Palace of the Parliament: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox |
{{Infobox building |
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|name=Palace of the Parliament |
| name = Palace of the Parliament |
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| native_name = Palatul Parlamentului |
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|image=File:Casa Poporului.jpg |
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| native_name_lang = ro |
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|caption= |
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| logo = |
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|map_type= |
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| logo_size = |
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|latitude= |
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| logo_alt = |
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|longitude= |
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| logo_caption = |
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|location_town=[[Bucharest]] |
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| image = EPP Congress 1837 (8096486337).jpg |
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|location_country=Romania |
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| image_size = |
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|architect=[[Anca Petrescu]] (chief architect) led a group of 700 architects<ref>http://www.gandul.info/news/casa-poporului-de-trei-ori-in-cartea-recordurilor-video-2521487</ref> |
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| image_alt = |
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|website=http://www.casapoporului.ro/article/264/Casa-Poporului |
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| image_caption = Front view of the Palace during the EPP Congress of October 2012 |
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|engineer= |
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| map_type = Romania |
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|construction_start_date=25 June 1984 |
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| map_alt = |
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|completion_date=1997<ref>{{cite web | url=http://amfostacolo.ro/romania-pareri,15/bucuresti,95,1174/in-vizita-la-palatul-parlamentului-casa-poporului,8917/impresii-sejur-si-fotografii-vacanta__19157.htm | title=O capodoperă a geniului românesc: Palatul Parlamentului | date=10 May 2011 | accessdate=11 June 2012}}</ref> |
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| map_caption = Location within Romania |
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|date_demolished= |
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| map_size = |
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|structural_system= |
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| latitude = |
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|style=Late interpretation of [[neoclassical architecture]] |
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| longitude = |
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|size=270 m by 245 m, 86 m high<br>92 m underground<br>1,100 rooms<br>12 stories tall<br>with four additional underground levels currently available and in use (another four in different stages of completion) |
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| latd = 44 |
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|floor_count=12 |
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| latm = 25 |
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|floor_area={{convert|340000|m2|abbr=on}} |
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| lats = 39 |
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|cost=€3-billion |
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| latNS = N |
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| longd = 26 |
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| longm = 5 |
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| longs = 15 |
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| longEW = E |
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| map_dot_label = |
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| relief = |
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| former_names = House of the Republic |
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| alternate_names = People's House |
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| etymology = |
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| status = |
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| cancelled = |
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| topped_out = |
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| building_type = |
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| architectural_style = Late interpretation of [[neoclassical architecture]] |
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| classification = |
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| location = |
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| address = Calea 13 Septembrie 1, [[Sector 5 (Bucharest)|Sector 5]] |
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| location_city = [[Bucharest]] |
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| location_country = [[Romania]] |
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| iso_region = |
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| coordinates_display = inline,title |
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| coordinates_format = |
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| coordinates = |
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| altitude = |
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| current_tenants = |
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| namesake = |
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| groundbreaking_date = [[25 June]] [[1984]] |
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| start_date = |
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| topped_out_date = |
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| completion_date = [[1997]] |
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| opened_date = |
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| inauguration_date = |
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| relocated_date = |
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| renovation_date = |
