Bucharest’s Mayor Sorin Oprescu turned on the first Christmas lights in the Romanian capital city yesterday evening (December 4). More lights were installed this year, up 12 percent on 2010, with a massive 2.5 million green lights, to be turned on in three phases to avoid any possible damage. The first lights in Bucharest were lit in Piata Victoriei, on Blvd. Lascar Catargiu, Piata George Enescu, Blvd.Unirii, Piata Romana, Blvd. Magheru, Blvd. I.C. Bratianu, Piata Universitatii, Calea Victoriei, Piata Romana, and Piata St. Anton. The Circul Militar (National Military Palace), the Academy of Economic Studies (ASE) and the 'Ion Mincu' University of Architecture have also been decorated with winter-themed holograms.

In the second phase, lights were turned on in Piata Constitutiei, Blvd. Regina Elisabeta, Strada Kiseleff, while the City Hall was decorated with a winter-themed hologram.

In the third phase, on December 5 evening, the last winter holidays lights will be lit on Blvd. Aviatorilor, Blvd. Constantin Prezan, Piata Presei Libere, Soseaua Bucharest-Ploiesti, Blvd. Dacia, Calea Dorobantilor, Piata Operei and Piata Spania.

All the capital's Christmas lights will be on by December 6. The 2.5 million lights will cover over 21 km of streets.

 Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Sorin Oprescu's Facebook page)