The Cotroceni Palace complex is a category A listed monument, and the museum holds 4.6 on Google from more than 2,400 reviews.
About the place
Between 1679 and 1681, Prince Șerban Cantacuzino founded a monastery here, with the Church of the Dormition and a princely palace. The present palace was built between 1893 and 1895 for Crown Prince Ferdinand, and Princess, later Queen, Marie left her mark on the interiors. After 1949 it was the Pioneers' Palace; badly damaged by the 1977 earthquake, it was largely rebuilt and given a new wing, where the Presidential Administration works today.
From Tuesday to Friday you visit the Cotroceni National Museum route, with or without a guide; on Saturdays and Sundays the route also includes the halls of the Presidential Administration: the Union Hall, the Basarab Gallery and the Performance Hall. It holds 4.6 on Google from more than 2,400 reviews; visitors praise the interiors, while some say the garden and the church could not be visited when they came.
Good to know
- It is closed on Mondays. You enter only through the gate on Șoseaua Cotroceni and only with your original ID (identity card or passport).
- Last entry is at 16:00. Guided tours (Romanian, English, French, Italian, Spanish, German) are booked at vizitare@muzeulcotroceni.ro or on +40 21 317 3107; tickets for weekend guided tours are sold only at the museum ticket office.
- Tickets for unguided visits are also sold online on iabilet.ro and booktes.com; the Botanical Garden is about 350 m away.
Opening hours
| Monday | Closed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 9–17 |
| Wednesday | 9–17 |
| Thursday | 9–17 |
| Friday | 9–17 |
| Saturday | 9–17 |
| Sunday | 9–17 |
Hours may change on public holidays. Check before you go.