Suțu Palace, Bucharest, Guide du visiteur et quoi faire à proximité

Suțu Palace is a neo-Gothic mansion from the 1830s at Bulevardul Ion C. Brătianu 2, beside University Square in the centre of Bucharest. Built for the Suțu family, it now houses the Museum of the City of Bucharest, which makes it a good first stop for anyone curious about how the capital grew.

The story behind it

The palace was raised in the early 1830s for Costache Suțu, a member of a prominent Greek family in Wallachia, to a design by the architect Conrad Schwink. At a time when most grand houses in the city followed local or classical styles, its Gothic-inspired look was a statement of wealth and taste. Today the building serves as the city's own history museum.

The streets around it tell a story of their own. The boulevard was cut through the old city in the late 19th century, and the Colței Tower, built between 1709 and 1714 and long the tallest building in Bucharest, was pulled down in 1888 to make room for it, despite protests from residents. The tower had been shaken by the earthquakes of 1802, 1829 and 1838. Bucharest has lived with that seismic risk ever since, and the quake of 1977 left its mark on the whole centre.

What to look for

• The neo-Gothic character of the facade, which looks very different from the modern buildings and wide traffic lanes around it.
• The corner position on the boulevard, where you can see how the palace sits at the edge of University Square, one of the busiest crossroads in the city.
• The mix of architectural periods along Bulevardul Brătianu, from 19th-century mansions to later apartment blocks, all visible from the palace steps.
• The signs of the city museum at the entrance, a reminder that this former home is now a public record of Bucharest's past.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 15 to 20 minutes to look at the exterior and the surroundings, and longer if you plan to visit the museum inside. Check current opening hours before you go.
• Morning light is kind to the facade, and the area is calmer than in the late afternoon rush.
• University Square is right beside the palace, so it combines easily with a walk through the old centre.
• Look around the boulevard for the place where the Colței Tower once stood, since its story explains why this street exists.

See it on a quest

After the earthquake: The story of a lifesaver is free to play. You reach the palace on foot as one stop on a longer route through the area, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot. Its earthquake theme suits this part of town, where the Colței Tower and the 1977 quake belong to the same story.

Bucharest: Un bal regal, o șansă la tron. takes you past the palace as part of a walk with a royal ball theme. The app tells you about each place as you get there and sets a puzzle in what is in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group.

Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Bucharest is a good choice if you like a mystery with your sightseeing. You walk to the palace as one stop on the route, learn about it from the app, and solve a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group, and you can start whenever you like.