The Old Quarter (developed approximatively within the old fortress walls) used to be inhabited by many merchants that sold their stuff in the many small shops, as well as in the large inns of the time (such as Șerban Vodă Inn, demolished before they built the National Bank a.o.). When the Communists came to power, they sent some of the merchants to prison for simply being, acting (or talking) against the regime. Some others left the country, while the rest were expropriated, respectively evicted out of their own houses. The best means the Communist regime found to fight the accusing historic heritage that remained beyond these people was to host the homeless and wandering in these houses. More precisely, Gypsies that had no culture of a settled house, that could not care less about the houses they moved in. This was the beginning of the quarter’s desolation. AD 1989 came and, after years of useless debate within the City Hall, work (chaotically at first) began on infrastructure in the area. Some of the Gypsies were evicted, as inheritors of the former owners got their property back and either wanted to turn it into profitable business or decided to sell it. Many of the buildings began to be restored and quite a lot of them were turned into bars, fashion or souvenir shops and restaurants. Together with a Spanish contractor (Sedesa), the City Hall started replacing the once great cobblestone that only needed polishing, with dull, sterile concrete biscuits, respectively the old bulbs with street lights that could not fit less the buildings or the area. But it was a start and nobody could ever presume it was to be a simple, fast, appropriate and efficient one. After all, there is no way Bucharest’s old quarter (just like Sibiu’s central squares or Brașov’s much adulated Piața Sfatului or Republicii Street) could escape the European Cardboard and Plaster Game recipe of standard terrace-filled pedestrian streets, typical - yet so dum - beer umbrellas and those de rigueur gas heaters. The real problem emerged in early 2009, when all works came to a halt due to the winding roads of the City Hall. Therefore, entire streets such as Gabroveni, Pasajul Francez or Lipscani were first stripped of their old cobblestone pavement and then nothing else happened for more than half a year. Well, actually what happened was that pedestrians needed walk along wood plank, rudimentary, otherwise pretty poor bridges set across and along these streets, some half a meter to one meter from the barren ground. Unique in Europe (and pretty much of this world except parts of Kathmandu and Lahore), it was; but I have to say I loved it. Rehabilitation works started again in the fall of 2009, with most streets being completed, while others are still undergoing works (the Northern part of the Șelari, the Franceză where it meets the Old Court). There are still a few streets bordering the area known as the Old Town where works have not started (e.g. the Intrarea Nicolae Șelari, a lovely narrow passage).

Here are some pictures shot in 2008, then in 2009 and eventually now, in 2011. So as to make it more interesting (I hope), I have alternated pictures of buildings and of undergoing works. Enjoy!