Linden Tree Inn (Hanul cu Tei)
About Linden Tree Inn (Hanul cu Tei)
Hanul cu Tei (the Linden Tree Inn) is an inn in Bucharest's Old Town, built in 1833 by the merchants Anastasie Hagi and Ștefan Popovici, with its main entrance on Strada Lipscani and a second gate on Strada Blănari. It is the only historic inn in the city to have kept its original form: two rows of shops, 14 for each owner, built over vaulted cellars along a pedestrian passage about 75 m long. According to tradition, the name comes from the linden trees that once shaded the courtyard. Only the pavement and the guard's room were owned jointly. Towards the end of the 19th century, semicircular balconies were added to the façade on Lipscani, and an extra floor over the southern corners.
The inn is a listed historic monument (LMI code B-II-a-B-18908) and a place for a stroll: the passage is home to art galleries and shops selling antiques, painting supplies and jewellery, and part of the building houses event rooms. It is part of the Old Town, and Gabroveni Inn is ~110 m away on foot.
What you can see
From Lipscani you enter through a wide archway closed by wrought-iron gates and reach a stone-paved passage with the shops facing each other: massive doors with iron grilles on the ground floor and, above, a glazed wooden gallery, the geamlâc, typical of the inns of Wallachia. Old objects, paintings and period furniture can be seen in the windows and in front of the shops. At the entrance from Blănari, the monogram "A.P." and "S.P." of the first owners is still preserved.
Good to know
The inn is not a museum: it is a public passage with working shops and galleries, open according to each one's own hours. Part of the building is used for private events.
- The wide archway with wrought-iron gates on Strada Lipscani, the entrance to the passage.
- The cobbled passage, with two rows of shops facing each other, built over vaulted cellars.
- The upper floor with a glazed wooden gallery (geamlâc), typical of the inns of Wallachia.
- The monogram "A.P." and "S.P." of the first owners, at the entrance from Strada Blănari.
- The art galleries and antique shops in the passage.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: Strada Lipscani is pedestrianised, so the inn is visited on foot; the Old Town is ~4 km from Gara de Nord, and cars are left in a car park nearby.
On foot: the passage links Strada Lipscani (no. 63) with Strada Blănari (no. 5). It is ~3.2 km from Gara de Nord; Gabroveni Inn is ~110 m away, Stavropoleos Monastery ~330 m and Manuc's Inn ~420 m.
- Where to park
The inn has no car park of its own. Strada Lipscani and the neighbouring streets are pedestrianised, so cars are left outside the pedestrian zone and the last stretch is on foot.
- Fees & discounts
Walking through the passage is free; prices in the shops and galleries are set by each one.
- Rules
The passage is a pedestrian street with working shops and galleries: respect each place's hours and rules. Photography in the passage is free; inside the shops, ask the shopkeeper first.
Frequently asked questions about Linden Tree Inn (Hanul cu Tei)
How much is a ticket to Linden Tree Inn (Hanul cu Tei)?
Admission to Linden Tree Inn (Hanul cu Tei) is free. More under “Fees & discounts”
How long does a visit to Linden Tree Inn (Hanul cu Tei) take?
A visit to Linden Tree Inn (Hanul cu Tei) takes about 20 min (a stroll through the passage and the windows).
Can you visit Linden Tree Inn (Hanul cu Tei) with kids?
Yes, Linden Tree Inn (Hanul cu Tei) is suitable for children (pedestrian passage, no traffic).
Where can I park at Linden Tree Inn (Hanul cu Tei)?
There is paid parking at Linden Tree Inn (Hanul cu Tei) (outside the pedestrian zone). More under “Where to park”
How do I get to Linden Tree Inn (Hanul cu Tei)?
Linden Tree Inn (Hanul cu Tei) is located at Strada Lipscani 63–65 (acces și dinspre Strada Blănari 5–7), București. More under “Getting there”
When is the best time to visit Linden Tree Inn (Hanul cu Tei)?
The best season for Linden Tree Inn (Hanul cu Tei): All year round (all year).
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