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| closing_date = |
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| demolition_date = <!-- or |destruction_date = --> |
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| cost = €3 billion |
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| ren_cost = |
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| client = |
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| owner = |
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| landlord = |
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| affiliation = |
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| height = 84 m |
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| architectural = 84 m |
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| tip = |
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| antenna_spire = |
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| roof = |
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| top_floor = |
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| observatory = |
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| diameter = |
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| circumference = |
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| weight = |
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| other_dimensions = |
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| structural_system = |
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| material = |
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| size = 240 m long, 270 m wide |
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| floor_count = 12 |
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| floor_area = 365,000 m<sup>2</sup> |
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| elevator_count = |
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| grounds_area = 66,000 m<sup>2</sup> |
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| architect = 700 architects under the direction of chief architect [[Anca Petrescu]] |
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| architecture_firm = |
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| developer = |
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| engineer = |
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| structural_engineer = |
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| services_engineer = |
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| civil_engineer = |
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| other_designers = |
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| quantity_surveyor = |
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| main_contractor = |
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| awards = |
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| designations = World's largest civilian building with an administrative function<br />World's most expensive administrative building<br />World's heaviest building |
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| known_for = |
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| ren_architect = |
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| ren_firm = |
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| ren_engineer = |
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| ren_str_engineer = |
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| ren_serv_engineer = |
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| ren_civ_engineer = |
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| ren_oth_designers = |
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| ren_qty_surveyor = |
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| ren_contractor = |
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| ren_awards = |
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| seating_type = |
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| seating_capacity = |
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| rooms = 1,100 |
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| parking = |
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| url = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> |
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| embed = |
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| embedded = |
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| references = |
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| footnotes = |
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}} |
}} |
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The '''Palace of the Parliament''' ({{lang-ro|Palatul Parlamentului}}) is the seat of the [[Parliament of |
The '''Palace of the Parliament''' ({{lang-ro|Palatul Parlamentului}}) is the seat of the [[Parliament of Romania]]. Located on [[Dealul Spirii|Dealul Arsenalului]] in central [[Bucharest]] ([[Sector 5 (Bucharest)|Sector 5]]), it is the second largest building in the world,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldrecordacademy.com/biggest/largest_administrative_building_world_record_set_by_the_Palace_of_the_Romanian_Parliament_80185.htm |title=Largest administrative building: world record set by The Palace of the Romanian Parliament |work=World Record Academy}}</ref> after [[The Pentagon]], with 84 m high, an area of 365,000 m<sup>2</sup> and is composed of 23 bodies. Having a volume of 2,550,000 m<sup>3</sup>, it is also the third most massive building in the world, after [[Cape Canaveral]] in [[Florida]] and the [[Temple of the Feathered Serpent]] in [[Teotihuacan]], [[Mexico]]. In terms of weight, the Palace of the Parliament is the heaviest building in the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/heaviest-building/ |title=Heaviest building |work=Guinness World Records}}</ref> |
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A colossal parliament building known for its ornate interior, it houses the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, three museums and an international conference center. The [[National Museum of Contemporary Art (Romania)|National Museum of Contemporary Art]], the |
