Bucharest Between the World Wars

[matei]

Here is a photo exhibition based on Bucharest, Romania - between the two world wars.

It is particularly interesting to see the contrast between the new and old ways. Several of the subjects in the photos are engaged in professions that no longer exist.

http://www.maerlant.be/cesiexhibit/exhibition/exhibition.htm

Bucharest was once known as the "Paris of the East" or "Little Paris". This is less evident in this exhibition, but there are some interesting arhitectural directions, such as the view of Bulevardul Bratianu and Palatul Telefoanelor. Here is a picture of the restored building.

 

[clevispin]

Neat pictures. I just sent a fellow headed to Norway tomorrow a picture book of Oslo published a year before the Germans invaded. I asked him to match some of the old shots with current pics.

What is the pedestrian traffic like now in the city? Does it bustle or is the bustle moved on to the suburbs?

m

 

[matei]

It bustles alright... with cars! Carparks are a relatively new notion. Bucharest doesn't have any suburbs persay - at least not in the Western notion of suburbs.

There are lots of pedestrians - some of the pics in this exhibition are strange in that they were taken in broad daylight, yet the streets appear empty.