Berceni, Bucharest

Built during the 1960s, it is a typical Communist-era working class district, lacking any major green spaces or cultural attractions.

It is believed that the name comes from the hussars of Miklós Bercsényi, who were first mentioned after the suppression of the Hungarian Kuruc War led by Francis II Rákóczi (at beginning of the 18th century).

Before the 1960s, Berceni was situated outside of Bucharest, in a very sparsely populated area where only a few rural properties were located, with the nearest landmarks being the long-gone Văcărești Monastery, and starting from the latter half of the 19th century, the Bellu Cemetery.

On 5 April 1964, the Scînteia newspaper announced plans for a new housing estate, being built specifically for the workers at the IMGB plant located nearby, which opened in 1963.

The first dwellers moved in 1965 when the first apartment buildings (4 to 9 storeys high) were completed, although the housing estate had its shortcomings: the local market was not ready on time, so trucks with food supplies would come in the mornings for the residents.