Stock Exchange Building

About

The Bucharest Chamber of Commerce Palace (Romanian: Palatul Camerei de Comerț București), also the Stock Exchange Palace (Palatul Bursei), is a building located at 4 Ion Ghica Street, Bucharest, Romania. In 1904, the head of the Bucharest Chamber of Commerce asked King Carol I for land on which to build a headquarters. He was granted a parcel in 1906 from the state's holdings.

Fourteen architects submitted designs in 1907; Ștefan Burcuș was selected. Special brick and reinforced concrete were used in order to ensure the building's stability; Gogu Constantinescu supervised the latter material. The cost was estimated at 800,000 gold lei.

The cornerstone was laid in May 1908, in the presence of various officials. The palace was inaugurated in 1911, with a speech by the King. It was used as a stock market for goods.

In 1949, the nascent communist regime nationalized the building. It hosted the National Library of Romania until 2008, when the Chamber of Commerce regained possession. The building has two tall floors, an attic and a basement, measuring 1957 square meters in total.

Described by one observer as featuring “a simple, beautiful majesty, with a grandiose facade, classical and alive...