub
Roman Square is a major transportation hub for traffic and public transport. The square has a metro station called Piața Romană which is served by the M2 line. More information about the Bucharest metro can be found here. There are also multiple bus stops as the square is also a major hub for buses. Here you can find more information about the buses in Bucharest, or you can check out our Bucharest Transportation Guide. There is also a taxi rank on the square.
Roman Square is also a major traffic intersection and a roundabout. The following roads are connected to the square:
- Dacia Boulevard (Bulevardul Dacia) in western and eastern direction.
- Lascăr Catargiu Boulevard (Bulevardul Lascăr Catargiu) in northwestern direction.
- Căderea Bastiliei Street (Strada Căderea Bastiliei) in northern direction.
- General Gheorghe Magheru Boulevard (Bulevardul General Gheorghe Magheru) in southeastern direction.
- D. I. Mendeleev Street (Strada D. I. Mendeleev) in southern direction.
Sights And Landmarks On Roman Square
Roman Square is surrounded by several historic and monumental buildings that shape the square into a circle:
- Nicolae Petrașcu House (Casa Nicolae Petrașcu) is the former residence of the famous Romanian writer Nicolae Petrașcu (1859-1944).
- Galeria Romană is a private art gallery with works from aspiring Romanian artists.
- Gheorghe Petrașcu House (Casa Gheorghe Petrașcu) is the former residence of the famous Romanian painter Gheorghe Petrașcu (1872-1949).
- Bucharest University of Economic Studies (Academia de Studii Economice din București), founded by King Carol I in 1913 and built between 1924 and 1926.
- Nanu-Muscel House (Casa Nanu-Muscel), the former house of the semiology professor Nanu-Muscel (1862-1938).
