Bucharest’s Arc de Triumf was raised in 1922 to commemorate Romania’s World War I dead. The original Arc was made of wood, replaced by the present, Petru Antonescu designed concrete structure only in 1935. Standing 25m high, the Arc has a staircase that allows visitors to climb to the terrace on the top of the monument, though it is strangely closed most of the time and only opened on special occasions (usually on national holidays). The sculptures and reliefs that decorate the monument were created by the leading artists of the day, including Ion Jalea, Constantin Medrea and Constantin Baraschi. Recently restored in something of a botch job, some of the stonework has been de-coloured and the Arc now has a most unsatisfactory two-tone appearance. What's more, there is still no way to get to it without risking your life crossing one of the busiest roundabouts in the city.
