Gabroveni Inn

About Gabroveni Inn

Gabroveni Inn (Hanul Gabroveni) is an inn in Bucharest's Old Town, with its main façade on Strada Lipscani. The name comes from the merchants from the Bulgarian town of Gabrovo who came here to trade, and it was also given to the neighbouring street. An old tradition links it to Prince Constantin Mavrocordat and the year 1739, when he is said to have raised a bezesten, a square building with shops; archaeological research and surviving documents show, however, that the present inn was built between 1804 and 1818, on the site of more modest houses.

In the 19th century it was a place of trade, with shops on the ground floor. In 1874 it was bought by Solomon Ascher, who turned it into the Commercial Passage and added a floor. After the nationalisation of 1955 the building declined, and fires, including one in 1999, left it in ruins. Between 2009 and 2014 it was restored, consolidated and extended with funding from the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism, and since 2014 it has been the seat of ARCUB, the cultural centre of the Bucharest City Hall. It is part of the Old Town, and Manuc's Inn is ~450 m away.

Information verified on 26 October 2026.

Good to know before you go

Getting there

By car: Strada Lipscani is pedestrianised and closed to cars. The inn is in the Old Town, ~4.4 km from Gara de Nord; the nearest car park is on Strada Jacques Elias, in Zone 0, and from there you walk.

Public transport: the nearest metro station is Piața Unirii (M1, M2, M3), ~7–8 minutes on foot. Several bus lines also run to Piața Unirii. The entrance is at Strada Lipscani 84–90, and the passage comes out at Strada Gabroveni 50–53.

Where to park

The inn has no car park of its own. The nearest is on Strada Jacques Elias, next to the Kulturhaus club, in Zone 0, with an hourly charge. Strada Lipscani is pedestrianised, so the last stretch is on foot.

Fees & discounts

The price depends on the event; performances are ticketed, with tickets bought online or at the box office. People with disabilities get free entry to ARCUB events, with advance booking and a disability certificate.

Rules

It is a cultural building and event venue: at performances and exhibitions, follow the house rules and the staff's instructions. Photography inside the halls depends on the event; the façade and the passage can be photographed freely.

Facilities

Box office · 160-seat performance hall, exhibition rooms and studio · pedestrian passage · free entry for people with disabilities at events, with advance booking