24 January: Romanian Unification Day

Romanians celebrate, on January 24, Unification Day, 159 years since the Romanian Principalities united in a single national state, under the rule of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza, initiator of reforms that set the basis of modern Romania.

In Bucharest and in almost all major cities, there are military ceremonies, flower wreaths, and people are uniting in the traditional circle dance named “Hora of Unity”.

Most of the ceremonies in Bucharest take place on the Patriarchal Hill, the place where, in 1859, Alexandru Ioan Cuza was elected as Ruler.

On January 24, state-owned railway company CFR Călători announced about the train connecting Bucharest to Iasi, called the “Union Train”. The train, having attached a tricolor engine, left Bucharest Northern Railway Station at 5:48 AM and during the travel there were different actions evoking historical moments, taking into account the Romanian Centenary celebration. Custodian of the Romanian Crown Margaret takes part in the public celebration in the Unirii Square in Iași, alongside Members of the Romanian Parliament and other high-ranking officials and guests.

Celebrations on the Unification Day also take place in Pitești, Focșani, Alba Iulia, Sebeş, Timişoara, Arad, Galaţi, Buzău, Constanţa.

Today, the Cotroceni National Museum in Bucharest - residence of Alexandru Ioan-Cuza during the Unification of Principalities - will open its doors to visitors. They will have the chance to see an extensive exhibition with personal belongings of the Cuza family, original documents, and the parade sword Alexandru Ioan-Cuza received from the Serbian Prince Mikhail Obrenovich.

January 24 is a legal day off in Romania.

Source:RRA.Translated by Miruna Matei