Recognized as one of the loveliest architectural works in Bucharest, the Romanian Athenaeum is something of an urban fulcrum, marking out the cultural and social center of the city; inaugurated in 1888, it was designed by French architect Albert Galleron (who also conceived the shapely National Bank of Romania in the Lipscani District). Facing the Royal Palace and standing adjacent the Athénée Palace Hilton hotel, the lovely exterior is matched by interior frescoes and mosaics. You need to pay a small fee to whoever is manning the side entrance, and he'll let you see the grand foyer and remarkably intimate, yet beautiful, auditorium. Here, the wraparound fresco -- which was covered up during the Communist era -- tells the history of Romania, starting with the arrival of the Romans and culminating with the reign of King Ferdinand. See if you can spot Vlad Tepes (the inspiration for Count Dracula), dark and ominous on horseback, more or less above the stairs. The most wonderful way to experience the Athenaeum is to attend a concert in the 1,000-seat auditorium; intensify the experience by choosing a performance of the Philharmonic George Enescu, the city's premiere orchestra, named for the nation's greatest composer who debuted here in 1898. Apparently, the venue ranks third best in Europe for its acoustics.
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