Numerous articles have been written about communism and the drastic measures taken at that time, several books have been published and there are millions of stories that those who lived during this period can't wait to be given the opportunity to tell them. Communist period in Romania was marked by the so called ”Golden Age”. The phrase Golden Age appeared and was used in the '80s, an interval marked especially by the cult of personality of Nicolae Ceaușescu and his family.
The “Ceauşescu's Mansion” or ”Ceausescu's House” was for a quarter of a century (1965-1989) the private residence of Nicolae and Elena Ceauşescu and of their children, Nicu, Zoia, and Valentin. Built in the mid-1960s and known at the time as the “Spring Palace”, the mansion was enlarged between 1970 and 1972. The preferred architect for the designing of the Ceauşescu family’s residence was Aron Grimberg-Solari (born 1928). The architecture of the palace is complemented by landscaping conceived by the architect Robert Woll (who was also the main furniture designer for the house) and the landscape engineer Teodosiu. The spatial qualities and the balanced volumes of the Ceaușescu Mansion are striking, as is its luxurious and comfortable interior, and are the work of the architects Robert Woll and Agrippa Popescu.
If at the Palace of the Parliament you saw Ceausescu - the state leader, the man who wanted to impress with his grandeur, during your visit to the House of Ceaușescu you will "meet" Ceausescu - the man. You will discover what his passions were, where and how he spent his time. Walls covered with handmade panelling, crystal chandeliers manufactured in Medias, Romania, handmade fabrics, paintings by famous Romanian painters are just some of what you will see.
A defining element that you will find here is the mosaic. From the one in the winter garden, to the one in the spa area and to the really impressive one from the pool, the mosaic from the Spring Palace will leave you speechless! The pool mosaic is the only one where you will find the artists' names: Olga Porumbaru and Florin Pârvulescu. It was worked on for two years, day by day. At the end of the works, Ceaușescu allowed the two to emigrate, which was only a dream for most Romanians.
You will notice that the pool has two rows of stairs: some that go down smoothly and the others that are very steep. They say that the Lady descended on the smooth ones, being a woman, while Mister, with his strong muscles, would have descended on the others. Others say it was exactly the opposite, but who are we to know the truth?
Going down to the spa area you will see another very beautiful mosaic. It represents peacocks. Ceausescu loved these birds very much. It is said that after a visit to Japan, he saw peacocks for the first time and brought some home. Peacocks are a lait-motif in House of Ceausescu, they are represented in every room, either in paintings, mosaics, tapestries, taps. Moreover, in the yard of the house you will have the opportunity to meet enough peacocks. These are the descendants of the first generation of peacocks that Ceaușescu brought here.
And, because we talked about spa, we must specify that here you will see a spa in the true sense of the word: sauna, physiotherapy (galvanic bath, ozonotherapy, Scottish shower, electrotherapy), hair salon, tanning lamp and a barber room). The solarium was never used, but Mrs. Ceaușescu had a hairdresser who came here from 6 to 9 in the morning. If she did not go down during this time, it meant that she did not want to be styled that day and the hairdresser could leave. Mr. Ceaușescu never used the barber room.
Upstairs you will visit the guest reception room, the recreation room and Nicolae Ceausescu's office. It is decorated in a neo-German style of influence. Richard Nixon, President of the United States, Charles de Gaulle, President of France, Fidel Castro of Cuba and other important visitors were received here. The guest reception room is the only room inside the building with a functional fireplace. The guest reception room has a secret door that leads to Elena Ceausescu's room.
Of the 80 rooms that The House of Ceausescu has, the tour includes about 30. Among them are the bedrooms of the Ceausescu couple and their children. Their bedrooms are decorated in Louis XIV style. This style is very loaded, but the designers of the time knew how to tastefully combine all the elements in a unique way.
In the Ceausescu couple's bedroom, you will even see their pajamas, nicely placed on the bed, as if the two of them are expected to be going to bed in any moment. The linen you see on the bed is the original one. The ladies who take care of the house, some of them working here since the time when the famous couple lived here, wash and iron the linen every month, using the old methods of cleaning, dressing and drying.
Particularly beautiful and elegant are the rooms of Elena Ceaușescu and Zoe Ceaușescu. Decorated in warm tones with floral motifs, these rooms inspire relaxation.
The bathrooms in the House of Ceausescu have always been a delicate subject. While the Romanian population lived in small apartments in blocks of flats, they did not have heat and hot water on a daily basis, they received food in rations, the images from House of Ceausescu with "gold" taps caused frustration and anger during the Revolution. Today, we can see the level of exaggeration in terms of the conditions in which the head of state of that time lived. The carpets in which you ”went down to the ankles” are just normal carpets, and the so called ”gold taps” are only gilded in a goldish color. Thinking that the leader of the state lived here, nothing we see here seems so expensive compared to what many of us have today in our own homes.
If you opt for the full tour, you will have the opportunity to visit the winery, the cinema and the hunting room. All these are spectacular through the art objects they host. The cinema hall is the place where the Ceaușescu family watched American films. If the weather is nice, you can even have a coffee in the garden. In this way you will be able to relive a little in the Golden Age, admiring the house where the Ceausescu couple lived and raised their children. It is possible that the moments of silence are interrupted by the appearance of peacocks :)
Monday – CLOSED
Tuesday – 10.00AM - 5.00PM
Wednesday – 10.00AM - 5.00PM
Thursday – 10.00AM - 5.00PM
Friday – 10.00AM - 5.00PM
Saturday – 10.00AM - 5.00PM
Sunday – 10.00AM - 5.00PM
STANDARD TOUR
Adults - 45 LEI (~ 10 Euro)
Retired people - 40 LEI (~ 9 Euro)
Students - 40 LEI (~ 9 Euro)
The tours are done only with a guide!
*Appointment by e-mail programari@palatulprimaverii.ro or phone +40 213 180 989 at least 24 hours in advance.
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Bucharest
Bucharest, RO
9:15 am,
februarie 25, 2025
-6°C
heavy snow