Palace of the Parliament
Bucharest, Romania
This communist behemoth is the world’s heaviest structure and the legacy of a terrible dictatorship.
Nicolae Ceaușescu, a Communist leader, controlled Romania from 1965 until his violent and unexpected death in December 1989. His repressive government damaged every area of life, including urban planning and architecture.
In Romania, the People’s Palace (now known as The Palace of Parliament) is the ultimate example of communist architecture. It was built to showcase the wealth and magnificence of the society. However, despite its grandeur, the name is bitterly ironic as most people suffered from food shortages, blackouts, and gas cuts. At the same time, the government invested two billion dollars in the project, benefiting only the ruling class.
Construction of the palace started in 1984, and it still needs to be completed. Some areas are still being worked on, including installing wall and ceiling tiles and decorations, while others are already being renovated. At its peak, the project had 20,000 workers, 5,000 soldiers, and 700 architects working non-stop.
The building maintains an astounding array of world records, befitting a totalitarian society. With 1.5 billion pounds of steel and bronze, 35 million cubic feet of marble, 7.7 million cubic feet of glass and crystal, and 32 million cubic feet of wood, it is currently the heaviest tower on the earth. There are 1,100 rooms and 2,800 chandeliers, the largest of which weighs 11,000 pounds. At one end of one of the meeting halls, there is a platform featuring Ceaușescu’s armchair.
The People’s Palace is a massive building that spans nine stories above ground and nine underground levels. It features nuclear bunkers capable of accommodating thousands of people and two parking lots for trucks and buses. Rumours suggest that secret tunnels link the palace to other nearby government buildings. However, the palace construction came at a high cost, as an entire neighbourhood and parts of three others were destroyed to make way for the project. Residents were notified to evacuate in the morning, and by midday, bulldozers had begun demolishing homes and other structures. This displacement left 40,000 people without homes, as 9,000 houses were destroyed. Several historical monuments and churches, including a monastery dating back to 1564, were also lost.
The palace is available for visitation every day from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