A colossal parliament building known for its ornate interior, it houses the [[Senate of Romania|Senate]] and the [[Chamber of Deputies of Romania|Chamber of Deputies]], three museums and an international conference center. The [[National Museum of Contemporary Art (Romania)|National Museum of Contemporary Art]], the Museum of Communist Totalitarianism (established in [[2015]])<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-politic-20444050-senatul-adoptat-legea-privind-infiintarea-muzeului-totalitarismului-comunist.htm |title=Senatul a adoptat legea privind infiintarea Muzeului Totalitarismului Comunist. Academia Romana va intocmi si un raport de condamnare a comunismului |work=HotNews.ro |date=22 September 2015}}</ref> and the Museum of the Palace are hosted inside the Palace. Though named the '''House of the Republic''' ({{lang-ro|Casa Republicii}}), after the [[Romanian Revolution of 1989]] it became widely known as the '''People's House''' ({{lang-ro|Casa Poporului}}). Due to its impressive endowments, here are organized conferences, symposiums and other manifestations by state institutions or international bodies, legal entities, Romanian or foreign, but even so about 70% of the building is empty.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hotel-bucuresti.com/blog/2015/04/29/palatul-parlamentului-o-emblema-bucurestiului/ |title=Palatul Parlamentului, o emblema a Bucurestiului |work=Hotel-Bucuresti.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2014/12/05/travel/ceausescu-trail-bucharest-romania/index.html?hpt=hp_c5 |title=Palace of the damned dictator: On the trail of Ceausescu in Bucharest |work=CNN |author=John Malathronas |date=5 December 2014}}</ref> |
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In [[1990]], American business magnate [[Rupert Murdoch]] wanted to buy the building with $1 billion, but his bid was rejected.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/romania-pitoreasca/ce-mesaje-ascunse-au-lasat-muncitorii-pe-zidurile-casei-poporului-detalii-nestiute.html |title=Detalii nestiute despre Casa Poporului, cea mai scumpa cladire administrativa din lume |work=Stirile Pro TV |date=16 May 2013}}</ref> Nowadays, the Palace of the Parliament is valued at €3 billion, making it the most expensive administrative building in the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gandul.info/stiri/casa-poporului-de-trei-ori-in-cartea-recordurilor-video-2521487 |title=Casa Poporului - de trei ori în Cartea Recordurilor |work=Gândul |date=4 April 2008}}</ref> Only the cost of heating and electric lighting exceeds $6 million per year, as much as a medium-sized city.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.natgeo.ro/istorie/personalitati-si-evenimente/8730-palatul-parlamentului-din-casa-poporului?showall=1 |title=Palatul Parlamentului din Casa Poporului |work=National Geographic România |author=Andrei Pandele |date=September 2008}}</ref> |
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== Figures and record == |
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== Location == |
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Palace of the Romanian Parliament has a floor area of 360,000 square meter - setting the world record for the Largest administrative building (for civilian use). (It's the second largest building in the world, after the Pentagon of US. And it's the 3rd biggest building with its volume 2,550,000 m³, after the Cape Canaveral in Florida and [[Temple of the Feathered Serpent, Teotihuacan]] in Mexico.<ref name="Casa-Poporului">{{cite web | url=http://www.casapoporului.ro/article/264/Casa-Poporului/ | title= Casa-Poporului (In Romanian) }}.</ref> ) |
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The building of the Palace is located in the central part of [[Bucharest]] (in [[Sector 5 (Bucharest)|Sector 5]]), on the place that today is called [[Dealul Spirii|Dealul Arsenalului]], framed by Izvor Street to the west and northwest, United Nations Avenue to the north, Liberty Avenue to the east and Calea 13 Septembrie to the south. |
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== History == |
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[[File:Unirii Boulevard (1.May 1986).jpg|thumb|left|200px|Palace of the Parliament under construction on [[1 May]] [[1986]]. View toward Unirii Boulevard]] |
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[[File:EPP Congress 2361 (8096737560).jpg|thumb|left|200px|View from the Palace. For its construction, Uranus-Izvor neighborhood was demolished.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.descopera.ro/cultura/13114003-ceausima-cum-a-fost-demolat-cartierul-uranus-galerie-foto-video |title=„Ceauşima” – cum a fost demolat cartierul Uranus |work=Descoperă.ro |author=Roxana Ruscior |date=21 August 2014}}</ref>]] |
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After the [[1977 Vrancea earthquake|earthquake of 4 March 1977]], [[Nicolae Ceaușescu]] started a megalomaniac reconstruction plan of [[Bucharest]], and the People's House was the center of this project. The so-called ''Project Bucharest'' was an ambitious project of Ceausescu spouses began in [[1978]], as a replica of [[Pyongyang]], the [[North Korea]]n capital. A systematization project existed since the [[1930s]] (during [[Carol II of Romania|Carol II]]) for the Unirii–Dealul Arsenalului area. For its construction was organized a contest, won by [[Anca Petrescu]], appointed chief architect of the project. At that time, Anca Petrescu was just 28. Actually, the team that coordinated the work was made of 10 architects, that have subordinated other 700.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digi24.ro/Stiri/Digi24/Actualitate/Stiri/De+la+Casa+Poporului+la+Palatul+Parlamentului+Istoria+cladirii+c |title=De la Casa Poporului la Palatul Parlamentului. Istoria clădirii care a intrat de trei ori în Cartea Recordurilor |work=Digi24 |date=31 October 2013}}</ref> The actual construction began on [[25 June]] [[1984]]. The inauguration of the work was also attended by Ceaușescu. |
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The building was erected on the site of some monasteries that were demolished and on the site of Uranus Hill that was leveled. In this area were located the National Archives, Văcărești Monastery, Brâncovenesc Hospital,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ziarulring.ro/stiri/12421/spitalul-brancovenesc-nu-trebuia-sa-cada |title=„Spitalul Brâncovenesc nu trebuia să cadă!” |work=Ziarul Ring |date=22 February 2010}}</ref> as well as about 37 old factories and workshops.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://metropotam.ro/Locuri-de-vizitat/Atunci-si-acum-Casa-Poporului-art5172725370/ |title=Atunci si acum: Casa Poporului |work=Metropotam |date=9 June 2009}}</ref> Demolition in Uranus area began in [[1982]]. 7 km<sup>2</sup> in the old city center were demolished, and 40,000 people were relocated from this area. The works were carried out with forced labor of soldiers and so the cost was minimized.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://www.humanitas.ro/humanitas/robi-pe-uranus-0 |title=Robi pe Uranus |date=1992 |edition=I |isbn=973-28-0304-5 |author=Ioan Popa |publisher=Humanitas}}</ref> |
