Press House

At its northern end, Şos Kiseleff splays out into Piaţa Presei Libere, which is dominated by the giant Press House, a 1956 Stalinist wedding-cake of a structure. It gave a clear message to the citizens of Bucharest - Big Brother is watching you! A potent symbol of the powerful communist regime, until 1990 the house was called the 'House of the Sparks' (Casa Scânteii); behind closed doors it was known as the 'House of Lies'. It's still home to the city's hacks.

You can see the imprint on the tower where the hammer and sickle once were. In front of the building is an artful Intersection of Europe sculpture (Interşectie cu Europe), showing two rods entering a cone from different directions - something the pedestal's previous resident, a statue of Lenin, can ponder at his new resting place among the weeds at Mogoşoaia.