BUCHAREST, BucHOREST, or BUCCAREST, a town of European Turkey, in the province of Wallachia, is situated on the river Damboriza, and is the residence of the Hospodar, or prince of Wallachia, and the see of a Greek archbishop. It shows at a distance numerous cupolas, and a vast extent of buildings ; but it consists merely of a collection of villages, without plan or regu larity. The houses are very mean in general. The best of them are built of stone, and covered with wooden tiles ; and when Mr Chissul visited Wallachia in 1702, the greater number were under ground like cellars, and covered at the top with straw, or bark of trees. The gardens are very wide, and enclosed with entire trunks of oak, set closely together. The streets are paved transversely with planks of wood, about ten yards long, and as many inches thick, and appear like one continued bridge throughout the whole extent of the city. The planks are often badly fastened, and much decayed, which renders walking very disagreeable and tedious. This town is said to contain 400 convents and churches ; the principal of which are, the patriarchal church ad joining the palace of the archbishop. It has four cupo las, and stands on an eminence, commanding a pleasant view of the city. The church of St George, the patron saint of Wallachia, is built in the best modern Greek style. Its portico is supported by short spiral columns, with an imitation of Corinthian capitals; and the inte• rior walls are spread over with fresco paintings of saints, particularly of the equestrians, St George and St De metrius, as large as life. The palace of the Hospodar has a very mean appearance. It is low, and built of
wood, with slated towers over the gate-ways ; and stands in a court, which also contains a church, and a range of barracks. The meanness of this establish ment is easily accounted for, by the frequent changes of its inhabitants, who are little anxious about present conveniences and splendour during their short and pre carious government, provided they can amass enough of wealth from their temporary subjects, to return to the shores of the Bosphorus, and the enjoyments of Asiatic luxury. In the centre of the town are the ba zars, which consist of several rows of open shops, pro tected from the mid-day sun by a roof of timber frame. Here the mechanics are employed, and a great variety of wares exhibited. As the environs of Bucharest abound in corn and wine, and excellent pasturage, its principal trade consists in the exportation of provisions to Constantinople. The inhabitants are chiefly Chris tians ; but their houses, manners, and dress, resemble much those of their Turkish masters. This town has been subject at different timcs to the Russians, the Austrians, and the Turks; and was delivered up to the latter power at the peace of Sistova, on the 4th of Au gust, 1791, under whose dominion it has since remained. It is nearly 50 miles S. E. of Tergowitz, and 250 N. N. W. from Constantinople. Population, 60,000. N. Lat. 44° 30'; E. Long. 25° 51'. See .4n Itinerary from London to Constantinople, p 53, in Philip's Coll. of VoyageR, tee. vol. i. (p)