A loss for Bucharest's cultural heritage

The age of the ensemble, as a new, modern artery of Bucharest, is among the oldest. Starting in the first half of the 19th century, when the first section of Kiseleff Road (the city's first new artery) was built, continuing with Aviatorilor Boulevard, until the mid-1930s, when Prezan Boulevard was built, with the development of Herăstrău Park and, with small additions, in the spirit of the previous ones, after the Second World War, this ensemble was finalized, reflecting successive stages of urban planning over the course of a century.

Beyond the logic of the existence of arteries in the circulation system, it has some very special urban values. First, its remarkable spatial configuration: linearity is emphasized by highly varied transversal profiles. The diversity of transversal profiles gives a different character to each of them: Șoseaua Kiseleff, with wide sidewalks, set in the middle of a generous green space; the same profile is given by Bulevardul General Prezan; finally, Bulevardul Aviatorilor has the most complex and ample transversal profile, by the existence, on the sides of the profile similar to that of Șoseaua Kiseleff, of a local interest car circulation, bordered by sidewalks to the neighboring properties. Secondly, the change of direction, the marking of intersections with other streets and, finally, the rhythm of the linear course of the artery is achieved by means of circular (circulation) squares of considerable size: Victoriei Square, Roundabout I, Arcului de Triumf Square, Free Press Square, the square in front of Băneasa Station, for Kiseleff Road, and Victoriei Square, the square with the Aviatorilor statue and Charles de Gaulle Square for Aviatorilor Boulevard. It should be emphasized that the dimensions of the squares, through the radii that determine their rigorous geometry, as well as the distance between them along the arteries, give the whole ensemble a particular breadth, a "breath", in comparison with similar public spaces located in the highly urbanized areas of the city. Thirdly, the presence of elements that act as perspective heads, interrupting the long perspectives, also contributing to the large, broad rhythm of the arteries, ensuring that the major axes are controlled in terms of their perception: The Triumphal Arch, the Aviatorilor Statue and the Free Press House. Finally, the massive, rich alignment planting present on all three arteries contributes significantly to their character. The consistency with which the lime plantation, interspersed with chestnut trees, has been used up to the present, plays a particularly important role in unifying the spatial images, emphasizing the unity of the three arteries.

It should be emphasized that as far as the history of urban settlements in Romania is concerned, there has not been a similar ensemble in the whole country, which was built from the first part of the 19th century onwards, with such a great variety of cross-sectional profiles, and which is nowadays maintained in a state very close to its original state. Therefore, this ensemble is unique in Romania; for this reason, we consider its value to be exceptional.

The last aspect to be mentioned, but as important as those above, is that it entered the collective memory of the population many decades ago. It became one of the favorite strolling places of Bucharest's high society since the works on the Kiseleff Road in the middle of the 19th century. Gradually, especially after 1900, the Kiseleff Road became a favorite place for strolling, and after 1930 it was extended to Aviatorilor Boulevard (Jianu Road). The three arteries are still today the favorite place for strolling in Bucharest. The projects envisaged by the municipality to build two underpasses in Charles de Gaulle Square and Presei Libere Square, respectively, alter the character of the arteries over large sections, by the disappearance of the plantation and the grassed lanes on which it is located, and the appearance instead of ramps and tunnels under the squares. Without commenting on the practical finality of these passages, which generate a large number of vehicles entering the city center, which is long outdated by European urban planning practices, we can only note that they clearly call into question the way in which the city hall and the designer understand and respect the history of the city, and the Ministry of Culture fulfills its duty to protect the national heritage.

The ensemble is among the oldest of Bucharest's modern-style thoroughfares: beginning in the early nineteenth century, when the first section of Chaussée Kiseleff (the city's first new thoroughfare) was laid out, continuing with Aviatorilor Boulevard up until the mid-1930s, when Prezan Boulevard was created, at the same time at Herăstrău Park, and with minor additions, in the spirit of what had gone before, after the Second World War, the ensemble reflects the successive stages of urbanistic thinking over the course of more than a century.

Apart from the logic of its thoroughfares within the system of circulation, the ensemble also has a number of wholly distinct urbanistic values. In the first place, there is its remarkable spatial configuration: the linearity is accentuated by highly varied transversal contours. The diversity of these transversal contours confers a different character on each of the thoroughfares: Chaussée Kiseleff, with its broad pavements, is situated in the middle of a generous green space; General Prezan Boulevard has the same contour; and Aviatorilor Boulevard has the largest and most complex contour, given the existence, along the lateral parts of a contour similar to that of Chaussée Kiseleff, of local access roads with sidewalks leading to neighboring properties. In the second place, changes in dire-ction, the marking of intersections with other streets, and the rhythm of the linear course of the thoroughfares are created by means of circular plazas of considerable extent: Piața Victoriei, Rotunda I, Piața Arcului de Triumf, Piața Presei Liberei, and the plaza by Băneasa Station, on Chaussée Kiseleff; and Piața Victoriei, the plaza with the Aviators Monument, and Piața Charles de Gaulle, on Aviatorilor Boulevard. It should be emphasized that the dimensions of the plazas, thanks to the radiating streets that determine their rigorous geometry, as well as the distances between them along the course of the thoroughfares, lend the ensemble as a whole a sweeping scale and "respiration" that is entirely distinct from similar public spaces in other, heavily urbanized areas of the city. In the third place, there is the presence of features that play the role of focal points interrupting the long perspectives, contributing to the overall rhythm of the thoroughfares, creating a controlled perception of the wide avenues: the Triumphal Arch, the Aviators Statue, and the House of the Free Press. Finally, there is the large, rich vegetation of all three thoroughfares contributes to their specific character. The consistency with which lindens interspersed with chestnut trees have been planted hitherto plays an especial role in emphasizing the unity of the three thoroughfares.

It should be emphasized that as far as Romanian urban history goes, nowhere else in the country is there a similar ensemble, created in the early nineteenth century, with such a great variety of transversal contours, and preserved in a condition so close to its original state. Consequently, the ensemble is unique in Romania. Therefore, we consider that it is of exceptional value.

The final issue that should be emphasized, one that is just as important as the foregoing, is that the ensemble has been part of the collective memory for many decades. As early as the mid-nineteenth century, when Chaussée Kiseleff was being laid out, it was one of the favorite promenades of Bucharest's high society. Gradually, and after 1900 in particular, Chaussée Kiseleff became a popular place for strolls, which extended to

Aviatorilor Boulevard (Chaussée Jianu) after 1930. The three thoroughfares are popular with the citizens of Bucharest even today.

The projects planned by the Municipality, which will involve two underpasses, one in Piața Charles de Gaulle, the other in Piața Presei Libere, will alter the character of significant sections of the thoroughfares, resulting in the loss of tree-covered grassy areas, which will be replaced by ramps and tunnels. Without commenting on the practicality of these underpasses, which will allow a greater volume of motor vehicle traffic to reach the center of the city, something that is long out of date in European town-planning practice, we cannot help but observe that they throw into question, in the starkest possible way, the manner in which the City Hall and the designer understand and care about the city's history, and the manner in which the Ministry of Culture carries out its task of conserving the national heritage.