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It measures 270 m by 245 m, 86 m high, and 92 m under ground, on a building area of 66,000 m2 ground surface.<ref name="Casa-Poporului" /> It has 1,100 rooms and is 12 stories tall, with additional 8 underground levels.<ref name="worldrecordacademy" /> |
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On the site worked between 20,000 and 100,000 workers, sometimes even in three shifts. Thousands of people died at the People's House, some mention a figure of 3,000 people.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dcnews.ro/peste-ce-s-a-construit-casa-poporului-vezi-imagini-din-1982_386644.html |title=Peste ce s-a construit Casa Poporului. Vezi imagini din 1982 |work=DC News |author=Anca Murgoci |date=8 November 2013}}</ref> |
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The Palace of the Romanian Parliament is also the world's Heaviest Building: it was made from 700,000 tonnes of steel and bronze, plus 1 million m³ of marble, 3,500 metric tonnes of crystal glass, and 900,000 m³ of wood.<ref name="worldrecordacademy" /> |
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In [[1989]] building costs were estimated at $1.75 billion, and in [[2006]] at €3 billion. |
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Among them: 1,000,000 m³ of marble; 5,500 tonnes of cement; 7,000 tons of steel; 20,000 tons of sand; 1,000 tons of basalt; 3,500 tonnes of crystal - 480 chandeliers, 1,409 ceiling lights and mirrors were manufactured; 700,000 tonnes of steel and bronze for monumental doors and windows, chandeliers and capitals; 900,000 m³ of wood (over 95% domestic) for parquet and wainscotting, including walnut, oak, sweet cherry, elm, sycamore maple; 220,000 m² of woolen carpets of various dimensions (machines had to be moved inside the building to weave some of the larger carpets); 3,500 m² of skin; velvet and brocade curtains adorned with embroideries and passementeries in silver and gold.<ref name="Casa-Poporului" /> |
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=== After 1989 === |
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Since [[1994]] the building hosts the [[Chamber of Deputies of Romania|Chamber of Deputies]], after the initial headquarters of the institution, the [[Palace of the Patriarchate|Palace of the Chamber of Deputies]] (now the Palace of the Patriarchate), was donated by state to the [[Romanian Orthodox Church]]. Since [[2004]] the [[Romanian Senate]] is headquartered in the building, originally housed in the former building of the Central Committee of the [[Romanian Communist Party]]. |
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Between [[2003]] and [[2004]] a glass annex was built alongside external elevators.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://www.ashgate.com/isbn/9780754670223 |title=Cultural Landscapes of Post-Socialist Cities |author=Mariusz Czepczynski |publisher=Ashgate |date=June 2008 |isbn=978-0-7546-7022-3}}</ref> This was done to facilitate access to the National Museum of Contemporary Art opened in 2004 inside the west wing of the Palace. In the same period, a project aiming to hoist a huge flag was canceled following protests from the public. |
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The Palace of the Parliament is also the world's Most Expensive Administrative building in the world: updated total costs (2006) are estimated at 4 billions USD.<ref name="worldrecordacademy" /> |
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A flag was already hoisted on the building, but was removed together with the support. |
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== History == |
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The Palace was designed by a team of 700 architects led by architect [[Anca Petrescu]]. Construction began during Communism, in 1980, with the demolition of Republica Stadium and part of the old city. Among the important historic buildings lost then, some of them were National Monuments, were the Văcăreşti Monastery, the Brâncovenesc Hospital and the National Archives. In 1989, it was nearly completed by the [[Communist Romania#The Ceau.C8.99escu government|Ceaușescu regime]] as the seat of political and administrative power.<ref>http://www.blog.urbact.eu/2011/01/the-romanian-parliament-palace-a-controversy-in-the-heart-of-bucharest/</ref> |
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===Since the Romanian Revolution=== |
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At the time of [[Romanian Revolution]] which overthrew communist dictator [[Nicolae Ceausescu]], in December 1989, the Palace of the Parliament was completely finished on the outside and inside had most of its rooms finished.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}} |
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The restaurant, accessible only to politicians, was refurbished. Since [[1998]] the building houses a Regional [[Southeast European Cooperative Initiative|SECI]] Center for Fighting Transborder Crime.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mfa.gov.rs/en/foreign-policy/eu/regional-initiatives/seci |title=South-East Europe Cooperative Initiative (SECI) |work=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia}}</ref> |
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[[File:EPP Congress 1837 (8096486337).jpg|thumb|left|Palace of the Parliament – one of the entrances]] Since 1994, the building has been the seat of parliament's lower house the [[Chamber of Deputies (Romania)|Romania's Chamber of Deputies]],<ref>http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=27</ref> which had previously been housed in the [[Palace of the Chamber of Deputies|Palace of the Patriarchy]]; the Romanian Legislative Council and the Romanian Competition Council and the [[Senate of Romania|Romanian Senate]] joining in 2004, having previously been housed in the former building of the Communist Party's Central Committee. The Palace also contains a massive array of miscellaneous conference halls, salons, etc. used for a wide variety of other purposes. Even so, around 70% of the building is not in use.<ref>http://edition.cnn.com/2014/12/05/travel/ceausescu-trail-bucharest-romania/index.html?hpt=hp_c5</ref> |
