Audio tour Jewish Bucharest

The historic district proposed for exploration partially escaped the demolitions of the 80s. It offers an impressive scenery which merits to be explored, known, and preserved. However, it is situated in close proximity to Calea Călărașilor (the Călărași road), where many buildings will be proposed for demolition in order to widen the road and make traffic more fluid. This proposed demolition would also affect the Jewish Quarter.

The district still preserves the memory of the authentic Bucharest mahala (traditional city district mostly inhabited by poorer craftsmen and tradesmen, from Arabic محلة mähallä through Turkish mahalle), of the houses besieged by gardens, and of the wandering salesmen. The ethnic imprint can be seen in the architecture and the symbolic institutions, but also in the vestiges of the cultural life which once flourished here thanks to former inhabitants of the district, representatives of the avant-garde.

The tour starts from the right side of Matei Basarab National College (32 Matei Basarab Street). The tour passes through the following streets: Logofăt Udriște, Ionescu Gion, Romulus, Ceauș Radu, Parfumului, Maximilian Popper, Anton Pann, Ion Filibiliu and Mircea Vodă Boulevard.

The guided tours ”Jewish Bucharest” took place between the 27th and the 29th of April 2018, in the framework of the project ”Cu bastonul prin București” (With the walking stick through Bucharest), co-financed by AFCN (The Administration of the National Cultural Fund of Romania). This audio version is part of the same stage of the project.

Credits:

Text: Andreea Apostu, Edmond Niculușcă, Alberto Groșescu & others
Adaptation for the audio version: Maria Pascu
Translation from the Romanian: Melker Epstein
Voice: Alexandra Adam
Recording and editing: DIUD studio
Photos: Alberto Groșescu, where not specified otherwise

List of references: