Colentina: the Neighborhood That Gave Its Name to the River and the Lakes of North Bucharest
Colentina is a neighborhood in Sector 2, crossed by the river of the same name. Most of today’s apartment blocks were built between 1973 and 1989, and there are several shopping centers on Șoseaua Colentina.
Colentina is a neighborhood in Sector 2 of Bucharest, crossed by the Colentina River, on whose banks the lakes in the north of the city were built. It borders the Tei neighborhood to the west.
Where the name comes from
According to Wikipedia, the name Colentina is of Slavic origin. The source does not give a word the name would derive from.
From commune to neighborhood
Colentina was an independent commune in Ilfov, made up of the villages of Colentina, Fundeni and Plumbuita. In 1925, the commune of Colentina-Fundeni included the village of Pipera.
The oldest apartment block in the neighborhood, four stories high, was built in the late 1950s. The blocks of 8–10 stories, the most numerous, were built between 1973 and 1989. The Bucur Obor department store opened in 1975, next to Obor Market (Piața Obor).
The river and the lake
The Colentina River is 101 kilometers long, 37.4 of them within the municipality of Bucharest. Lake Colentina covers 29 hectares and lies downstream of Lake Plumbuița, on the chain of lakes that begins at Buftea and reaches Cernica. Work on the chain of lakes began in 1933, and by 1970 the chain was completed in its current form.
What is there today
The neighborhood is dominated by apartment blocks. Several shopping centers are on Șoseaua Colentina: Europa, Dragonul Roșu, Carrefour Colentina, Kaufland Bucur Obor and Bucur Obor. The neighborhood borders Obor Market to the south, Tei to the west, Baicului to the east, and Andronache and Ion Creangă to the north.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Colentina River?
101 kilometers, 37.4 of them within the municipality of Bucharest.
Which lakes are on the Colentina in the north of the capital?
Herăstrău, Floreasca, Tei, Plumbuița, Colentina, Fundeni and others, according to the list on Wikipedia.
Which neighborhoods does Colentina border?
Obor to the south, Tei to the west, Baicului to the east, and Andronache and Ion Creangă to the north.
