Revolution Square | Bucharest

Physical & Material Composition

Revolution Square is an irregular urban plaza covering approximately 25,000 square meters. The perimeter is defined by monumental structures primarily constructed from reinforced concrete, brick masonry, and limestone cladding. The central area features the Memorial of Rebirth, a 25-meter-tall white marble obelisk pierced by a crown-shaped metal structure.

The ground surface is finished with a combination of gray granite slabs and basalt paving stones. The square contains several bronze commemorative statues, including the equestrian monument of King Carol I, which stands on a red granite pedestal. Structural remains of the former Communist Party Central Committee building exhibit bullet-scarred masonry and repaired concrete patches.

Geographical Coordinates

The square is located in Sector 1 of Bucharest at the intersection of Calea Victoriei and Strada Demetriu I. Dobrescu. Precise coordinates are 44°26′21″N latitude and 26°05′47″E longitude. It is positioned 500 meters north of University Square.

The site is 150 meters east of the National Museum of Art of Romania. The landmark is situated 200 meters south of the Romanian Athenaeum. The eastern boundary of the square is defined by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the University of Bucharest Library.

Access Logistics

Pedestrian entry is unrestricted from all surrounding thoroughfares, including Calea Victoriei and Bulevardul Magheru. The site is accessible via the Universitate Metro Station (M2 line), located 600 meters to the south. STB bus lines 122, 137, 168, and 226 service the "Piața Revoluției" stop on the eastern edge of the square.

Vehicular traffic is routed around the central monuments via a one-way system traveling south. The terrain is level with a 0% grade across the paved plaza. Public parking is available at the "Piața Revoluției" surface lot and the underground facility at University Square.

Historical Markers

The square was originally known as Palace Square (Piața Palatului) until the 1989 Romanian Revolution. It served as the location of Nicolae Ceaușescu's final speech on December 21, 1989, delivered from the balcony of the Central Committee building. The Memorial of Rebirth was inaugurated in August 2005 to commemorate the victims of the uprising.

The Royal Palace on the western side was completed in its current form in 1937. The University Library was heavily damaged by fire in December 1989 and underwent full restoration between 1990 and 2001. The equestrian statue of Carol I is a 2010 replica of the original 1939 monument by Ivan Meštrović, which was destroyed by the communist government in 1948.

Insider Observation

The facade of the Ministry of Internal Affairs building contains specific 7.62mm and 5.45mm bullet indentations that were deliberately left unrepaired during the post-1990 renovation. On the base of the Memorial of Rebirth, there is a brass plaque listing the names of 1,058 individuals killed during the revolution.

Individual granite pavers in the southern section of the square feature small, 5cm drainage holes with cast-iron covers marked with the "Primăria Municipiului București" seal. The equestrian statue of King Carol I has a specific metallurgical stamp on the rear right hoof indicating the foundry. The northern edge of the square hosts a localized growth of Grimmia pulvinata (grey cushion-moss) within the stone crevices of the library foundation.

Surrounding Environmental Context

The square is flanked to the west by the National Museum of Art and the Kretzulescu Church, a Brâncovenesc-style structure built in 1722. To the north lies the Athénée Palace hotel and the Romanian Athenaeum. The eastern perimeter is dominated by the former Central Committee building, now the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Vegetation within the square is restricted to managed planters containing Buxus sempervirens and a small stand of Acer platanoides (Norway maple) near the Kretzulescu Church. The site is 1.5 kilometers north of the Palace of the Parliament. Local infrastructure includes the headquarters of the Union of Romanian Architects, characterized by a modern glass structure built inside a ruined 19th-century facade.