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In [[2008]], the Palace hosted the [[20th NATO summit]]. In [[2010]], politician [[Silviu Prigoană]] proposed re-purposing the building into a [[shopping centre]] and an entertainment complex. Citing costs, Prigoană said that Parliament should move to a new building, as they occupied only 30% of the massive palace. While the proposal has sparked a debate in Romania, politician [[Miron Mitrea]] dismissed the idea as a "joke".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/romania/7148097/Nicolae-Ceausescu-palace-to-be-turned-into-shopping-mall.html |title=Nicolae Ceausescu palace 'to be turned into shopping mall' |work=The Telegraph |author=Matthew Day |date=4 February 2010}}</ref> |
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In 2003–2004 a glass annex was built<ref>Mariusz Czepczyński, Cultural Landscapes of Post-socialist Cities, 2008, Ashgate</ref> alongside external elevators. This was done to facilitate access to the [[National Museum of Contemporary Art (Romania)|National Museum of Contemporary Art]] (MNAC) opened in 2004 inside the west wing of the Palace of Parliament, and to the '''Museum and Park of Totalitarianism and Socialist Realism''', also opened in 2004.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}} |
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== Technical details == |
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The [[cafeteria]] for use of the legislators has been refurbished<!--when? "Recently" becomes less true every day-->. Also in the building is the headquarters of the [[Southeast European Cooperative Initiative]] (SECI), an organization focused on regional cooperation among governments against cross-border crime.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}} |
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[[File:Al . I. Cuza Hall, Palace of the Parliament of Romania (8007298148).jpg|thumb|200px|Elaborate decorations in [[Alexandru Ioan Cuza]] Hall]] |
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The construction of the Palace began in [[1984]] and initially should have been completed in only two years. The term was then extended until [[1990]], but even now it is not finalized. Only 400 rooms and two meeting rooms are finished and used, out of 1,100 rooms. |
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The building has eight underground levels, the last one being an antiatomic bunker, linked to the main state institutions by 20 km of catacombs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.libertatea.ro/detalii/articol/secretele-casei-poporului-ceausescu-voia-sa-umble-cu-masina-pe-sub-bucuresti-323291.html |title=Secretele Casei Poporului | «Ceauşescu voia să umble cu maşina pe sub Bucureşti» |work=Libertatea |date=21 February 2011}}</ref> [[Nicolae Ceaușescu]] feared a nuclear war. The bunker is a room with 1.5 m thick concrete walls and can not be penetrated by radiation. The shelter is composed of the main hall – |
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In 2008, the Palace hosted the [[2008 Bucharest summit|20th NATO summit]]. In 2010, the politician [[Silviu Prigoană]] proposed re-purposing the building into a [[shopping centre]] and an entertainment complex. Citing costs, Prigoană said that Parliament should move to a new building, as they occupied only 30 percent of the massive palace. While the proposal has sparked a debate in Romania, politician [[Miron Mitrea]] dismissed the idea as a "joke".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/romania/7148097/Nicolae-Ceausescu-palace-to-be-turned-into-shopping-mall.html | title=Nicolae Ceausescu palace 'to be turned into shopping mall' | date=4 February 2010 | accessdate=6 September 2013}}.</ref> |
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headquarters that had to have telephone connections with all military units in Romania – and several residential apartments for state leadership, in case of war. |
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The building has a developed area of 365,000 m<sup>2</sup>, being the world's second largest administrative building, after [[The Pentagon]], and in terms of volume, with its 2.55 million m<sup>3</sup>, it is the third most massive, after the [[Vehicle Assembly Building]] of the [[Kennedy Space Center|John F. Kennedy Space Center]] in [[Florida]] and the [[Temple of the Feathered Serpent]] in [[Teotihuacan]], [[Mexico]]. For comparison, it can be mentioned that the building exceeds by 2% the volume of the [[Great Pyramid of Giza]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://metropotam.ro/Locuri-de-vizitat/lucruri-mai-putin-stiute-despre-casa-poporului-cea-mai-mare-cladire-din-europa-art3946701317/ |title=Lucruri mai putin stiute despre Casa Poporului - cea mai mare cladire din Europa |work=Metropotam |date=4 March 2015}}</ref> and therefore some sources label it as a "pharaonic" construction.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.travelworld.ro/atractii-romania/arhitectura/casa-poporului.html |title=Casa Poporului |work=TravelWorld.ro}}</ref> |
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== Gallery == |
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<gallery> |
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File:Unirii Boulevard (1.May 1986).jpg|Palace of the Parliament under construction, 1 May 1986 |
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File:EPP Congress 2012. Day 1 (8094575909).jpg|A corridor inside the Palace |
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</gallery> |
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The building of the Palace of the Parliament sinks by 6 mm each year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gandul.info/magazin/casa-poporului-se-scufunda-in-sol-in-fiecare-an-ce-spun-specialistii-despre-acest-fenomen-13739642 |title=Casa Poporului se scufundă în sol în fiecare an. Ce spun specialiştii despre acest "fenomen" |work=Gândul |date=26 December 2014}}</ref> Romanian specialists who analyzed the data argue that massive weight and structure of the Palace lead to the settlement of layers below the construction. |
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==References== |
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=== Materials === |
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{{Reflist|33em}} |
