Cișmigiu Gardens | Bucharest

Physical & Material Composition

The park occupies a surface area of 16 hectares and is designed in the English garden style, featuring winding paths and asymmetrical landscapes. Structural elements include the Rotunda of Writers, a circular stone gallery featuring 12 marble busts of prominent Romanian literati. The park centers around an artificial Cişmigiu Lake, which covers 2.9 hectares and features a limestone bridge, the Great Bridge, built in 1854. Additional masonry includes the Roman Front, a complex of ruins and water installations constructed from weathered limestone and river stone.

Geographical Location

Cismigiu Gardens is located in the central district of Bucharest, bounded by Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta to the south and Bulevardul Schitu Măgureanu to the west. It is positioned 400 meters west of the University of Bucharest and 600 meters north of the Palace of the Parliament. The coordinates for the main entrance are 44°26′14″N 26°05′28″E.

Access Logistics

Pedestrian entry is provided through several gates, with the primary portal located at the intersection of Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta and Strada Academiei. The site is serviced by the Izvor Metro Station (Lines M1, M3), located 300 meters to the southwest. Trolleybus lines 61, 66, and 69 maintain stops at the Grădina Cișmigiu station directly on the southern perimeter. The internal path network consists of asphalt and crushed gravel, maintaining a generally level grade with maximum inclines of 5 degrees near the lake embankments.

Historical Markers

The park was commissioned in 1847 by the Russian governor Count Pavel Kiseleff and designed by German landscape architect Carl Meyer. It was officially inaugurated in 1854, marking it as the oldest public garden in Bucharest. The name derives from the Great Cupbearer (Marele Cișmigiu), Dumitru Siulgiu-Basa, who was responsible for the city's public fountains in the late 18th century. In 1882, the park was expanded with the acquisition of the Ghiul-Han garden and the installation of its first electric lighting system.

Insider Observation

The Great Bridge features iron railings where a specific foundry mark is stamped into the base of the central baluster on the northern side. Along the Writers' Rotunda, the marble bust of Mihai Eminescu exhibits a small 2cm vein of gray quartz running horizontally across the pedestal. The lake is inhabited by a population of Cyprinus carpio (Common Carp), and a specific metal water-level gauge is bolted to the stone pylon beneath the bridge. The park's oldest tree, a Platanus orientalis (Old World Sycamore), features an inventory tag numbered 402 on its lower trunk.

Surrounding Environmental Context

The gardens are bordered to the east by the Gheorghe Lazăr National College and to the north by Știrbei Vodă Street. Immediate vegetation consists of Tilia tomentosa (Silver Lime), Magnolia x soulangeana, and a dedicated Rose Garden containing over 50 varieties. The City Hall of Bucharest is located directly across Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta. The National Museum of Art of Romania is situated 500 meters to the northeast.