Bucharest is scorchingly hot in the summer with temperatures in the uppper 30s and sometimes lower 40s Celsius. That is the reason why many people look for shelter from the heat in one of the many parks sprinkled around the city (because yes, Bucharest is a lot greener than it appears on a first sight). Today’s photo is from Cismigiu Gardens, Bucharest’s oldest park. The gardens are a great place to stroll and enjoy the peace that one can feel finding such an oasis in the middle of a hectic city. Among the lawns and trees and the winding alleys you’ll find a lake with rowboat rentals, a playground for children, a chess area where old people play tournaments, many statues and plenty of park benches. This is also one of the best spots in the city for people watching, all ages being well represented: children playing, couples strolling hand in hand or kissing on the benches, old people snoozing or chatting. Cismigiu was first designed and laid out in 1843 by the German landscape architect Carl Meyer, on the commision of Prince Gheorghe Bibescu. The official opening took place in 1847 but the park continued to be developed by the architect until 1870. More than 30,000 trees and plants were brought in from the Romanian mountains to be planted on the 17 hectares park.
Jul 282009