# Foișorul de Foc (Fire Watchtower)

[Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Muntenia](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/muntenia) › [București](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/city/bucuresti)

> The 42 m round tower built in 1890–1892 as a fire-watch lookout, today the National Firefighters' Museum, telling the story of firefighting in Romania.

**At a glance:** Monuments and historic sites in București. Opening hours: Monday–Friday 08:00 – 16:00, Saturday–Sunday closed. Ticket: 10 lei. The visit takes 40 min. Information verified on 25 October 2026.

## Key facts

- **Opening hours:** Monday–Friday 08:00 – 16:00, Saturday–Sunday closed — Monday to Friday 8:00–16:00. On Saturdays and Sundays the museum receives only groups who have booked by email at muzeu@igsu.ro, at least 48 hours in advance. The outside of the tower can be seen at any time from the square.
- **Ticket:** 10 lei — reduced 5 lei; pupils 2.50 lei
- **Visit duration:** 40 min — museum on several levels
- **With kids:** Yes — firefighters' equipment and uniforms
- **Parking:** Yes, paid — on the surrounding streets
- **Best season:** All year round — indoor visit, all year
- **Address:** Bulevardul Ferdinand I 33, Sector 2, București
- **Coordinates:** 44.44025, 26.1208
- **Phone:** +40 21 794 3490
- **Website:** https://muzeu.igsu.ro/
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foi%C8%99orul_de_Foc
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4687576
- **Categories:** [Monuments and historic sites](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/monumente-si-situri-istorice), [Museums and memorial houses](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/muzee-si-case-memoriale)

## About Foișorul de Foc (Fire Watchtower)

The Foișorul de Foc rises in the middle of a small square in eastern Bucharest, where Bulevardul Ferdinand I meets several streets, between Obor and Calea Moșilor. It is a round tower 42 m high, built between 1890 and 1892 to the plans of George Mandrea, the city's chief architect, as a lookout and alarm post for fires and, at the same time, as a water tower. The 750 m³ tank never worked, because the waterworks did not have pumps strong enough to fill it, and in 1892 the building passed to the fire brigade.

From the top, watchmen kept an eye on the city until 1910, when the telephone made watching with the naked eye unnecessary. Firefighters stayed in the tower until the mid-1930s, after which the building served as a store. Restored in the 1960s, it became the Firefighters' Museum, opened in 1963; today it is called the National Firefighters' Museum "Foișorul de Foc" and belongs to the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations. The consolidation works of 2021–2024 kept the original façade and set the tower on seismic isolators, and the museum was inaugurated again on 13 September 2024.

### What you can see

The tower is easy to admire from the square: a base of rusticated stone blocks, storeys with pilasters and small round windows, and above them an arcaded gallery and a glass lantern. Inside, the museum shows manual pumps, intervention helmets, historic uniforms from several periods, old extinguishers, badges and plaques, original documents and models of fire engines. The collection has nearly 10,000 objects, mostly donations, of which only part is on display. The levels are linked by a metal spiral staircase, restored during the works.

### Good to know

The museum is open on weekdays; on Saturdays and Sundays it receives only groups who have booked in advance. The display space in a narrow tower is limited, so the visit is short.

## Don't miss

- The 42 m tower, with its arcaded gallery and glass lantern, seen from the surrounding square.
- The metal spiral staircase, restored in the 2021–2024 works.
- The manual pumps, intervention helmets and historic uniforms in the museum's collection.
- The models of fire engines, and the firefighters' badges and plaques.

## Good to know before you go

### Getting there

**By car:** the tower is in eastern Bucharest, in the small square where Bulevardul Ferdinand I meets the surrounding streets, ~2.4 km from Piața Unirii (~4 minutes), ~4.5 km from Gara de Nord (~8 minutes) and ~19 km from Henri Coandă Airport (~26 minutes). The address to enter in your satnav: Bulevardul Ferdinand I 33.

**Public transport:** the nearest metro stations are Obor and Piața Iancului, both on line M1, ~1 km on foot from the tower. From the centre you can also walk along Calea Moșilor.

