This was taken on Bulevardul Unirii — Union Boulevard, with the Palatul Parlamentului — the Palace of the Parliament towering at the end. This audacious building is something else. I toured it today and in an hour we only saw about 6% (according to our guide).

It has 1,100 rooms, is the heaviest building in the world, and ranks as the second largest administrative building after the Pentagon. They say it can be seen from the moon, and it sinks a few millimeters each year under its own immense weight — all that marble and granite.

Its history is twisted and fascinating. I might share more in another post with interior shots, but for now, here’s what I captured standing in the middle of the grand boulevard built to showcase the so-called “People’s House” (Casa Poporului) — in the rain.

I can’t help but challenge that name, though, after seeing homeless people sleeping on benches in the park across the street – 1100 rooms, just saying.

tr/trp