The Romanian Athenaeum was built between 1888 and 1896 by the French architect Albert Galleron in the Neo-classical style of the time. It has become the symbol of the capital and now houses the ôGeorge Enescuö Philharmonic Orchestra. The edifice stands out by the huge 40-meter-tall dome, the faτade with Doric columns, and the pediment similar to that of an ancient temple.
On the ground floor, a vast rotunda surrounds a concert hall that has 600 seats and 60 boxes; this hall is decorated with 25 frescoes evoking RomaniaÆs history. In the rotunda, the six tall columns are joined by four monumental spiral-shaped staircases made of Carrara marble and leading to the elegant foyers and the concert hall on the first floor. Other small concert rooms complete the ensemble.
