Constructed in 1921-1922, Arcul de Triumf is one of the most known monuments of the Capital, being situated in the northern side of the city, in the place that has the same name. Three boulevards meet at the intersection marked by the arch, which was projected by Petre Antonescu, in order to commemorate Romania’s victory in the First World War.
Bucharest had 5 other triumphal arches before the one that you can see today, but none of them resisted. The 1922 inauguration was rushed, and only the skeleton of the monument was made out of reinforced concrete, while the exterior bas-reliefs were made in plaster. Because of this, the arch had a very rough time, suffering important damages. In 1932, with the pressure of the journalists of that time mounting and an article wrote by Mihai Mora, named ”O datorie imperioasă” (An imperious debt), the bas-reliefs were finally replaced with ones made out of stone. Petre Antonescu was once again called for some exterior improvements.
In 1936, Arcul de Triumf is finished in its’ entirety and inaugurated, with the help of the Romanian people, who contributed with donations to its consolidation. The final structure resembles that of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, is 27 meters high and has the form of a parallelepiped.
Once the communist regime had begun, the arch lost from its sides the 2 texts of the proclamations of King Ferdinand towards the people, made on Romania’s entrance in the war and on the coronation of Alba Iulia in 1922.
