# Gabroveni Inn

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

> An inn in the Old Town on Strada Lipscani, built in the early 19th century and restored in 2009–2014: today the seat of ARCUB, with a cobbled passage between Lipscani and Strada Gabroveni.

**At a glance:** Monuments and historic sites in București. The visit takes 30 min. Information verified on 26 October 2026.

## Key facts

- **Opening hours:** The inn is the seat of ARCUB and has no visiting hours of its own: the performance and exhibition halls open according to the events calendar on arcub.ro. The box office is open Monday to Friday 09:00–17:00; on performance days it opens one hour before the show, and on Saturday and Sunday it is closed apart from performance days. The façade on Lipscani can be seen from the street at any time.
- **Ticket:** depends on the event
- **Visit duration:** 30 min — the façade, the passage and an exhibition
- **With kids:** Yes — pedestrian passage, no traffic
- **Parking:** Yes, paid — Zone 0, on Strada Jacques Elias
- **Best season:** All year round — all year, following the ARCUB calendar
- **Address:** Strada Lipscani 84–90, București
- **Coordinates:** 44.43146, 26.10262
- **Phone:** +40 787 544 566
- **Website:** https://arcub.ro/spatiile-noastre/hanul-gabroveni
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabroveni_Inn
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5516134
- **Categories:** [Monuments and historic sites](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/monumente-si-situri-istorice)

## 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](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/centrul-vechi-bucuresti), and [Manuc's Inn](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/hanul-lui-manuc) is ~450 m away.

### What you can see

From Strada Lipscani you see the façade with a ground floor of grey stone and wide arcades, with a large entrance archway, and an upper floor with arched windows and a wrought-iron balcony. Through the archway you enter a narrow passage paved with cobblestones, between two wings with white arcades and brick vaults; the passage links Lipscani with Strada Gabroveni. The building holds a 160-seat performance hall, seven exhibition and meeting rooms, a multipurpose studio and an inner courtyard sometimes used as a stage.

### Good to know

The inn is not a museum: it is a cultural centre with performances, exhibitions and workshops. The halls open according to the events calendar, and access to the passage and the halls depends on the institution's schedule. The façade and archway can be seen from the street at any time. Strada Lipscani is pedestrianised, so you arrive on foot.

## Don't miss

- The façade on Strada Lipscani, with its grey stone ground floor, wide arcades and the wrought-iron balcony on the upper floor.
- The cobbled passage between the two wings with white arcades, with brick vaults at the ends.
- The restored brickwork: over 300,000 bricks from walls more than 200 years old were replaced one by one.
- The exhibitions and performances in the ARCUB halls, announced on arcub.ro.

## 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

## Details

- **Historical period:** 1804–1818
- **Civilisation:** Wallachia

## Frequently asked questions about Gabroveni Inn

**How long does a visit to Gabroveni Inn take?**

A visit to Gabroveni Inn takes about 30 min (the façade, the passage and an exhibition).

**Can you visit Gabroveni Inn with kids?**

Yes, Gabroveni Inn is suitable for children (pedestrian passage, no traffic).

**Where can I park at Gabroveni Inn?**

There is paid parking at Gabroveni Inn (Zone 0, on Strada Jacques Elias). 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.

**How do I get to Gabroveni Inn?**

Gabroveni Inn is located at Strada Lipscani 84–90, București. 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.

**When is the best time to visit Gabroveni Inn?**

The best season for Gabroveni Inn: All year round (all year, following the ARCUB calendar).

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