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At the heart of the historical and
geographical centre of Bucharest stands an impressive
building that strikes the eye by its particular style. It is
the Palace of the Romanian Parliament, a "giant" built
during the "golden age" of the dictatorial regime and born
in the mind of a man for whom the notion of "reasonable
size" did not exist.
The Guinness Book of World Records lists the building in
second place according to its surface after the Pentagon
building, and in third place according to its volume. Still,
there is a "first place" no other building in the whole
world could compete for, namely that of the most disputed
one, as no other construction has, until nowadays, been the
target of such a great number of epithets, varying from
"genius" to "monstrous".
Built and rebuilt overnight, the construction was proceeded
while many Romanians experienced a period of deprivation.
After December 1989, the building which may easily be
spotted wherever you are in Bucharest, was considered to be
hideous and became subject to the most original ideas. Some,
filled with revolutionary excitement, agreed that it should
be demolished (with the help of dynamite), as it stood for
the symbol of communism. Others agreed that it could
accommodate a museum of communism. There were also others,
more extravagant, who talked about rolling dice on green
tables, roulette... But the Palace was not to be a casino!
Realizing its enormous value, in fact a Romanian inheritance
in danger of being destroyed and robbed, people began to
view the building with less hostility and named it the
"People's House".
Consequently, the builders resumed their work and, as the
works were carried on, it was decided that the construction
should be house the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of
Romania, and that it should change its name to the "Palace
of Parliament" - a symbol of democracy.
The Palace of Parliament is also open all days of the week
for visits by groups of tourists. Anyone visiting the Palace
of Parliament designed and built at great cost, effort and
sacrifice by Romanian specialists and the whole of Romanian
industry, comes to realize that this is not a palace from “A
thousand and one night”, but a real one, displaying the true
wealth of Romania: stone, marble and wood from the Romanian
mountains and forests.
Consequently, talking today about the architectural ensemble
of the Palace of Parliament implies bringing moral justice
to the Romanian people, and many foreigners have already
agreed upon it. Among them:
Jean Paul Carteron - Chairman and Founder of the Crans
Montana Forum: "The Romanian art and the Romanian's
creativity have been gathered in this magnificent building,
after years and years, at the price of great sacrifices and
against any logic. Let us forget today the "one" who ordered
it and let us praise the "one" who created it."
Catherine Lalumiere - Secretary General of the Council of
Europe: "It has been a long way Romania covered during the
last four years, since my first visit here in February 1990.
You have even succeeded in taming this huge palace, the
construction of a megalomaniac, but, at the same time, a
masterpiece of the Romanian people."
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Sources of information and photos::
http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=27
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/.../buc448eu7429.htm
http://www.csnmeridian.ro/galerie_foto/ro/7/
http://www.unece.org
http://www.bucharest-life.com/bucharest/palace-of-parliament
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Bucharest_The_Palace_of_the_Parliament.jpg
http://travel.ciao.co.uk/product_images_view.php?ProduktId=6255791&CurrentImage=39331205
http://picasaweb.google.com
http://www.travbuddy.com/
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