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[[File:EPP Congress 5516 (8099357145).jpg|thumb|200px|Palace's famous crystal chandeliers were executed at Vitrometan [[Mediaș]] glass factory.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mediafax.ro/social/vitrometan-locul-unde-2-ani-s-a-lucrat-la-candelabrele-din-casa-poporului-de-la-moda-pestelui-din-sticla-colorata-asezat-pe-mileul-de-pe-televizor-la-planul-pentru-supravietuire-galerie-foto-10691119 |title=VITROMETAN, locul unde 2 ani s-a lucrat la candelabrele din Casa Poporului. De la moda peştelui din sticlă colorată aşezat pe mileul de pe televizor la planul pentru supravieţuire |work=Mediafax |date=26 March 2013}}</ref> The execution of the 480 chandeliers lasted two years.]] |
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The building was constructed almost entirely of materials of Romanian origin. The only exceptions are the doors of Nicolae Bălcescu Hall. These were received by Ceaușescu as a gift from his friend, the African dictator [[Mobutu Sese Seko]], who was back then the President of the Republic of [[Zaire]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.youramazingplaces.com/palace-of-the-parliament-bucharest/ |title=7 Amazing Facts about The Palace of The Parliament in Bucharest |work=YourAmazingPlaces.com}}</ref> |
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Among them: 3,500 tonnes of [[crystal]] – 480 [[chandelier]]s, 1,409 ceiling lights and [[mirror]]s were manufactured; 700,000 tonnes of [[steel]] and [[bronze]] for monumental [[door]]s and [[window]]s, chandeliers and capitals; 900,000 m<sup>3</sup> of wood<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.casapoporului.ro/article/264/Casa-Poporului |title=Casa Poporului}}</ref> (over 95% domestic) for [[parquet]] and wainscotting, including [[walnut]], [[oak]], [[sweet cherry]], [[elm]], [[sycamore maple]]; 200,000 m<sup>2</sup> of woolen carpets of various dimensions (machines had to be moved inside the building to weave some of the larger carpets); [[velvet]] and [[brocade]] [[curtain]]s adorned with embroideries and passementeries in [[silver]] and [[gold]]. |
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==External links== |
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== References == |
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{{Reflist|2}} |
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== External links == |
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{{commons category|Palace of the Parliament of Romania}} |
{{commons category|Palace of the Parliament of Romania}} |
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* Cristina Hanganu-Bresch, [http://web.archive.org/web/20060219232635/http://www.fantasypieces.org/files/Research/CasaPoporului.pdf The People's House: The Building and Rebuilding of Romanian National Consciousness] |
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*[http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=27 Romanian Chamber of Deputies page about the Palace] |
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*Cristina Hanganu-Bresch, [http://web.archive.org/web/20060219232635/http://www.fantasypieces.org/files/Research/CasaPoporului.pdf People's House - The Building and Rebuilding of Romanian National Consciousness] ([[PDF]]) |
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{{Palaces and Castles in Romania}} |
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{{Tall buildings in Bucharest}} |
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Revision as of 16:03, 25 December 2015
| Palace of the Parliament | |
|---|---|
Palatul Parlamentului | |
.jpg?lang=en) Front view of the Palace during the EPP Congress of October 2012 | |
  Location within Romania | |
| Former names | House of the Republic |
| Alternative names | People's House |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Late interpretation of neoclassical architecture |
| Address | Calea 13 Septembrie 1, Sector 5 |
| Town or city | Bucharest |
| Country | Romania |
| Groundbreaking | 25 June 1984 |
| Completed | 1997 |
| Cost | €3 billion |
| Height | |
| Height | 84 m |
| Architectural | 84 m |
| Technical details | |
| Size | 240 m long, 270 m wide |
| Floor count | 12 |
| Floor area | 365,000 m2 |
| Grounds | 66,000 m2 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | 700 architects under the direction of chief architect Anca Petrescu |
| Designations | World's largest civilian building with an administrative function World's most expensive administrative building World's heaviest building |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | 1,100 |
The Palace of the Parliament (Template:Lang-ro) is the seat of the Parliament of Romania. Located on Dealul Arsenalului in central Bucharest (Sector 5), it is the second largest building in the world,[1] after The Pentagon, with 84 m high, an area of 365,000 m2 and is composed of 23 bodies. Having a volume of 2,550,000 m3, it is also the third most massive building in the world, after Cape Canaveral in Florida and the Temple of the Feathered Serpent in Teotihuacan, Mexico. In terms of weight, the Palace of the Parliament is the heaviest building in the world.[2]
A colossal parliament building known for its ornate interior, it houses the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, three museums and an international conference center. The National Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Communist Totalitarianism (established in 2015)[3] and the Museum of the Palace are hosted inside the Palace. Though named the House of the Republic (Template:Lang-ro), after the Romanian Revolution of 1989 it became widely known as the People's House (Template:Lang-ro). Due to its impressive endowments, here are organized conferences, symposiums and other manifestations by state institutions or international bodies, legal entities, Romanian or foreign, but even so about 70% of the building is empty.[4][5]
In 1990, American business magnate Rupert Murdoch wanted to buy the building with $1 billion, but his bid was rejected.[6] Nowadays, the Palace of the Parliament is valued at €3 billion, making it the most expensive administrative building in the world.[7] Only the cost of heating and electric lighting exceeds $6 million per year, as much as a medium-sized city.[8]
Location
The building of the Palace is located in the central part of Bucharest (in Sector 5), on the place that today is called Dealul Arsenalului, framed by Izvor Street to the west and northwest, United Nations Avenue to the north, Liberty Avenue to the east and Calea 13 Septembrie to the south.
