King Mihai I Park of Romania is a large park in Bucharest. It is located in the northern part of the city, bounded by B-dul Prezan Constantin, B-dul Aviatorilor, Șos. Nordului, Str. Elena Văcărescu, Șos. Bucharest-Ploiesti and King Mihai I Road
It was built in 1936 on the shores of Lake Herastrau. The lake in the center of the park is part of the anthropic lake chain of the Colentina River.
Its history before 1930, where the area where the park is today was a swampy area and was rehabilitated between 1930-1935. On this occasion, the issue of arranging the entire area remained free, taking into account the fact that in that area there was already the Arc de Triomphe. In May 1939, alleys of the largest green space in Bucharest at that time were drawn. The projects for this park were designed by architects Ernest Pinard and Friedrich Rebhuhn. Friedrich Rebhuhn, a German landscape architect who worked in England, France and Switzerland, came to Romania in 1910, where he was offered the position of head of the horticultural department of Bucharest. In 1951, the park was expanded, transformed and reopened in its current form.
In the past, the park was also called, Carol II Park, National Park, I.V. Stalin or Herastrau Park and since 2017 this is the current name.
With an area of about 200 ha this is the perfect place for lovers of outdoor sports, long walks on the waterfront (the alley surrounding the lake is about 5.92 km long), or even water sports. The park also offers the possibility to walk with boats, boats and pedal boats, the surface of the Lake being about 74 ha. For those who are not interested in water, the areas specially designed for skaters, the bicycle rental center, or the adventure park with various routes, depending on the resistance, are perfect.
In the green areas of the park we find an impressive flora: linden, maple, poplar, willow, ash, but also colorful areas such as the Japanese Garden, designed by architect Rebhun, with openings to the Village Museum and park, Rose Island or ExpoFlora area, where, every year, floral decorations are made on an area of almost 15 hectares!
Also, around the park we meet some historical objectives such as the Village Museum, one of the most appreciated tourist objectives of Bucharest, founded in 1936 on the initiative of Professor Dimitrie Gusti, Elisabeta Palace, currently the official residence of the Royal Family of Romania, but also historical monuments such as the marble work "Sleeping Nymph", made by Filip Marin in 1906, and "Hercules knocking down the centaur", a work made of marble by Ion Jalea, in 1925.