http://www.flickr.com/photos/fesign/tags/administrative/ Tue, 29 May 2012 16:40:54 -0700 Tue, 29 May 2012 16:40:54 -0700 http://www.flickr.com/ http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8139/buddyicons/18023272@N00.jpg?1369112245#18023272@N00 http://www.flickr.com/photos/fesign/tags/administrative/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/fesign/7298345378/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/fesign/">fesign</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fesign/7298345378/" title="Palace of Parliament, Bucharest"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7241/7298345378_7fe410b9e4_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="Palace of Parliament, Bucharest" /></a></p> <p>Bucharest's unmistakable Palace of Parliament, due to its immense physical, psychic and historic stature, is perhaps the most controversial building in Romania. Meant to be the crowning achievement of 'Civic Centre' - Communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu's ambitious urban development plan - the Palace of Parliament represents one of the most extravagant and expensive building projects in the history of mankind; certainly of the last century. Claiming superlative as the world's second-largest building by surface area (after the sneakily spacious US Pentagon), the Palace of Parliament is one of Romania's biggest tourist attractions, despite popular disdain.<br /> <br /> As once regal and cosmopolitan Bucharest lay in decay after two World Wars and a devastating earthquake in 1977, Romania's Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was coming to the height of his power and megalomania. By creating a pervasive cult of personality (calling himself 'Conducator' ('Leader'), 'Geniul din Carpati' ('Genius of the Carpathians') and even having a king-like scepter made for himself), Ceausescu projected his own narcissism onto the people, wishing to erase everything as it was before him from the popular imagination. Promoting the 'Civic Centre' project as the creation of a 'multilaterally developed socialist society,' Ceausescu began to demolish the deteriorating capital and rebuild it in his own vision, culminating in the construction of 'Casa Poporului,' or the 'The People's House' as it was to be ironically titled.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://istvandesign.com/romania/h1cbe104a#h3dc89963" rel="nofollow">Best Viewed Large</a></p> Tue, 29 May 2012 16:40:54 -0700 2012-05-01T19:03:17-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (fesign) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/7298345378 Palace of Parliament, Bucharest <p>Bucharest's unmistakable Palace of Parliament, due to its immense physical, psychic and historic stature, is perhaps the most controversial building in Romania. Meant to be the crowning achievement of 'Civic Centre' - Communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu's ambitious urban development plan - the Palace of Parliament represents one of the most extravagant and expensive building projects in the history of mankind; certainly of the last century. Claiming superlative as the world's second-largest building by surface area (after the sneakily spacious US Pentagon), the Palace of Parliament is one of Romania's biggest tourist attractions, despite popular disdain.<br /> <br /> As once regal and cosmopolitan Bucharest lay in decay after two World Wars and a devastating earthquake in 1977, Romania's Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was coming to the height of his power and megalomania. By creating a pervasive cult of personality (calling himself 'Conducator' ('Leader'), 'Geniul din Carpati' ('Genius of the Carpathians') and even having a king-like scepter made for himself), Ceausescu projected his own narcissism onto the people, wishing to erase everything as it was before him from the popular imagination. Promoting the 'Civic Centre' project as the creation of a 'multilaterally developed socialist society,' Ceausescu began to demolish the deteriorating capital and rebuild it in his own vision, culminating in the construction of 'Casa Poporului,' or the 'The People's House' as it was to be ironically titled.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://istvandesign.com/romania/h1cbe104a#h3dc89963" rel="nofollow">Best Viewed Large</a></p> fesign bw building architecture parliament palace romania bucharest regime bukarest heaviest administrative ceauşescu mostexpensive guinnessbookworldrecords http://www.flickr.com/photos/fesign/7298107182/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/fesign/">fesign</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fesign/7298107182/" title="Palace of Parliament, Bucharest"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7236/7298107182_15884b2500_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="Palace of Parliament, Bucharest" /></a></p> <p><i>Bucharest's unmistakable Palace of Parliament, due to its immense physical, psychic and historic stature, is perhaps the most controversial building in Romania. Meant to be the crowning achievement of 'Civic Centre' - Communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu's ambitious urban development plan - the Palace of Parliament represents one of the most extravagant and expensive building projects in the history of mankind; certainly of the last century. Claiming superlative as the world's second-largest building by surface area (after the sneakily spacious US Pentagon), the Palace of Parliament is one of Romania's biggest tourist attractions, despite popular disdain.<br /> <br /> As once regal and cosmopolitan Bucharest lay in decay after two World Wars and a devastating earthquake in 1977, Romania's Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was coming to the height of his power and megalomania. By creating a pervasive cult of personality (calling himself 'Conducator' ('Leader'), 'Geniul din Carpati' ('Genius of the Carpathians') and even having a king-like scepter made for himself), Ceausescu projected his own narcissism onto the people, wishing to erase everything as it was before him from the popular imagination. Promoting the 'Civic Centre' project as the creation of a 'multilaterally developed socialist society,' Ceausescu began to demolish the deteriorating capital and rebuild it in his own vision, culminating in the construction of 'Casa Poporului,' or the 'The People's House' as it was to be ironically titled.<br /> <br /> During your visit you'll only see 5% of the structure, but you will be able to step onto the balcony from which Ceausescu planned to address his people had they not executed him first. Instead, the balcony was first used by pop star Michael Jackson, who declared to the adoring crowd below, &quot;I LOVE BUDAPEST!&quot; [Moments later MJ was forced to escape by private helicopter back to his Neverland Ranch.] </i><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.bucharest-life.com/bucharest/palace-of-parliament" rel="nofollow">~ Bucharest-life</a><br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="http://istvandesign.com/romania/h1cbe104a#h1cbe104a" rel="nofollow">© Istvan Kadar Photography</a></p> Tue, 29 May 2012 16:43:01 -0700 2012-05-01T19:03:17-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (fesign) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/7298107182 Palace of Parliament, Bucharest <p><i>Bucharest's unmistakable Palace of Parliament, due to its immense physical, psychic and historic stature, is perhaps the most controversial building in Romania. Meant to be the crowning achievement of 'Civic Centre' - Communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu's ambitious urban development plan - the Palace of Parliament represents one of the most extravagant and expensive building projects in the history of mankind; certainly of the last century. Claiming superlative as the world's second-largest building by surface area (after the sneakily spacious US Pentagon), the Palace of Parliament is one of Romania's biggest tourist attractions, despite popular disdain.<br /> <br /> As once regal and cosmopolitan Bucharest lay in decay after two World Wars and a devastating earthquake in 1977, Romania's Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was coming to the height of his power and megalomania. By creating a pervasive cult of personality (calling himself 'Conducator' ('Leader'), 'Geniul din Carpati' ('Genius of the Carpathians') and even having a king-like scepter made for himself), Ceausescu projected his own narcissism onto the people, wishing to erase everything as it was before him from the popular imagination. Promoting the 'Civic Centre' project as the creation of a 'multilaterally developed socialist society,' Ceausescu began to demolish the deteriorating capital and rebuild it in his own vision, culminating in the construction of 'Casa Poporului,' or the 'The People's House' as it was to be ironically titled.<br /> <br /> During your visit you'll only see 5% of the structure, but you will be able to step onto the balcony from which Ceausescu planned to address his people had they not executed him first. Instead, the balcony was first used by pop star Michael Jackson, who declared to the adoring crowd below, &quot;I LOVE BUDAPEST!&quot; [Moments later MJ was forced to escape by private helicopter back to his Neverland Ranch.] </i><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.bucharest-life.com/bucharest/palace-of-parliament" rel="nofollow">~ Bucharest-life</a><br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="http://istvandesign.com/romania/h1cbe104a#h1cbe104a" rel="nofollow">© Istvan Kadar Photography</a></p> fesign building architecture parliament palace romania bucharest regime bukarest heaviest administrative ceauşescu mostexpensive guinnessbookworldrecords outstandingromanianphotographers