Communism Tour Bucharest – Real Stories

Communism in Romania can be understood only by looking at the global context of its establishment in Eastern European countries. Thus, we will begin our tour by discussing the sudden and certain transition from monarchy to totalitarianism, how the change came about and how it was initially perceived by society.

We will visit the courtyard of the Antim monastery, screened by the blocks that flanked the Victoria Avenue of Socialism. We discuss the communist regime’s abuses of religious freedom, the Pitesti Phenomenon and the communist prisons. Then the tour continues with the story of the construction of the Parliament Palace, the second largest administrative building in the world. We discuss the huge demolitions that Bucharest went through and the thousands of people condemned to leave their homes.

The discussion continues on Vânători St., where we cover topics such as food and food rationing in the 1980s. We visit Mihai Voda Church, the church that was moved the longest distance during the communist period. The Holocaust Memorial gives us the opportunity to remember the situation of the Jews in Romania and the deportations at the beginning of the communist regime.

We continue our tour in Cșmigiu Park, where we discuss the possibilities of relaxation during the socialist regime and how people disconnected from the black reality of everyday life. Before we reach Revolution Square we stop in front of the Palace Hall, to broach the subject of construction and propaganda. Finally, we end the tour in Revolution Square, where we will remember the events of December 1989.

Thus, this tour is a captivating foray into the history of over 40 years of communism in Romania and shows which of today’s customs have their origins in communism.