Macca-Villacrosse Passage
About Macca-Villacrosse Passage
The Macca-Villacrosse Passage (also spelt Vilacrosse, as in the list of historic monuments) is a covered arcade in Bucharest's Old Town, built in 1891 to plans by the architect Felix Xenopol. The building permit was requested in March 1891 by Mihalache Macca, and the name also keeps the memory of the Villacrosse inn that stood here until the end of the 19th century, on the site of the old Câmpineanu Inn: the architect Xavier Villacrosse, who came from Catalonia, had become the owner of the inn through marriage in 1843. The passage has the shape of an elongated fork: two arms start from Calea Victoriei and join before the exit onto Strada Eugeniu Carada, wrapping around two sides of a hotel whose owner had refused to sell his land.
The passage was designed to link the area of the National Bank with the commercial street of Calea Victoriei and to ease the crowding between Calea Victoriei and Lipscani. In the communist period it was known as the Jewellery Passage (Pasajul Bijuteria), after a jewellery shop on Calea Victoriei; after 1989 it regained its old name. It is on the List of Historic Monuments under the code B-II-a-A-19837.
What you can see
The roof of yellow glass on an iron frame is the first thing you notice when you look up: the light falls softly on the yellow façades with their window frames, arcades and stucco ornaments. After the entrance from Strada Eugeniu Carada you reach an octagonal rotunda, with a dome of green and yellow coloured glass, semicircular windows and pilasters, and above the arches there are bas-reliefs with figures. The monumental portal on Strada Eugeniu Carada has caryatids and atlantes. The arms of the passage, narrow and curved, are lined with shop windows and ground-floor arcades.
Good to know
It is a public pedestrian way. The ground-floor spaces are used by cafés, restaurants, shops and offices, each with its own opening hours. The buildings of the passage are privately owned.
Information verified on 25 October 2026.
- The roof of yellow glass on an iron frame, seen from the middle of the passage.
- The octagonal rotunda with its dome of green and yellow glass, just inside the entrance from Strada Eugeniu Carada.
- The bas-reliefs with figures above the arches of the rotunda.
- The monumental portal on Strada Eugeniu Carada, with caryatids and atlantes.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: the passage is in the Old Town, an area of narrow streets with restricted traffic; leave the car in a car park nearby and cover the last few metres on foot. The main entrance is from Calea Victoriei, and the other exit opens onto Strada Eugeniu Carada, next to the National Bank Palace.
Public transport: the Universitate and Piața Unirii metro stations are ~5–10 minutes away on foot. From the CEC Palace, on Calea Victoriei, it is a few steps.
- Where to park
The Old Town is a paid parking zone with few places on the street, which fill up quickly in the evening and at weekends. The most practical option is a public car park near the centre and a short walk.
- Fees & discounts
Walking through the passage is free.
- Rules
The passage is for pedestrians. The spaces in it are private: each venue's own rules apply at its tables and inside.
- Facilities
glass-covered pedestrian way · cafés, restaurants and shops on the ground floor
Frequently asked questions about Macca-Villacrosse Passage
- How much is a ticket to Macca-Villacrosse Passage?
- Admission to Macca-Villacrosse Passage is free (public thoroughfare). Walking through the passage is free.
- How long does a visit to Macca-Villacrosse Passage take?
- A visit to Macca-Villacrosse Passage takes about 20 min (a walk through both arms).
- Can you visit Macca-Villacrosse Passage with kids?
- Yes, Macca-Villacrosse Passage is suitable for children (pedestrian, no car traffic).
- Where can I park at Macca-Villacrosse Passage?
- There is paid parking at Macca-Villacrosse Passage (paid central zone). The Old Town is a paid parking zone with few places on the street, which fill up quickly in the evening and at weekends. The most practical option is a public car park near the centre and a short walk.
- How do I get to Macca-Villacrosse Passage?
- Macca-Villacrosse Passage is located at Calea Victoriei – Strada Eugeniu Carada, București. By car: the passage is in the Old Town, an area of narrow streets with restricted traffic; leave the car in a car park nearby and cover the last few metres on foot. The main entrance is from Calea Victoriei, and the other exit opens onto Strada Eugeniu Carada, next to the National Bank Palace. Public transport: the Universitate and Piața Unirii metro stations are ~5–10 minutes away on foot. From the CEC Palace, on Calea Victoriei, it is a few steps.
- When is the best time to visit Macca-Villacrosse Passage?
- The best season for Macca-Villacrosse Passage: All year round (all year, roofed in glass).
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