Universitate & Centre

University Square is Bucharest's geographic and symbolic centre. This is where kilometre zero stands, the point from which all distances in the country are measured, and this is where the city's civic heart beats: crowds have gathered in Piața Universității at every turning point of recent decades, from the 1989 revolution to the protests of more recent years. It is a place with memory, marked by crosses for those who died here, yet it carries the youthful energy of the university that lends it its name.

The square is framed by powerful landmarks: the University of Bucharest building, the National Theatre, the statues of four great scholars, and across the boulevard the Intercontinental hotel keeping watch from above. A maze of pedestrian passages runs beneath the square linking the metro and the surrounding streets, while bookshops, antiquarian stores and cafés where students spend whole afternoons line the streets around it.

What to see

• Kilometre zero, the nation's point of origin
• The Bucharest National Theatre, with its rich programme
• The statues of the four great scholars in the square
• The University Passage and the surrounding bookshops

The vibe

This is a place of transit and meeting, always in motion. The cafés are full of students and people working on laptops, and the evenings come alive thanks to the closeness of the clubs and bars of the Old Town, just a stone's throw away. It is the perfect launch point for exploring the centre, with most major sights within walking distance.

Getting there

The Universitate metro station sits right under the square, a major interchange where two lines meet; see the metro. Many public transport lines pass through on the surface. From here you can walk to most central attractions, and for a meal you have the surrounding restaurants to choose from.