Cotroceni is a neighbourhood in western

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...

, Romania, located around the Cotroceni hill, in Bucharest's Sector 5. The nearest Metro stations are Eroilor, Academia Militară, and Politehnica.

History

The Hill of Cotroceni was once covered by the forest of Vlăsia, which covered most of today's Bucharest. Here, in 1679 a monastery was built by

Șerban Cantacuzino Șerban Cantacuzino (), (1634/1640 – 29 October 1688) was a List of rulers of Wallachia, Prince of Wallachia between 1678 and 1688. Biography Șerban Cantacuzino was a member of the Romanian branch of the Cantacuzino family, Cantacuzino noble ...

, later to be transformed into a palace in 1888 by

King King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...

Carol I. Houses were built in the area near the palace by the royal servants and by high-ranking military personnel. Carol I also build a royal train station named near the palace. The train station was relocated by the communist regime and was later used for transporting materials for the construction of Casa Poporului.

Notable people

Important Romanian figures who lived in this neighborhood: Ion Barbu, Nicolae Herlea, Ion Minulescu, Marin Preda, and Liviu Rebreanu.

Landmarks

* Cotroceni Palace, the official residence of the President of Romania, is located in this neighbourhood * Bucharest Botanical Garden * Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy * The Bucharest Opera building * * New St. Eleftherios Church * * Casa Radio

Gallery

File:Preziosi - Cotroceni, Poștalionul Domnesc.jpg, Carol I in the Royal coach in Cotroceni, 1860s Image:Mănăstirea Cotroceni, 1860.jpg, Cotroceni Monastery, 1860 Image:Cotroceni harta 1895.jpg, Map of Cotroceni area, circa 1895 File:Cotroceni aerodrome.jpg, Aerial view of the Cotroceni airfield, 1920s

References

{{Coord, 44, 25, 58, N, 26, 04, 18, E, display=title Districts of Bucharest Hills of Bucharest