Cișmigiu Gardens

Overview

Cișmigiu Gardens is Bucharest's oldest public park, a 16-hectare oasis in the city centre with a lake (boating in summer, skating in winter), formal gardens, and tree-lined promenades dating to the 1840s.

Highlights

• Lake: Rowboat hire in summer; ice-skating in winter.
• Romanian Writers' Rotunda: Busts of 12 Romanian writers circle a shaded fountain.
• Formal gardens: French-style planted beds and a Roman Garden.

History

Transformed from a swamp into a park in 1845–1860 by Viennese landscape architect Carl Friedrich Wilhelm Meyer. It was Bucharest's first public garden.

Visitor Tips

• Central: Walking distance from Revolution Square and Calea Victoriei.
• Afternoon shade: Welcome relief in Bucharest's hot summers.
• Duration: 30–60 minutes.