Closed
Office building
Newspaper offices and various companies still work in the building. Tourists are not allowed in, so it is best seen from outside and from the park.
Bucharest
House of the Free Press
A smaller Bucharest copy of the Moscow State University Main Building. For half a century it was the tallest building in the city, and newspaper offices still work inside.
Outside
The House of the Free Press across Lake Herăstrău © Costel Munteanu, CC BY-SA 3.0
Casa Scînteii in 1977 © Fortepan, MHSZ, CC BY-SA 3.0
Casa Scînteii above the lake, 1964 © Fortepan, Gyöngyi, Public domain
History
The House of the Free Press between 1964 and 1977 © Fortepan, Gyöngyi, CC BY-SA 3.0
The House of the Free Press between 1964 and 1977 © Fortepan, MHSZ, CC BY-SA 3.0
At a glance
- Can you go in
- No. It is an office building and tourists are not allowed inside
- Best view
- Across the lake from Herăstrău Park and from the square in front of the building
- How much time to allow
- 20 minutes for the building, then a walk in the park
- Architect
- Horia Maicu
History
The building went up from 1952 to 1957 for Scînteia, the main newspaper of the Romanian Communist Party. Hence its old name, Casa Scînteii. Almost every newspaper and magazine in the country was printed here.
The architect Horia Maicu travelled to Moscow and took the Moscow State University Main Building as his model. The result is a smaller copy with a tower and side wings.
© Fortepan, Gyöngyi, CC BY-SA 3.0A statue of Lenin stood in front of the building. It was removed in 1990, and later the Wings monument to the fighters against communism was put up in its place. The building itself was renamed the House of the Free Press.
From 1956 to 2007 it was the tallest building in Bucharest. Hammers and sickles still survive on its facade, making it the last such building in the city.
© Fortepan, MHSZ, CC BY-SA 3.0Architecture and numbers
The central tower with its antenna stands between two wings that form a U shape. Without the antenna the building is 91.6 metres tall, with it about 104 metres.
104 mheight with antenna
91.6 mheight without antenna
1957year completed
50 yearsas the tallest building in Bucharest
What is inside and can you go in
Newspaper and company offices work inside, so there is no public access.
Closed
People behind the building
Horia Maicu
Architect
The building’s lead architect. He travelled to Moscow for the project and took the Moscow State University Main Building as his model.
Where to take photos
The building looks best from a distance, across the water.
View of the building. The lake in Herăstrău Park © Britchi Mirela, CC BY-SA 4.0
View of the building. The lake in Herăstrău Park © CristianChirita, CC BY-SA 3.0 ro
The lake in Herăstrău Park
From the southern shore of the lake the tower rises above the trees and is reflected in the water. This is the best-known view of the building.
Where to stay nearby
The building stands in a green district in the north of the city, next to the park.
Hotels by Herăstrău Park
Northern Bucharest, with a large park and a lake, close to the skyscraper.
Hotels in central Bucharest
The Old Town and Calea Victoriei, with the metro to the skyscraper.
What to see nearby
Walking times are from the building.
Map
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Address
România, București, Piața Presei Libere 1
Getting there
Bus or tram to Piața Presei Libere
- The Piața Presei Libere stop is right next to the building.
- The ride from central Bucharest along Kiseleff Road takes about 20 minutes.
Other Moscow skyscrapers
1
Moscow State University Main Building
2
Hotel Ukraina
3
Kotelnicheskaya Embankment Building
4
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Building
5
Kudrinskaya Square Building
6
Red Gates Building
7
Hotel Leningradskaya
Moscow State University Main Building
2
Hotel Ukraina
3
Kotelnicheskaya Embankment Building
4
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Building
5
Kudrinskaya Square Building
6
Red Gates Building
7
Hotel Leningradskaya
Never built
More “sisters”
FAQ
Can you go inside the House of the Free Press?
No. It is an office building with newspaper offices, and tourists are not allowed in. You can see it well from the square and from Herăstrău Park.
How is the building connected to Moscow State University?
The architect Horia Maicu used the Moscow State University Main Building as his model, so the House of the Free Press looks like a smaller copy of it.
How tall is the House of the Free Press?
About 104 metres including the antenna and 91.6 metres without it.
What is there to see near the House of the Free Press?
Herăstrău Park with its lake and the open-air Village Museum. Both are within walking distance.