Iditarod pioneer., 1916-12-09
CAPITAL CITY OF ROUMANIA
 PLACE OF HISTORIC INTEREST

Bucharest, the capital of Roumania, which was captured by the Teutonic armies turing the past week, is the subject of an interesting article in the Christian Science Monjt9r Modern historians, 1t says, de clare that it was originally fortress erected 2n the site of the Daco Roman Thyanus to command the approaches to Tirgoyishtea, at one time capital of Waacha But tradi- ton (and tradition notoriously in such matters is entirely uninfuenced by history has it that it was built by the sem-mythical Radu Negru, who is supposed to have flour
 he'd during the closing years of the thir
 aenth century and the early years of the 'ourteenth Radu Negru was the first Wal l2chian prince, and it is really a point of
 nor with all Roumanian cities with any claim to antiquity to hail him as their
 under "Founded by Radu Negru" holds he same position in Roumania as does
 came over with the conqueror' in Eng land, or descended from Brian Boru" in Treand
 However founded it became in time the rmmer residence of the court, and in 1505 t leaped suddenly into prominence by req
 II LII all bCCtl itIitC CUlllliHFI ViltuSIl III
 at part of the world in those days-t vas burned by the Turks. It was, however, restored again grew greatly in size and ~rosperity, and in the year 1898 was chosen by Prince Constantine Brancovan for his capital. During the next century Bucharest was right in the center of the great struggle carried on at that time between Russia, Austria and Turkey for predominance. In turn Bucharest was in possession of all three In the first half of the following cen tury its fortunes were equally varied. In 1928 it was occupied by the Russians, who the following year made it over to the prince of Walacha. It was again held by the Russians in 1854 On their departure qn Austrian garrison took possession and kept it until March, 1857. Its status re- mained uncertain until 1861, when, on the declaration of the union of Wallachia and Moldavia, Prince Cuza, the first ruler of the united provinces, proclaimed Bucharest his capital, It was not, however until the accession of Prince Charles in 1866, that the History of modern Bucharest begins
 The place Is essentially modern town. It lies in hollow traversed from north west to southeast by the River Dimbovitza, on the left bank of which the city is mainly built To the west and southwest it is sheltered by low range of hills, but on all other sides the land stretches across marsh and low land away to the skyline, to where the great central Wallachian plain sweeps down to the Black sea. Bucharest has multitude of gardens and multitude of turrets and metal plated or gilded cupolas, and they lend to the city a crtan pie turesqueness which otherwise might be lacking by reason of its essentially mod ern character It has been called "the Paris of the East" and in tie matter of boule- yards and avenues it certainly maintains the Paris tradition The three main boulevards the Plevna, Lipscani and Vasaresci, skirt the left bank of the river; whilst the Eliza beth boulevard and the famous Cala Vic toriei, or Avenue of Victory" which com memorates the Roumanian successes at Flevna, run out east and west respectively rom the Lipscani, and meet broad road which practically encircIes the city. There is much in Bucharest, however, which ren-
 CTS 1t unlike Paris or any other purely western city. The brightly-colored costumes of the Gypsies and Roumanians, the Rus sian coachmen or sleigh drivers and the curious cry of the peddler lend to every thing just that unmistakable air of the East so common in the Balkans
 One of the most striking buildings in the city is the cathedral or metropolitan church, which was commenced in 1856. Built in the form of Greek cross, sur rounded by broad cloister, it has three towers, and standing as it does on high ground, it overIooks the whole of Bucharest