• Intro
• Short history
• Geo-localization & infrastructure

BUCHAREST [BeˌYOUːkɐɹˈɛst]

The capital city of Romania is one of the most surprising cities in Central & Eastern Europe! Those willing to discover and explore new destinations would be happy to uncover its hidden charms. More than a bridge between East and West, it is a unique city that hosts top-quality museums, intricately carved churches and neoclassical palaces. Large boulevards with communistic architecture alternate with small streets and beautiful old buildings with French, neo-classical architecture – reasons for which Bucharest used to be called “Little Paris”.

The city will enchant lovers of running urban cityscapes! WMA Marathon Championships and Bucharest MARATHON races (October 13th) start and finish in front of the Parliament Palace. The building, also known as “Ceausescu’s Palace”, holds, among many world records, the ones for being the 2nd biggest, the 3rd most massive and the most expensive administrative building. All races have their running course passing through the very heart of the city. You will be sightseeing the city’s major landmarks: Arch of Triumph, National History Museum, CEC Palace, Military Palace, Enescu Museum, National Museum of Art, National Museum of Modern Art, Romanian Athenaeum, large parks and green boulevards. Moreover, discover the city’s oldest area, where you’ll find the wreck of a fortress where Vlad the Impaler Dracula used to live. All these will make you feel the power of a young, vibrant and eclectic city and will offer you a once in a lifetime running experience.

Apart from the sightseeing, the flat and fast running courses are always good reasons for the runners willing to achieve new PBs.

Come. See. Discover. BUCHAREST [BeˌYOUːkɐɹˈɛst] is about you.

#RunYourPath #AimFar #DareFurther #ContinueToDare #RunInBucharest

A SHORT HISTORY

Although it was first mentioned in 1459, as one of the residences of Vlad The Impaler (aka Dracula), ruler of Wallachia, the exact origins of the city are unknown. Folklore has it that a shepherd, Bucur, founded the city (about 200 years before) and gave it his name. Also, on the actual territory have been found signs of civilization dating back to Paleolithic, Neolithic th and Bronze Ages. Still, the city’s real development started during the XVII Century.

In 1659, Bucharest becomes the Capital of Wallachia (Romania southern part), in 1859 – Capital of the Romanian United Principalities (Wallachia and Moldova) and Capital of all Romanian territories (Wallachia, Moldova and Transylvania), in 1918.

Due to its geographical position, over the centuries, Bucharest became the region’s most largest and populous cities. Despite the fact that different cultures and civilizations passed over its territory, the city built its own, strong, unique personality. Thus, the cultural philosophy is more a mix between the local and those to which Romanians felt closed to, especially to the french one. This would be the reason for which Bucharest gets to be named “Little Paris” or “Paris of the East”. After the World War II, for next 50 years, the city (along with the entire country) become the prisoner of the communism, being subject of massive transformations.

Considering that natural calamities (major earthquakes and fires) and the two World Wars have destroyed a significant part of it, the majority of city’s constructions and utilities are only a little over 200 years old. This fact would make Bucharest a young, but yet a fast developing and dynamic city.

Back to the name origin, Bucur – the shepherd’s name – literarily means “joy”. Just like a youngster, Bucharest of our days is a city full of energy, a city that knows how to live, a city that rediscovers itself everyday. Bucharest is a city of joy!

GEO-LOCALIZATION & INFRASTRUCTURE

Bucharest is located in Southern Romania, at a distance of about 1 hour driving to the Danube River, 2 hours to the Carpathian Mountains and 2 hours to the Black Sea.

Having a population of over 2.1 million people within the city walls (and over 4 million within the metropolitan area), Bucharest is Europe’s 6th biggest city. It is country’s most important economic, financial and administrative city and an important cultural centre.

The city is well connected to the rest of the country and Europe, via highways, trains and
planes and has a well developed public transportation network:

• “Henri Coanda” Bucharest International Airport: 18 km away from the city centre;
• North Railway Train Station: 5 km away from the city centre;
• A0, A1, A2 and A3 highways and a large network of national roads make Bucharest one of the country’s largest connection hubs;
• on ground public transportation (buses, trolleybuses and trams) – one of the largest in Europe;
• underground public transportation: fast and efficient, the network is consisting of 5 metro lines, connecting all the city’s areas.