The cultural landmarks of a city are often the result of development policies that highlight the fundamental directions targeted by central and local administrations through architectural and urban signals. This situation is often manifested following significant historical moments, and urban functions have a relevant role, alongside architectural expression and the scale of urban interventions, in illustrating profound social changes through monumentality and symbolism. A special role is played by “minor” architecture, which takes over the symbolism of the great urban landmarks and, at the same time, through the critical mass of cultural and socio-economic values that it represents, generates landmarks at the local level. Bucharest represents a good example in this respect.

Fig. 1. G. Severeanu, Bucureștii sub focul cel mare din 1847 [Bucharest under the Great Fire of 1847]. In Urbanismul, Monitor al Uniunei Orașelor din România [Urbanism, Monitor of the Union of Cities of Romania], IX, 3-4 (March-April 1932): p. 90, f. 3.

Fig. 2-3. Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism – Bucharest, The Department of History & Theory of Architecture and Heritage Conservation Archive.

Fig. 4. Personal archive.

Fig. 5-8. Pictures taken by author, 2002-2015.