Pipera–Voluntari: the Border Between Bucharest and Ilfov, in the Northeast of the Capital
Voluntari is a locality in Ilfov County, bordering Sectors 1 and 2. The Pipera neighborhood belongs to it, about 7 kilometers from the center of the capital.
Voluntari is a satellite town of Bucharest, on the way out toward Urziceni. The Pipera neighborhood, known for its metro station and office district, is administratively part of it, even though it borders the capital directly.
Where the name comes from
The locality was formerly called “Cetatea Voluntărească”. The current name comes from the volunteer fighters of World War I, who were granted land in this area. A 1966 monograph shows that the land distribution carried out by Cuza in 1864 led to the formation of a hamlet of 20–25 households.
How the town took shape
In the late 19th century, the only locality on the present-day territory was the village of Pipera, in the commune of Băneasa-Herăstrău, Ilfov County. In 1925, the village appeared in the commune of Colentina-Fundeni, and around the same time the village of Voluntari was founded. In 1936, the commune of Colentina was abolished and merged into Bucharest, and the massive rise in rents in the capital made the two villages attractive on the real estate market, which led to population growth.
In 1950, the villages of Voluntari and Pipera became part of the 1 Mai district of Bucharest. In 1968 they were merged into a single village, Voluntari, a suburban commune of Bucharest. From 1981 the commune passed to the Ilfov Agricultural Sector, which became Ilfov County in 1997. In April 2004, Voluntari became a town. According to the Wikipedia page, in 2026 the town became a municipality, under Law 381/2026.
Local geography
The town has 47,366 inhabitants at the 2021 census and covers 37.4 square kilometers. It borders Sector 2 to the south, Sector 1 to the west, and the communes of Tunari, Ștefăneștii de Jos, Afumați and Dobroești. To the south it is bounded by the Bucharest–Constanța railway. The A3 motorway crosses the land that separates the two parts of the town. Three fragments of the old Vlăsia forest (Codrul Vlăsiei) survive in the Băneasa, Ștefănești and Andronache forests.
Roads
DN2 links Bucharest with Urziceni and intersects the ring road on the northeastern edge. DJ200 and DJ200B are county roads. DJ200 runs parallel to DN2, while DJ200B leads toward Tunari and Balotești and descends toward Bucharest through the Pipera area, where it is called Bulevardul Pipera.
Frequently asked questions
Is Voluntari part of Bucharest?
No. Voluntari is in Ilfov County, but it borders Sectors 1 and 2.
Why is it called Voluntari?
After the volunteer fighters of World War I, who were granted land in the area. Before that, the locality was called Cetatea Voluntărească.
What historic monuments does the locality have?
The only local historic monument is the Saint Elijah Church (Biserica „Sfântul Ilie”) in Pipera-Tătăranu, from the 18th century.
