“Crucea de Piatra.” The Stone Cross. Does the name evoke images of solemn devotion? Think again. We are standing at a place with a far more colorful past than the name suggests. Crucea de Piatra was once Bucharest’s red-light district. It thrived during the interwar period.
Imagine Bucharest in the early 20th century. Prostitution was legal and regulated. Crucea de Piatra was a hub of this activity. It was a place of both vice and opportunity. The name Crucea de Piatra came from a stone cross. This cross stood in front of a medieval church. Both were destroyed during World War I. However the name lived on. It became synonymous with Bucharest’s underbelly.
The area stretched from Posta Vitan to Dristor. It was filled with bordellos. Red lanterns signaled the services offered within. Historian Adrian Majuru noted that every district in Bucharest had several bordellos. Crucea de Piatra was particularly well-known.
Men from all walks of life frequented Crucea de Piatra. Teenagers and mature men were among them. Writers sought inspiration there. Servants and laborers looked for companionship. Legend says even King Carol II had an affair with a prostitute. She was known as “Foamea Neagra” or Black Hunger.
Bordellos in Crucea de Piatra offered a range of services. More stylish prostitutes worked on Elisabeta and Ferdinand Boulevards. Others operated from Crucea de Piatra. Some even found clients in hotels and theaters. Women working in bordellos wore tulips. Those working independently wore eccentric hats. Protection was often secured through influential figures.
In the 1920s prostitutes had to register with the police. They had mandatory monthly medical check-ups. Each woman had a “condicuta.” This was a CV that detailed work history and medical conditions. A luxurious prostitute could earn 5000-6000 lei monthly. The average salary at the time was 800 lei. However most of the earnings went to the brothel owner.
Bordellos even offered subscriptions for loyal customers. Subscriptions cost 50 lei. They included ten “numbers.” One night of passion cost two “numbers.” Faithful clients enjoyed discounts.
The communist regime outlawed prostitution in 1949. They renamed Crucea de Piatra to Asau Street. This was an attempt to erase its infamous history. Former bordellos were nationalized. They became residential buildings.
Between 1985 and 1987 the entire area was demolished. This made way for Victoria Socialismului Boulevard. It is now Unirii Boulevard. The new Civic Center was planned. The Palace of Romanian Cantata was planned there. It was never built.
Today nothing remains of Crucea de Piatra. Only the memories and stories endure. These stories tell tales of Bucharest’s hidden past. They describe a world of legal prostitution and social complexity. Though gone Crucea de Piatra lives on in novels and films. It remains a fascinating chapter in Bucharest’s history.