IV.

The Urban Landscape

The city is divided into two sections by the Dîmboviţa River and is crossed by two wide boulevards. Bucharest contains six administrative districts; the adjacent rural area forms a seventh district. Most industrial areas are located in the suburbs, while the city is primarily residential. Bucharest, known as the “Paris of the Balkans” in the early 20th century, was a cosmopolitan city before 1944 when its architecture, city planning, and culture were French-inspired. After a Communist government came to power following World War II (1939-1945), French cultural qualities were ended, although the architecture remains. During the 1980s, under the orders of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu, a vast area on the banks of the Dîmboviţa was razed, including houses and historical monuments. Buildings of North Korean architectural style were then erected, although many of these structures are still unfinished.