### Where to park

The museum has no car park. You park on the streets around the square, where spaces are usually paid; on weekdays the area is busy, so it is simpler to come by metro.

### Fees & discounts

Adult ticket: 10 lei; students and pensioners: 5 lei; pupils, pre-schoolers and adults with a mild or moderate disability: 2.50 lei. Guiding fee: 20 lei per group, for at least 6 people. Professional photography or filming costs 50 lei. Entry is free for children under 3, for pupils of special schools and children with disabilities together with their companions, for teachers accompanying groups of pupils, for war veterans and for heroes of the Revolution, as well as on 28 February, 18 April, 18 May, 26 June, 13 September and Heroes' Day, and on 1 June for pre-schoolers and pupils. Prices may change.

### Rules

Group bookings and guided visits are requested by email. Photographing with a phone for personal use is fine; professional photography is charged. Do not touch the exhibits. The tower has narrow stairs, so wear comfortable shoes and take it slowly.

### Facilities

Museum on several levels, linked by a metal spiral staircase · guided visits for groups of at least 6 people · phone: +40 21 794 3490 · email: muzeu@igsu.ro

## Details

- **Collection type:** history of firefighting
- **Guided tour:** Yes
- **Historical period:** 19th century
- **Civilisation:** Romanian

## Frequently asked questions about Foișorul de Foc (Fire Watchtower)

**How much is a ticket to Foișorul de Foc (Fire Watchtower)?**

A ticket to Foișorul de Foc (Fire Watchtower) costs 10 lei (reduced 5 lei; pupils 2.50 lei). Adult ticket: 10 lei; students and pensioners: 5 lei; pupils, pre-schoolers and adults with a mild or moderate disability: 2.50 lei. Guiding fee: 20 lei per group, for at least 6 people. Professional photography or filming costs 50 lei. Entry is free for children under 3, for pupils of special schools and children with disabilities together with their companions, for teachers accompanying groups of pupils, for war veterans and for heroes of the Revolution, as well as on 28 February, 18 April, 18 May, 26 June, 13 September and Heroes' Day, and on 1 June for pre-schoolers and pupils. Prices may change.

**What are the opening hours of Foișorul de Foc (Fire Watchtower)?**

Opening hours at Foișorul de Foc (Fire Watchtower): Monday–Friday 08:00 – 16:00, Saturday–Sunday closed. Monday to Friday 8:00–16:00. On Saturdays and Sundays the museum receives only groups who have booked by email at muzeu@igsu.ro, at least 48 hours in advance. The outside of the tower can be seen at any time from the square.

**How long does a visit to Foișorul de Foc (Fire Watchtower) take?**

A visit to Foișorul de Foc (Fire Watchtower) takes about 40 min (museum on several levels).

**Can you visit Foișorul de Foc (Fire Watchtower) with kids?**

Yes, Foișorul de Foc (Fire Watchtower) is suitable for children (firefighters' equipment and uniforms).

**Where can I park at Foișorul de Foc (Fire Watchtower)?**

There is paid parking at Foișorul de Foc (Fire Watchtower) (on the surrounding streets). The museum has no car park. You park on the streets around the square, where spaces are usually paid; on weekdays the area is busy, so it is simpler to come by metro.

**How do I get to Foișorul de Foc (Fire Watchtower)?**

Foișorul de Foc (Fire Watchtower) is located at Bulevardul Ferdinand I 33, Sector 2, București. By car: the tower is in eastern Bucharest, in the small square where Bulevardul Ferdinand I meets the surrounding streets, ~2.4 km from Piața Unirii (~4 minutes), ~4.5 km from Gara de Nord (~8 minutes) and ~19 km from Henri Coandă Airport (~26 minutes). The address to enter in your satnav: Bulevardul Ferdinand I 33. Public transport: the nearest metro stations are Obor and Piața Iancului, both on line M1, ~1 km on foot from the tower. From the centre you can also walk along Calea Moșilor.

**When is the best time to visit Foișorul de Foc (Fire Watchtower)?**

The best season for Foișorul de Foc (Fire Watchtower): All year round (indoor visit, all year).

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Last updated: 25 October 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania