The Former Leon Berkowitz Bank (Fosta Bancă Leon Berkowitz) is a historic monument on the corner of Strada Lipscani and Strada Smârdan in the old town of Bucharest. Nowadays, the building hosts a restaurant.
The Leon Berkowitz Bank was founded by Leon Berkowitz in 1880 and initially only did discount operations, but later expanded its services into banking. Leon Berkowitz managed the bank until he retired in 1903, after which he passed its leadership over to his three sons, Elly, Adolph, and Max.
The building on the corner of Strada Lipscani and Strada Smârdan was constructed between 1905 and 1906. It has an eclectic style with elements that are characteristic of the late 19th century, such as the wrought-iron balconies. The bank also bought many other properties in Bucharest, including the Noblesse Palace.
In 1926, the Berkowitz Bank was transformed into a joint-stock company, and although the bank had successfully survived the crisis of the First World War, it didn’t end well during the worldwide financial crisis of the 1930s and the bank went bankrupt.
