The Bragadiru Palace (Palatul Bragadiru) is an event space and historic monument located in the Rahova neighborhood of Bucharest, just south of the Palace of the Parliament.
In the late 19th century, Dumitru Marinescu Bragadiru (1842-1915), a successful liquor producer and trader, bought a large plot of land to establish a beer factory. He hired the Austrian architect Anton Shuckerl to design the “Colosseum” as he called the establishment. The building, constructed in 1894-1895, was not only designed as a beer factory, but also as a place of recreation with a restaurant, concert hall, and ballroom.
The palace was designed in an eclectic architectural style with rich decorations on its facade and interiors, reflecting the beauty of the Belle Époque. The structure resembles similarities to the Stock Exchange Palace, the Postal Palace, the CEC Palace, and the Palace of Justice, which were all built around the same time.
When Romania turned into a Communist state in 1948, private businesses were nationalized. The beer factory was renamed Rahova Beer Factory, after the neighborhood it was located in, and the Colosseum was renamed the Lenin House of Culture.
After the fall of the Communist regime the descendents of Dumitru Marinescu Bragadiru have succesfully reclaimed ownership of the building and renamed it Bragadiru Palace in honor of its founder. After an extensive renovation Bragadiru Palace is now an event venue which is often used for weddings, ceremonies, celebrations, and other events.
