The 44 synchronized fountains in Bucharest's Unirii Square

Most of us, when visiting a new city abroad, have a starting point for our exploring. In Bucharest, Romanians consider University Square to be the zero-mile marker. The reason for this is that the square had a major significance during the revolution. There were many manifestations held here when Romania was still a communist country. For tourists though, the zero-mile marker is around 2 km further to the south, in Unirii Square. This square is the best access point to the Old Town, the People’s House, and even to the oldest hotel of the capital, Manuc’s Inn. One can find 44 fountains of various sizes here. They are all synchronized, offering the passerby a show that makes these fountains the focal point of Unirii Square.

Unirii Square, Bucharest

Piața Unirii, București, România

Unirii Square's evolution

Unirii Square wasn’t always what it is now. Before the 1980s, there were a lot of houses and covered food markets where the fountains now lie. The entire capital used to gather here on market days to stock up. The square used to be pretty small, until they decided to enlarge it. With this vast modification of the square, also came the building of 44 fountains, along the Unirii Boulevard. The locals used to walk by the fountains on sunny days, and this hasn’t changed throughout time. 

The fountains slowly started to waste away before it was decided to refurbish them in 2018. Now, the fountains have the latest technology. This technology is accompanied by new mosaics depicting the Romanian traditional dance (hora românească), Romanian ceramics, and the Cyrillic alphabet.  

The Symphony of Water

Since their reopening, at the end of 2018, the fountains are accompanied by a spectacle on the weekends, from May to October. This night spectacle is called The Symphony of Water, and usually takes place after 8:30 pm (for more information check the schedule online). The splashing of the water is synchronized with music, leaving the spectators in awe. The duration of the program is 45 minutes, and besides these effects, there are also projections of images which illustrate Romanian values. The themes of the show change yearly, but the chosen music has included the soundtracks of The Pirates of the Caribbean and Game of Thrones, along with songs by Queen.

Holders of a World Record  

The World Record Academy took notice of this chain of fountains which is stretched out over a length of 1,4 km; and proclaimed it the longest row of synchronized, choreographed fountains in the world. The fountains stretch from the Constituţiei Square to the Alba Iulia Square, and the most majestic ones are located right in the middle of Unirii Square. 

The synchronized fountains in Unirii Square are the perfect spot for a relaxing walk in the heart of the capital. In the weekends, from spring to fall, they are surrounded at night by many travelers, looking for an evening of color and music. The 44 fountains in Bucharest are Unirii Square’s focal point, available to be admired the entire day.