Cotroceni National Museum is located in Bucharest, sector 6, on Geniului Boulevard 1. The entrance is through Sos. Cotroceni, on the road that descends from the Lion Statue to the Cotroceni Bridge, on the opposite side of the Botanical Garden. There are no parking spaces and you cannot park in front of the entrance. If you come by car I recommend you to leave it in one of the alleys at the bottom of the slope. The most convenient means of transportation is the M3 metro line from Politehnica station, from where you can walk half a kilometer. Other options are trolleybuses 61, 62, 69, 71, 96, buses 139, 136, 336 to Piata Leu station.
The Cotroceni National Museum can only be visited by appointment and in an organized group led by a guide. You must arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled visiting time.
At the entrance we learn that Cotroceni National Palace was built according to the plans of architect Paul Gottereau, in French eclectic style. The northern part was rebuilt in neo-Romanesque style by the architect Grigore Cerchez. The palace still preserves the cellars of Serban Cantacuzino's stately homes.
In the new wing of the Palace is today the Presidential Administration. Let me remind that during Ceausescu's time it was called the Children's Palace. Sometimes it is also possible to visit the church and the cellars.
We walk past the unmistakable wall of the Cotroceni Palace to the entrance of the museum, where we go through the security check and present our ID.
The lady guide wishes the group "Welcome!" and "Happy Birthday!" to the children as it is June 1st. The children had free access on their birthday. There are a few rules to follow: no pictures and videos outside the buildings, no recordings and pictures with blit inside, and the route to follow is strict, no touching objects etc.
alley to the palace
Cotroceni Museum entrance
palace fence
In the years 1679 - 1681 the ruler Serban Cantacuzino built a monastery here on Cotroceni Hill, then west of Bucharest. His most important monastery included Church of the Assumption, similar to the one in Curtea de Arges, and State Palace, built in baroque style.
We will walk up an alley that leads us between the Princely Palace, later Royal - today's Cotroceni Museum - and the Church. We will visit the palace.
I just walked into the downstairs hallway and gasped at the gray marble staircase to the left.
Hall of Honor It is as high as the ground floor and the first floor, loaded with spectacular decorative elements, polychrome arms, columns and opens our visit imperial.
Marble staircase
marble columns
Hall of Honor
We pass through a paneled hall - German Dining Room - and at every step, the eyes delight themselves with what they are given to see.
German Dining Room
table clock
We enter the Hunting Trophy Hall or Hunting Salon.
The first very large room is decorated with floral paintings ... we guessed it is Flower Salon. Valuables are on display everywhere.
patents and decorations
royal orders
Steinway piano
Decorative vase
Flower Salon
see
hunting trophies
Hunting Salon
We arrive in the impressive Library, very rich in volumes of books. Here is a table with chairs, bearing royal emblems and carved elements. The massive door is a marvel.
Massive use
royal emblem
Library
Follow The White Salon or Grand Reception Hall, King Ferdinand I and Queen Maria also resided at the Cotroceni Royal Palace. In the paintings in the White Salon, they are depicted with an aura around their heads like saints.
The White Salon
exhibit
Regina Maria
King Ferdinand I
Dining room Regala features a round table with surrounding chairs of rare beauty. The carvings decorating the furniture feature elements of royal symbols such as crowns, eagles, but also fantastic animals and mermaids. Exceptional!
Bust of King Ferdinand I
gala suit
Dining room Regala
On the upper floor are the royal bedrooms, as well as a dining room where the royal family used to dine or royal offices.
working office
royal bedroom
dining room
royal bed
Here, upstairs, is also on display Old Decorative Art Collection.
Old Decorative Art Collection
The visit in the Royal Palace ends in the Hall of Honor where we entered. Near the Church of the Assumption was the Royal Railway Station, where today is the entrance from Geniului Boulevard and where 40 years ago there was a big junction of tram lines with several lines.
Hall of Honor
It is so impressive and valuable Cotroceni National Museum that you will want to revisit it. It is one of the sights that I am really not good at presenting at the level it deserves. This is perhaps due to the fact that the lady guide's presentation is so elaborate and interesting that I have no way of retaining all the information and rendering it at the quality it deserves.
A big bravo to Cotroceni National Museum. The actual visit lasted 50 minutes.
All the best!
Steps:
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