History
.jpg?lang=en)
.jpg?lang=en)
After the earthquake of 4 March 1977, Nicolae Ceaușescu started a megalomaniac reconstruction plan of Bucharest, and the People's House was the center of this project. The so-called Project Bucharest was an ambitious project of Ceausescu spouses began in 1978, as a replica of Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. A systematization project existed since the 1930s (during Carol II) for the Unirii–Dealul Arsenalului area. For its construction was organized a contest, won by Anca Petrescu, appointed chief architect of the project. At that time, Anca Petrescu was just 28. Actually, the team that coordinated the work was made of 10 architects, that have subordinated other 700.[10] The actual construction began on 25 June 1984. The inauguration of the work was also attended by Ceaușescu.
The building was erected on the site of some monasteries that were demolished and on the site of Uranus Hill that was leveled. In this area were located the National Archives, Văcărești Monastery, Brâncovenesc Hospital,[11] as well as about 37 old factories and workshops.[12] Demolition in Uranus area began in 1982. 7 km2 in the old city center were demolished, and 40,000 people were relocated from this area. The works were carried out with forced labor of soldiers and so the cost was minimized.[13]
On the site worked between 20,000 and 100,000 workers, sometimes even in three shifts. Thousands of people died at the People's House, some mention a figure of 3,000 people.[14]
In 1989 building costs were estimated at $1.75 billion, and in 2006 at €3 billion.
After 1989
Since 1994 the building hosts the Chamber of Deputies, after the initial headquarters of the institution, the Palace of the Chamber of Deputies (now the Palace of the Patriarchate), was donated by state to the Romanian Orthodox Church. Since 2004 the Romanian Senate is headquartered in the building, originally housed in the former building of the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party.
Between 2003 and 2004 a glass annex was built alongside external elevators.[15] This was done to facilitate access to the National Museum of Contemporary Art opened in 2004 inside the west wing of the Palace. In the same period, a project aiming to hoist a huge flag was canceled following protests from the public. A flag was already hoisted on the building, but was removed together with the support.
The restaurant, accessible only to politicians, was refurbished. Since 1998 the building houses a Regional SECI Center for Fighting Transborder Crime.[16]
In 2008, the Palace hosted the 20th NATO summit. In 2010, politician Silviu Prigoană proposed re-purposing the building into a shopping centre and an entertainment complex. Citing costs, Prigoană said that Parliament should move to a new building, as they occupied only 30% of the massive palace. While the proposal has sparked a debate in Romania, politician Miron Mitrea dismissed the idea as a "joke".[17]
Technical details
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The construction of the Palace began in 1984 and initially should have been completed in only two years. The term was then extended until 1990, but even now it is not finalized. Only 400 rooms and two meeting rooms are finished and used, out of 1,100 rooms.
The building has eight underground levels, the last one being an antiatomic bunker, linked to the main state institutions by 20 km of catacombs.[18] Nicolae Ceaușescu feared a nuclear war. The bunker is a room with 1.5 m thick concrete walls and can not be penetrated by radiation. The shelter is composed of the main hall – headquarters that had to have telephone connections with all military units in Romania – and several residential apartments for state leadership, in case of war.
The building has a developed area of 365,000 m2, being the world's second largest administrative building, after The Pentagon, and in terms of volume, with its 2.55 million m3, it is the third most massive, after the Vehicle Assembly Building of the John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida and the Temple of the Feathered Serpent in Teotihuacan, Mexico. For comparison, it can be mentioned that the building exceeds by 2% the volume of the Great Pyramid of Giza,[19] and therefore some sources label it as a "pharaonic" construction.[20]
The building of the Palace of the Parliament sinks by 6 mm each year.[21] Romanian specialists who analyzed the data argue that massive weight and structure of the Palace lead to the settlement of layers below the construction.
