Dark sights in Romania
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Ghencea Civil Cemetery
About 3km west of the Palace of Parliament, Ghencea Civil Cemetery has two infamous inhabitants: Nicolae Ceauşescu and his wife Elena (dubbed the 'Romanian Eva Perón'). The pair were secretly buried here - and notably not at Belu Cemetery, the city's most reputable resting place - on 30 December 1989, in hastily prepared graves. Both lie before the small chapel that faces the entry.
Nicolae lies in row I-35, to the left of the path. No stone tomb adorns his earth grave, dug into a pathway, but two crosses mark his grave. One is a stone cross with a red star, the other is a black steel cross which is inscribed with his name, date of birth and death (26 January 1918-24…
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Belu Cemetery
Just south of the Martyr-Heroes of the December 1989 Revolution Cemetery is Belu Cemetery, the city's most prestigious cemetery, which houses the tombs of many notable Romanian writers. Space has gotten so tight, people are recycling spots from past family members; in other areas, sidewalks are filling with new grave sites! A map inside the gate points out locations. Many Romanians pay respects to national poet Mihai Eminescu (1850-89) and comic playwright and humorist Ion Luca Caragiale (1852-1912), who only have a bloke named Traian Savalescu between them; go to Figura 9 (to the right after you enter).
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Merry Cemetery
Săpânţa village has a unique place in the hearts of Romanians. It boasts the 'Merry Cemetery', famous for the colourfully painted wooden crosses that adorn the tombstones in the village's graveyard. Shown in art exhibitions across Europe, the crosses attract coachloads of visitors who marvel at the gentle humour and human warmth that created them.
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Sephardic Jewish Cemetery
The Sephardic Jewish Cemetery lies opposite Belu Cemetery in the south of the city (metro Eroii Revoluţiei). Two rows of graves dated 21-23 January 1941 mark the Iron Guard's pogrom against the Jewish community in Bucharest, during which at least 170 Jews were murdered. From the metro walk 100m towards the modern City Hall; it's to the right.
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Tomb of Tache Ionescu
The Tomb of Tache Ionescu, the head of a transitional government for a few months in 1921-22, is in the building next to the small church in the Sinaia Monastery. Stricken with cholera as a child, Ionescu came here. Quotations from his speeches are carved in stone on the mausoleum's interior walls.
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Martyr-Heroes of the December 1989 Revolution Cemetery
Going west from the southern end of Carol I Park (near metro Eroii Revoluţiei), the road curves past the Martyr-Heroes of the December 1989 Revolution Cemetery, where many of the 1033 victims are buried.
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Hungarian Cemetery
Just east of the student ghetto, most easily reached from Str Avram Iancu down the hill, is an immense, highly memorable Hungarian cemetery, where dozens of revered Hungarian notables are buried.
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Military Cemetery
A block east of the Schei Gate, toward Mt Tâmpa, is a Military Cemetery, with Iron Crosses on tombstones from fallen locals who fought for the Germans in WWI.
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Heroes' Cemetery
At Str Republicii's northern end, across B-dul 15 de Noiembrie, is the Heroes' Cemetery, a memorial slab listing 69 local victims.
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