Bucharest, the capital of Romania, is today the economic, cultural and university center of the country. It is also the largest city and the place where the most important institutions of the state are located. However, Bucharest has not always been as it is today, but it has developed over more than five centuries of existence, becoming the city it is today due to various factors.
The early history of Bucharest is not very well known, and many things are still unclear to those who have studied the history of the city. However, from its first documentary attestation, in a deed issued by Vlad the Impaler on September 20, 1459, Bucharest appears frequently in documents issued by various people, from rulers to merchants.
Many have said that Bucharest was founded by Vlad the Impaler himself in the year it is first attested, namely 1459. However, archaeological excavations and some documents show that the city existed even before 1459, perhaps not in the form it had during Vlad the Impaler's time.
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At first, the city would have been called Cetatea Dambovitei, a name that appears in several documents issued by Vlad the Impaler in 1458. This Cetatea Dambovitei is mentioned in a source that speaks about a battle fought, during the time of Vlaicu Voda, between the Voivode of Transylvania and the parcalab of Cetatea Dambovita.
However, this Cetatea Dambovitei referred to in the source seems to be another one, closer to the Carpathian Mountains. It is anyway clear that Bucharest was called, for a short period, Cetatea Dambovitei, after the river on whose banks it was founded.
The initial perimeter of the city was the area now known as Curtea Veche and part of today's Old Town. Here the first fortification of the city was built and from here the city began to develop. Over time, it grew in size and importance, largely due to its function as a market and stopover on an important trade route.
Due to the growing importance of the city, many boyars began to establish their courtyards here, considering that the area had economic potential. Their courtyards grew, giving the city a new appearance, which developed in terms of urban planning and significantly increased its surface area.
The rulers also began to come to Bucharest for various reasons, but many continued to prefer Târgoviște as their residence. The first ruler who stayed in Bucharest and used the city as his princely residence was Radu cel Frumos, Vlad the Impaler's brother.
This can be explained by the fact that the ruler, allied with the Turks, wanted to be closer to Giurgiu and the places controlled by the Turks.
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