Materials
.jpg?lang=en)
The building was constructed almost entirely of materials of Romanian origin. The only exceptions are the doors of Nicolae Bălcescu Hall. These were received by Ceaușescu as a gift from his friend, the African dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, who was back then the President of the Republic of Zaire.[23]
Among them: 3,500 tonnes of crystal – 480 chandeliers, 1,409 ceiling lights and mirrors were manufactured; 700,000 tonnes of steel and bronze for monumental doors and windows, chandeliers and capitals; 900,000 m3 of wood[24] (over 95% domestic) for parquet and wainscotting, including walnut, oak, sweet cherry, elm, sycamore maple; 200,000 m2 of woolen carpets of various dimensions (machines had to be moved inside the building to weave some of the larger carpets); velvet and brocade curtains adorned with embroideries and passementeries in silver and gold.
References
- ^ "Largest administrative building: world record set by The Palace of the Romanian Parliament". World Record Academy.
- ^ "Heaviest building". Guinness World Records.
- ^ "Senatul a adoptat legea privind infiintarea Muzeului Totalitarismului Comunist. Academia Romana va intocmi si un raport de condamnare a comunismului". HotNews.ro. 22 September 2015.
- ^ "Palatul Parlamentului, o emblema a Bucurestiului". Hotel-Bucuresti.com.
- ^ John Malathronas (5 December 2014). "Palace of the damned dictator: On the trail of Ceausescu in Bucharest". CNN.
- ^ "Detalii nestiute despre Casa Poporului, cea mai scumpa cladire administrativa din lume". Stirile Pro TV. 16 May 2013.
- ^ "Casa Poporului - de trei ori în Cartea Recordurilor". Gândul. 4 April 2008.
- ^ Andrei Pandele (September 2008). "Palatul Parlamentului din Casa Poporului". National Geographic România.
- ^ Roxana Ruscior (21 August 2014). "„Ceauşima" – cum a fost demolat cartierul Uranus". Descoperă.ro.
- ^ "De la Casa Poporului la Palatul Parlamentului. Istoria clădirii care a intrat de trei ori în Cartea Recordurilor". Digi24. 31 October 2013.
- ^ "„Spitalul Brâncovenesc nu trebuia să cadă!"". Ziarul Ring. 22 February 2010.
- ^ "Atunci si acum: Casa Poporului". Metropotam. 9 June 2009.
- ^ Ioan Popa (1992). Robi pe Uranus (I ed.). Humanitas. ISBN 973-28-0304-5.
- ^ Anca Murgoci (8 November 2013). "Peste ce s-a construit Casa Poporului. Vezi imagini din 1982". DC News.
- ^ Mariusz Czepczynski (June 2008). Cultural Landscapes of Post-Socialist Cities. Ashgate. ISBN 978-0-7546-7022-3.
- ^ "South-East Europe Cooperative Initiative (SECI)". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia.
- ^ Matthew Day (4 February 2010). "Nicolae Ceausescu palace 'to be turned into shopping mall'". The Telegraph.
- ^ "Secretele Casei Poporului". Libertatea. 21 February 2011.
{{cite web}}: Text "«Ceauşescu voia să umble cu maşina pe sub Bucureşti»" ignored (help) - ^ "Lucruri mai putin stiute despre Casa Poporului - cea mai mare cladire din Europa". Metropotam. 4 March 2015.
- ^ "Casa Poporului". TravelWorld.ro.
- ^ "Casa Poporului se scufundă în sol în fiecare an. Ce spun specialiştii despre acest "fenomen"". Gândul. 26 December 2014.
- ^ "VITROMETAN, locul unde 2 ani s-a lucrat la candelabrele din Casa Poporului. De la moda peştelui din sticlă colorată aşezat pe mileul de pe televizor la planul pentru supravieţuire". Mediafax. 26 March 2013.
- ^ "7 Amazing Facts about The Palace of The Parliament in Bucharest". YourAmazingPlaces.com.
- ^ "Casa Poporului".
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Palace of the Parliament of Romania.
- Cristina Hanganu-Bresch, The People's House: The Building and Rebuilding of Romanian National Consciousness
Categories:
- Use dmy dates from April 2011
- Government buildings completed in 1997
- Museums in Bucharest
- Government buildings in Romania
- Palaces in Bucharest
- Parliament of Romania
- Legislative buildings in Europe
- Seats of national legislatures
- Landmarks in Romania
- Skyscrapers in Romania
- Terminating vistas
- Stalinist architecture
- Neoclassical architecture in Romania