Piata Victoriei la 1910-1912

Posted on 08/07/2010 by Alex Galmeanu

Raiden ne trimite inca o fotografie uimitoare din colectia Arhivelor Statului. Avem o inedita vedere spre Piata Victoriei asa cum arata un pic inainte de Primul Razboi Mondial. Imaginea surprinde o defilare a militarilor romani ce parasesc piata pe Bulevadrul Coltei (asa cum se numea Bd. Lascar Catargiu in perioada respectiva).

Raiden sends us another surprising photograph from the State Archives Collection.  This is a novel view to Piata Victoriei as it used to look a bit before the First World War. The image captures a parade of Romanian militaries leaving the square on Coltei Blvd. (as Lascar Catargiu Blvd. used to be called back then).

Continue reading →

Posted in rare images | Tagged , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Spre culmile socialismului – faza pe sector – Update!

Posted on 19/06/2010 by Alex Galmeanu

“Boom in Bucharest” sta scris pe spatele acestei fotografii. Este vorba de inca o imagine de presa realizata de data aceasta de United Press International la 21 mai 1960. Ce vedeti este strada Ion Campineanu (zona Sala Palatului) cu vedere spre celebrul bloc turn.

“Boom in Bucharest” is written on the back of this photo. This is another press image this time taken this time by United Press International on 21 May 1960. What you see is Ion Campineanu Street (the area of Sala Palatului (Palace Hall)) with a view to the famous tower block.

Continue reading →

Posted in Colectia Alex Galmeanu, rare images | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

The “Wall Street” of Bucharest

Posted on 18/06/2010 by Alex Galmeanu

Avem un nou cadru din Bucurestiul interbelic. Este vorba despre o fotografie realizata pe strada Smardan de catre Underwood & Underwood, una dintre cele mai vechi companii americane producatoare de vederi stereografice, de altfel companie pionier pe segmentul agentiilor de imagini de presa. Fotografia este dublu datata 15 martie 1929 si 3 aprilie 1938 asa ca imi este imposbil sa stiu varianta exacta cu toate ca inclin spre prima dintre ele.

We have a new image of Interwar Bucharest. It is a photo taken on Smardan Street by Underwood & Underwood, one of the oldest American companies manufacturing stereographic postcards, in fact a pioneer company on the press photo market. The photograph is dated both 15 March 1929 and 3 April 1938 so it is impossible for me to know which is the accurate date although I tend to believe it is the first.

Continue reading →

Posted in Colectia Alex Galmeanu, rare images | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Bucurestiul vazut de pe orbita

Posted on 15/06/2010 by Alex Galmeanu

Fotografia de mai sus circula pe net prin anii 2000 – 2002. Am regasit-o intr-o arhiva mai veche si cred ca merita readusa in actualitate. Este vorba de o imagine realizata din satelit (se zvonea ca ar fi vorba de un satelit rusesc ce a fotografiat la comanda municipalitatii) reprezentand Bucurestiul asa cum arata in anii 2000. Adica inaintea exploziei imobiliare, fara America House, blocul BRD sau cladirile de birouri de pe Buzesti, inclusiv cladirea Generali, fara cladirea Vodafone din Piata Charles de Gaulle, Carrefour si Bricostore Orhideea sau benzinariile Mol si OMV de pe Coposu colt cu Mantuleasa.

The photograph above would be circulated on the Internet around 2000-2002. I have found it again in an older archive and I think it is worth making it topical again. It is a satellite photo (it was rumoured that it was a Russian satellite that took photographs at the request of the municipality) which represents Bucharest as it used to look around the year 2000.  That is, before the real-estate boom, without America House, the BRD building or the office buildings on Buzesti, including the Generali building, without the Vodafone building in the Charles de Gaulle Square, Carrefour and Bricostore Orhideea or the petrol stations Mol and OMV on the corner of Coposu with Mantuleasa.

Continue reading →

Posted in de pe net | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Demolarea bisericii Sf. Vineri

Posted on 13/06/2010 by Alex Galmeanu

Se pare ca noutatile se tin lant in ultima perioada. Am descoperit o fotografie – document uimitoare realizata de Mihai Gadinceanu ce surprinde momentele premergatoare demolarii bisericii Sf. Vineri din piata cu acelasi nume aflata in Bucuresti. Este un document important in contextul in care momentul a fost foarte putin fotografiat, aproape deloc. Mai exista o imagine a lui Andrei Pandele realizata de undeva de la sol din multime si cam atat. Riscurile celor ce fotografiau aceste actiuni erau uriase, porneau de la confiscarea aparatelor de fotografiat pana la arestari.

It seems that news comes one after another. I have discovered an amazing document photograph taken by Mihai Gadinceanu which captures the moments immediately before the demolition of the Sf.Vineri Church in the square bearing the same name in Bucharest. It is an important document as the event was very little photographed, if at all. There is another image of Andrei Pandele taken from somewhere from the ground and that is about everything. The risks taken by those who photographed such actions were huge, starting from the seizure of the photo cameras up to arrests.

