# House of the Free Press (Casa Presei Libere)

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> The former Casa Scânteii, the Socialist Realist building in northern Bucharest with a central tower and antenna, 104 m tall: between 1956 and 2007 it was the tallest in the city. It can be seen from outside, from Free Press Square.

**At a glance:** Monuments and historic sites in București. Opening hours: daily open 24 hours. Ticket: Free. The visit takes 20 min. Information verified on 26 October 2026.

## Key facts

- **Opening hours:** daily open 24 hours — The exterior can be seen at any time, from Free Press Square. The office building cannot be visited.
- **Ticket:** Free — the exterior can be seen from the square
- **Visit duration:** 20 min — exterior only
- **With kids:** Yes — just a stop in the square
- **Best season:** All year round — the exterior can be seen all year
- **Address:** Piața Presei Libere 1, București
- **Coordinates:** 44.48143, 26.07066
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_the_Free_Press
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2642991
- **Categories:** [Monuments and historic sites](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/monumente-si-situri-istorice)

## About House of the Free Press (Casa Presei Libere)

The House of the Free Press (Casa Presei Libere), known until 1989 as Casa Scânteii, stands in Free Press Square (Piața Presei Libere) in northern Bucharest, at the entrance to Băneasa, at the end of Kiseleff Boulevard. Construction began in 1952 on the site of the former Băneasa Hippodrome, as a printing works and seat for the state press, above all for the newspaper Scânteia, the organ of the Communist Party. The design is credited to the architect Horia Maicu.

The style is Socialist Realism, and the architecture drew on the tall buildings of Moscow, among them Lomonosov University. The designers also visited Romanian monasteries such as Curtea de Argeș, Cozia and Horezu, and took decorative elements from them: rows of columns at the base of the low wings and niches that climb the central block. With its television antenna the building measures 104 m (91.6 m without it), and between 1956 and 2007 it was the tallest in Bucharest.

After 1989 it was renamed Casa Presei Libere. Today it houses offices, institutions and commercial spaces.

### What you can see

The central block, with its tower and antenna, is flanked by low wings with towers at the corners, and the façade carries sculpted motifs, among them a five-pointed star surrounded by bunches of grapes. The building can be seen from far away: from Kiseleff Boulevard, from Free Press Square and even across the lake in Herăstrău Park. The City Gate office towers rise next to it.

In front of the building stood a statue of Lenin between 1960 and 1990, the work of the sculptor Boris Caragea. Since 2016 the monument “Wings” (Aripi), dedicated to the heroes of the anti-communist resistance, has stood on the same spot.

### Good to know

It is a working office building and cannot be visited; it can be seen from outside, from the square in front, at any time.

## Don't miss

- The central block with its tower and antenna, 104 m tall, visible from far away.
- The five-pointed star and bunches of grapes sculpted on the façade.
- The “Wings” monument (Aripi), dedicated to the heroes of the anti-communist resistance, in front of the building.
- The silhouette of the building seen across the lake in Herăstrău Park.

## Good to know before you go

### Getting there

**By car:** the building is in Free Press Square, in northern Bucharest, at the entrance to Băneasa. The Arch of Triumph is ~2 km away, just a few minutes along Kiseleff Boulevard.

**Public transport:** the nearest metro station, Aviatorilor (M2), is ~2.5 km away as the crow flies; from there continue by bus or taxi.

### Fees & discounts

The building cannot be visited, so there is no ticket; the exterior can be seen free of charge from the square.

### Rules

The building houses working offices and institutions: the interior cannot be visited, while the exterior can be photographed from public space.

## Details

- **Historical period:** 1950s

## Frequently asked questions about House of the Free Press (Casa Presei Libere)

**How much is a ticket to House of the Free Press (Casa Presei Libere)?**

Admission to House of the Free Press (Casa Presei Libere) is free (the exterior can be seen from the square). The building cannot be visited, so there is no ticket; the exterior can be seen free of charge from the square.

**What are the opening hours of House of the Free Press (Casa Presei Libere)?**

Opening hours at House of the Free Press (Casa Presei Libere): daily open 24 hours. The exterior can be seen at any time, from Free Press Square. The office building cannot be visited.

**How long does a visit to House of the Free Press (Casa Presei Libere) take?**

A visit to House of the Free Press (Casa Presei Libere) takes about 20 min (exterior only).

**Can you visit House of the Free Press (Casa Presei Libere) with kids?**

Yes, House of the Free Press (Casa Presei Libere) is suitable for children (just a stop in the square).

**How do I get to House of the Free Press (Casa Presei Libere)?**

House of the Free Press (Casa Presei Libere) is located at Piața Presei Libere 1, București. By car: the building is in Free Press Square, in northern Bucharest, at the entrance to Băneasa. The Arch of Triumph is ~2 km away, just a few minutes along Kiseleff Boulevard. Public transport: the nearest metro station, Aviatorilor (M2), is ~2.5 km away as the crow flies; from there continue by bus or taxi.

**When is the best time to visit House of the Free Press (Casa Presei Libere)?**

The best season for House of the Free Press (Casa Presei Libere): All year round (the exterior can be seen all year).

## Nearby attractions

- [Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/muzeul-national-al-satului-dimitrie-gusti) — Museums and memorial houses · București · 40 lei · 2 – 2½ hours · 1 km
  An open-air ethnographic museum on the shore of Lake Herăstrău, in the middle of Bucharest: farmsteads, wooden churches, mills and workshops brought from all over the country and rebuilt here since 1936.
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  Bucharest's largest park, on the shore of Lake Herăstrău: nearly 190 hectares of strolling paths, the Japanese Garden, Caryatid Alley and Rose Island.
- [Arch of Triumph](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/arcul-de-triumf) — Monuments and historic sites · București · 15 lei · 45 min · 2 km
  The 27 m interwar monument at the end of Șoseaua Kiseleff, built in memory of the Great Union, with 292 steps up to a terrace overlooking northern Bucharest.
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- [Zambaccian Museum](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/muzeul-zambaccian) — Museums and memorial houses · București · 16 lei · ½ – 1 hours · 4 km
  The house museum of the collector Krikor H. Zambaccian, near Piața Dorobanților: Romanian art from Grigorescu to Baba alongside Cézanne, Renoir, Matisse and Picasso, in a 1940s villa.

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Last updated: 26 October 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania