Congress location: The Central University Library

Good timing means good luck!

You will get the chance to visit Romania in the year when Bucharest will celebrate its 550 anniversary and the EUPRERA Congress 2009 will be hosted at the city’s Central University Library. A double celebration, thus!

This beautiful monument-building is situated at no. 88 Calea Victoriei, on the oldest road in Bucharest where the most significant culture and society landmarks are also located (Romanian Athenaeum, National Art Museum, George Enescu Museum, Odeon Theatre, Palace Concert Hall, National Military Center, National History Museum, CEC Palace etc).

The history. The legend.

The activity developed in this building contributed to the education of young Romanian intellectuals for decades. Built in 1891-1893 at the request of Romania’s King Carol I, under the exquisite concept of the French architect Paul Gottereau, and open since 1895 as a Royal Foundation, the Central University Library is a patrimony monument of architecture.

Extended in 1911-1914 with an amphitheatre of 500 seats, other facilities and specific activities, the Library became a European landmark. By the end of the 20th century it grew to be the most complex in Romania and one of the best in Eastern Europe.

In December 1989, during the anti-communist Revolution, the Library partially burnt, as it was in the very spot where the civilian protests and army repressive actions took place and the dictator Nicolae Ceausescu escaped by helicopter from the palace across the street. Over 500.000 valuable books were then turned to ashes, including some 3.700 unique and genuine manuscripts of the greatest Romanian intellectuals (19th century poet Mihai Eminescu and writer I.L.Caragiale, 20th century religion historian and writer Mircea Eliade e.a.).

It is said that the dramatic coincidence that fire caught the building sector with the most treasured Romanian cultural manuscripts was a final and painful metaphor of the communists’ oppression against free thinking.

The come-back.

Under the auspices of UNESCO, an appeal was made to the world’s governments and organisations to support the reconstruction of Bucharest’s Central University Library. An impressive worldwide solidarity led to donations of over 100.000 volumes from the country and over 800.000 volumes from abroad, for which Romanian readers are really grateful.

The Library re-opened partly in 2001; meanwhile, generations of students and librarians had strived to continue the activity in precarious conditions. Full reconstruction and restoration took more than 15 years.

Now, the Central University Library has 3 connected buildings with state-of-art technologies, online catalogues, 2.000.000 volumes, thousands of readers, digitalization of rare books, conference halls and multimedia conference equipment, but also a unique and elegant atmosphere brightened by its glass ceiling.

You don’t believe it? Come and see it!