Floreasca: from the Florești Boyars’ Estate to the Colentina Lake and the Former Ford Factory
Floreasca spans Sectors 1 and 2 and is named after the Florești boyars. In 1935, Ford proposed its first large assembly line in Eastern Europe here, and the lake on the Colentina was built starting in 1936.
From Quartier du Nord The Gardens
- 2.2 km · about 30 min walk
- 2.3 km by car
Floreasca is a neighborhood in the north of Bucharest, in Sectors 1 and 2, on the shore of the lake of the same name. For someone living in the north, it means the lake, the Floreasca Sports Hall (Sala Floreasca) and Calea Floreasca.
Where the name comes from
In the 16th and 17th centuries, the area was part of the princely estate around Bucharest. The name comes from the Florești boyars (landowning nobles), who owned it.
At the end of the 17th century, the Drumul Plăcintei road, which led to Bucharest, crossed the estate. After 1910, architect Ion D. Trajanescu designed homes in the “Floreasca subdivision” (“parcelarea Floreasca”).
The Ford factory and a new neighborhood
In 1935, Ford proposed an assembly plant on Calea Floreasca. It was the company’s first large assembly line in Eastern Europe. The factory closed in 1948, and its production lines were then used for Automatica equipment. The original hall survived demolition but was abandoned during the communist years, according to One United Properties.
In 1957, a new neighborhood was put into use, with a cinema, a school, a sports hall, parks and retail spaces.
Lake Floreasca
Lake Floreasca is in Sector 1, on the Colentina River, between Herăstrău and Tei. It covers 70 hectares, is three kilometers long and about 500 meters wide on average. Work began in 1936, as part of the 1930s developments on the Colentina. There are eight abandoned lido-style swimming areas (ștranduri) on the shore, according to Wikipedia.
What is there today
Four-story apartment blocks predominate in the neighborhood. There is the C. A. Rosetti High School, the Maria Rosetti Secondary School and a kindergarten. The neighborhood is home to the Floreasca Sports Hall and the football club Athletico Floreasca.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called Floreasca?
After the Florești boyars, owners of the estate in the 16th and 17th centuries.
What was the Ford factory in Floreasca?
An automobile assembly plant, proposed by Ford in 1935 on Calea Floreasca. It closed in 1948, and its lines were then used for Automatica equipment.
How large is Lake Floreasca?
70 hectares, according to Wikipedia.