Continue reading →

Posted in rare images | Tagged , , , , , | 23 Comments

Harta Bucuresti 1968

Posted on 07/06/2010 by Alex Galmeanu

Contextul este intodeauna important. Hartile ca aceasta sunt folositoare pentru o mai buna identificare a unor locuri locuri documentate in fotografiile de pe site. Am avut ceva mai devreme o harta a Bucurestiului interbelic iar acum avem o alta din 1968.

The context is always important. Maps like this are useful for a better identification of places documented in the photographs on the site. A while ago we published a map of Interwar Bucharest and now we publish another one from 1968.

Continue reading →

Posted in not especially on topic | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

Reportaj Der Spiegel despre Romania anului 1964

Posted on 05/06/2010 by Alex Galmeanu

Daca tot am vorbit despre statuia lui Lenin si despre ultima zi a ei pe soclu, fotografia de mai sus se potriveste excelent. Este vorba de coperta prestigioasei reviste Der Spiegel din august 1964 ce anunta un amplu reportaj despre relaxarea politicilor sovietice in tarile din blocul estic al Europei. Fotografia exprima foarte bine intreaga idee. Avem un Bucuresti curat si aerisit, cu o gasca de tineri relativ occidentalizati a la John Travolta – Grease, alaturi de doua dintre cele mai importante simboluri sovietice din capitala: statuia lui Lenin si Casa Scanteii.

Since we have talked about Lenin’s statue and its last day on the pedestal, the photograph above fits perfectly. It is the cover of the famous magazine Der Spiegel of August 1964 announcing an extensive feature report on Soviet policy relaxation in the Eastern Bloc countries. The photograph illustrates the entire idea very well. We have a clean and spacious Bucharest, with a group of relatively Westernized, John Travolta – Grease – like young people next to the most important Soviet symbols in the capital: Lenin and Casa Scanteii.

Continue reading →

Posted in Colectia Alex Galmeanu | Tagged , , , , , | 18 Comments

Ultima zi a lui Lenin

Posted on 05/06/2010 by Alex Galmeanu

4 martie 1990, ultima zi in care Lenin a mai privit spre Arcul de Triumf, de atunci vede doar tarana Mogosoaiei. Daramarea acestei statui, simbol important al comunismului si al influentei sovietice in Romania, a fost probabil unul dintre cele mai importante evenimente ale primului an post-decembrist. Se intampla inainte de reclamele Adidas Torsion, de painea Paniro, de Coca Cola la sticla de 150ml adusa in sacosa de la turci, de Taxi-Parti, de Gepa, de “Sclava Isaura” sau de alte evenimente poate la fel de importante ale acelor vremuri.

4 March 1990, the last day Lenin gazed at Arcul de Triumf (Arch of Triumph), since then he only sees the dust of Mogosoaia. Pulling down this statue, an important symbol of Communism and Soviet influence in Romania, was probably one of the most important events of the first year after December 1989. This would happen before the Adidas Torsion commercial, the Paniro bread, the 150 ml Coca Cola bottle brought in bags from the Turks, Taxi-Parti, Gepa, the “Slave Isaura” soap opera or other events back then that were perhaps as important.

Continue reading →

Posted in Colectia Cristian Malide, rare images | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

Primii 10 ani spre Epoca de Aur

Posted on 04/06/2010 by Alex Galmeanu

Ceea ce vedeti este o imagine surprinsa in timpul paradei militare ce a avut loc cu prilejul implinirii a 10 ani de la celebrul 23 august 1944.  Trupele aflate in defilare fac parte din regimentele sovietice ramase pe teritoriul Romaniei, garantie a derularii etapelor necesare implinirii idealurilor comuniste spre care ne indreptam cu hotarare.

Here is a photo taken during the military parade on the 10th anniversary of 23 August 1944. The marching troops are part of the Soviet regiments that remained in Romania as a guarantee to going through the stages necessary for fulfilling the Communist ideals we would determinedly make our way to.

Continue reading →

Posted in Colectia Alex Galmeanu, rare images | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Palatul Regal incendiat in 1944

Posted on 02/06/2010 by Alex Galmeanu

Continuand seria fotografiilor ce ilustreaza evenimente din timpul celui de-al doilea razboi mondial (revedeti articolele mai vechi aici, aici si aici), am descoperit fotografia de mai sus ce documenteaza din interior distrugerile ramase in urma unui incendiu pe care l-a suferit Palatul Regal de pe Calea Victoriei cu ocazia intrarii trupelor rusesti in capitala.

To continue the series of photos illustrating events of the Second World War (revisit older articles here, here and here), I discovered the above photograph that documents from the inside the damage caused by a fire that caught the Royal Palace on Calea Victoriei (Victory Avenue) when Russian troops entered the capital.

Continue reading →

Posted in Colectia Alex Galmeanu, rare images | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments