District 1

Historical Evolution

In February 1926 the Law on the Organization of Bucharest was adopted. Thus, Bucharest was divided into four districts: Yellow, Black, Blue and Green.

The four districts thus become autonomous legal entities with separate budgets. The districts of those years were led by a joint council, which elected the mayor and the two aids, the deputy mayor and the secretary. Following that fundamental law, the administrative decentralization was obvious.

This legislative organization functioned until March 27, 1936, when a new law was approved in this regard. Thus, some changes were made in the leadership of the districts: the single budget for the entire Bucharest, the regulations, rules, rulings, becoming the responsibilities of the Municipality. Also, the collection of additional taxes (rates) from the Ministry of Finance was also done by the municipal authorities and the district mayor no longer fulfilled the duties of a prime townhouse householder, it became a simple administrator.

In the interwar period Bucharest had four districts: Yellow, Black, Blue and Green and 13 suburban municipalities (former villages), namely Băneasa, Colentina, Fundeni, Pantelimon, Prince Nicolae, Dudeşti-Cioplea, Popeşti-Leordeni, Şerban-Vodă, Militari, Rosu (Red), Regele Mihai (King Michael), Griviţa and Lupeasca.

District municipalities still did not have their own headquarters at that time, as well as the General City Hall that had moved from one place to another. The Black City Hall was working in a building in Calarasi Street; The Yellow City Hall built in Amza Square, between 1935-1936, an imposing headquarters with offices, theatre and modern shops on the ground floor and it was a distinct architectural entity; The Green City Hall (the current District 1 City Hall) has built an imposing building on land bought in the Banu Manta. The District 1 City Hall was the only one Bucharest City Hall rebuilt for this purpose, between 1927 and 1936. The building has a wide Florentine aspect has sumptuous stairs, 50 offices, a large marble hall for councils and festivities, and the 56 meter tall City Hall tower was the highest in the city. The work of architects N. Georgescu and G. Cristinel endures today and will fulfil the role of the District City Hall in the future, after the completion of the consolidation and refurbishment works currently undertaken by the local administration.

The administration of the City and suburban communes was headed by the General Council and the capital mayor as chief mayor. The General Council was composed of elected mayors and councillors of the four districts, of suburban mayors and councillors who had a consultative vote. During the government of Marshal Ion Antonescu, the four "colours" were abolished, but after a few months it returned to the old form of organization. After August 23, 1944, Bucharest was divided into three districts, differentiated by colour (the 1st district-Yellow, the 2nd District - Black, the 3 district - Blue). The establishment of a new political regime in 1947 brought changes in the administrative organization of cities. In 1950, the law given by the Grand National Assembly of the People's Republic of Romania, the country suffered another territorial - administrative division: regions, districts, towns and villages. Bucharest was divided into eight region namely I.V. Stalin, 1 May, 23 August, 16 February, Tudor Vladimirescu, Nicolae Balcescu, V.I. Lenin, Red Griviţa. The current District 1 corresponded to the territory of regions I.V. Stalin and Red Griviţa. In 1968, the eight districts in which Bucharest was divided became once more districts, at that time Bucharest including eight districts, 12 suburban communes and 23 villages. Then, in 1979, the 8 districts of Bucharest were reduced to 6, those that exist today.

After 1989, the administration of the local government laws has limited the powers of the Bucharest City Hall, the General Mayor and Council and of the mayors of the 6 districts, the Mayor and District Councils.

Neighborhood

Covering the largest area in the northern part of the capital and extending in the Vlăsiei Plain in the Ilfov County, to localities such as Otopeni, Snagov, Mogosoaia, Buftea, Chitila, District 1 has an area of 70 km² and a population of about 230,000 inhabitants. District 1 is located in the north-west of Bucharest and neighbouring districts 2, 3, 5 and 6.

Starting, like the other districts of the capital, namely near kilometre 0, District 1 is bounded to the west by District 6 (by the Calea Giuleşti and Calea Plevnei), to the east by District 2 (along the Calea Floreasca), and to the south by areas of Districts 3 and 5.

The parks and green spaces district

District 1 area is dominated by a flat plain landscape, crossed to the north by the slow flow of the Colentina river with large meanders that favoured the establishment of the Străuleşti, Griviţa, Baneasa, Herăstrău and Floreasca lakes. On the vast plain of Vlăsiei, once covered by rich forests, which protected Bucharest in the north, patches of forests located along the Bucharest-Ploiesti Highway and the Baneasa, Tunari, Snagov forests were preserved designed as places of entertainment.

District 1 totally deserves its name as the Green District. It has the largest area of green space per capita of all the other administrative areas of the Capital.

The Kiseleff, Cismigiu Herastrau Bazilescu, Opera, Queen Mary Park are some of the green "jewels" of District 1 where Bucharest inhabitants can relax and breathe fresh air, away from the bustle of the big city.

The Cultural and Urban Pearl of the Capital

Most professionals, whether architects, historians and scholars, and also ordinary citizens, all appreciate the value of the cultural and architectural heritage of District 1, which they consider the cultural and urban pearl of Bucharest. District 1 is breathing culture everywhere, be it museums, theatres, statues, monuments or places of worship. The Romanian Athenaeum, the Arc de Triumph, the Ştirbei Barbu Palace, the Kretzulescu Palace, the Vernescu House, the National Village Museum, the "George Enescu" National Museum, the National Art Museum of Romania, the “Grigore Antipa” Museum of Natural History, the Romanian Peasant Museum, the Casin Monastery, the Odeon Theatre are just some of the "jewels" held by District 1, "Pearl of the Capital".