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Cantacuzino Palace: the Nabob’s mansion on Calea Victoriei

Cantacuzino Palace is a Beaux Arts mansion at Calea Victoriei 141 in Bucharest, built in 1901–1902 for the statesman Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino. It later became the George Enescu National Museum; the museum was closed for restoration in 2021, so check its current status before you go.

A palace built for a tycoon nicknamed “the Nabob” for his fabulous wealth later saw the 1913 Treaty of Bucharest signed in its rooms, and then became a museum to the composer George Enescu.

WhereCalea Victoriei 141, central Bucharest, Romania

TypeBeaux Arts palace of 1901–1902, long home of the George Enescu National Museum

Best forBelle Époque architecture, the story of composer George Enescu and a walk along Calea Victoriei

Getting thereOn Calea Victoriei in central Bucharest; Kretzulescu Church is about 1 km away

The history of Cantacuzino Palace

The palace on Calea Victoriei was built in 1901–1902 for Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino, a former prime minister and mayor of Bucharest, whose fabulous wealth earned him the nickname “Nababul”, the Nabob. The architect was Ion D. Berindey, who designed it in the French Beaux Arts style, with a few Rococo Revival rooms. For the interiors the owner turned to the most famous artists of the day: George Demetrescu Mirea, Nicolae Vermont and Costin Petrescu. Vermont painted six medallions in oil on canvas fixed to the wall, three of them signed and dated 1907.

The building has four levels: a semi-basement, a ground floor with arched windows and a stone balustrade, an upper floor with French balconies and a richly decorated attic. The façade is dominated by the entrance portal under a shell-shaped glass canopy, reached by a marble staircase flanked by two stone lions, while the gates and fences are in the Louis XIV style. The result was a princely house, and it became known as a place for balls.

After the Nabob’s death the palace passed to his son Mihail, who died prematurely in 1929 and left it to his wife Maria, known as Maruca. In December 1939 she remarried the composer George Enescu. Politics also passed through the rooms: on 10 August 1913, at the end of the Second Balkan War, the Treaty of Bucharest was signed here, and Romania took over the Cadrilater. In the years around the Second World War the building housed the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, the Romanian government.

After Enescu died in 1955, his wife stated in her will that the palace should host a museum dedicated to him. The memorial museum was founded in 1956 and became the National Museum George Enescu in 1990. Only about five rooms could be visited, the others being occupied by institutions. In 2021 the museum closed for a restoration planned to last two years, and Wikipedia reports that it was still closed in 2026.

Curiosities about Cantacuzino Palace

Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino was nicknamed “Nababul”, the Nabob, because of his fabulous wealth.
Two stone lions flank the marble staircase to the entrance, which sits under a shell-shaped glass canopy.
The Treaty of Bucharest, which ended the Second Balkan War, was signed in this palace on 10 August 1913.
Two of Nicolae Vermont’s medallions, “Shepherd with Sheep” and “Peasant Woman with Vessel”, are directly inspired by the work of the painter Nicolae Grigorescu.
The palace was a frequent venue for balls, and its interiors were decorated by some of Romania’s best-known artists of the time.
Before the Second World War the building was the seat of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

Tours near Cantacuzino Palace

Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:

Private Day Trip from Bucharest: Dracula’s Castle, Peles & Brasov

★ 5 (68 reviews) · 10 h

See details ›

Private Walking Tour: Essential Bucharest + Hidden Gems

★ 5 (53 reviews) · 2 h

See details ›

Contrasts of Communism - Small Group Walking Tour in Bucharest

★ 5 (48 reviews) · 3 h

See details ›

Private Tour to Dracula's Castle, Peles Castle from Bucharest

★ 5 (44 reviews) · 12 h

See details ›

Visiting Cantacuzino Palace: what to see

The façade is the main sight from Calea Victoriei: the marble staircase, the two stone lions, the shell-shaped glass canopy and the Louis XIV-style gates and fences.
The palace houses the George Enescu National Museum, which was closed for restoration in 2021 and reported still closed in 2026, so check the current situation before planning a visit.
When the museum is open, about five rooms can be visited; the Beaux Arts and Rococo Revival interiors include Nicolae Vermont’s medallions above the doors of the hallway.
Other places on this site are close by: Kretzulescu Church about 1 km away, Stavropoleos Monastery and the Basarab Overpass about 2 km, and Antim Monastery about 3 km.
Opening arrangements can change, so check the current opening hours before you go.

Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.

Map: where Cantacuzino Palace is

Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors

Photos of Cantacuzino Palace

Questions

Where is Cantacuzino Palace?

It stands at Calea Victoriei 141 in central Bucharest, Romania.

Who built Cantacuzino Palace?

It was built in 1901–1902 for Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino to plans by the architect Ion D. Berindey, in the French Beaux Arts style.

Can you visit Cantacuzino Palace?

It houses the George Enescu National Museum, which closed for restoration in 2021 and was reported still closed in 2026. Check the current status before you go.

What happened at Cantacuzino Palace in 1913?

The Treaty of Bucharest, which ended the Second Balkan War, was signed here on 10 August 1913.

What is the link between Cantacuzino Palace and George Enescu?

The composer married Maria Cantacuzino, called Maruca, in December 1939. After his death in 1955 the palace became a museum dedicated to him, founded in 1956.

What can you see near Cantacuzino Palace?

Kretzulescu Church is about 1 km away, Stavropoleos Monastery and the Basarab Overpass about 2 km, and Antim Monastery about 3 km.