Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Romania Bucharest Trajan and Wolf Statue
Trajan and Wolf Statue is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

AO Edited

Trajan and Wolf Statue

One of the most controversial statues in Romania is an emperor with no clothes.

Bucharest, Romania

Added By
Martin Henshaw
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The statue was unveiled in 2012.   Jorge Láscar/CC BY 2.0
It is meant to represent the birth of modern Romania.   Clay Gilliland/CC BY-SA 2.0
  mordekia / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The Roman emperor Trajan, who ruled between the years 98 and 117, has many accomplishments to his name. He expanded the boundaries of the empire to include the territories of Dacia, Armenia, and Mesopotamia, built public baths, rebuilt the road system, and improved the Roman port of Ostia.  Since 2012, he is also the subject of one of the most controversial statues in Romania. The respected Roman emperor stands totally and awkwardly naked on the steps of the country's National History Museum, behind a wolf that appears to be floating just above his hands.

The statue is meant to represent the birth of modern Romania, with Trajan’s conquest of Dacia (which Romania was a part of) and its subsequent inclusion in the Roman empire. The union of Dacia and Rome paved the way for Romania as it stands today.

In the statue, designed by prominent Romanian artist Vasile Gorduz, Dacia is symbolized by the wolf in the ruler's hands. But the bizarre design still raises quite a few questions, such as the wolf’s awkward floating position, and the sartorial choice to dress the emperor in his birthday suit, while the animal is wearing a scarf. These and other mysteries may never be fully solved as Gorduz died in 2008, before the statue was unveiled by Bucharest’s mayor in 2012. 

The statue is more hated than loved by locals, but it makes for a great photo-op, especially for people traveling with animals, who parody the structure by holding their own pets up in the same position. 

Update March 2018: The wolf broke its tail and was taken down in the summer of 2017 and as of October 2019 it has yet to be reconstructed.    

Related Tags

Roman Statues Animals Wolves Empire

Know Before You Go

Located on Calea Victoriei

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights

Discover Romania's Medieval Castles & Culture.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

martinhenshaw123

Edited By

Helay, laksarichard, mordekia, Kavya Ram Mohan

  • Helay
  • laksarichard
  • mordekia
  • Kavya Ram Mohan

Published

June 13, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Trajan_and_the_She-wolf
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17936412
  • https://www.britannica.com/biography/Trajan
  • https://www.romania-insider.com/bucharest-municipality-varnishes-controversial-naked-trajan-emperor-and-dacian-wolf-bronze-statue/
  • http://www.ancient.eu/trajan/
Trajan and Wolf Statue
National History Museum
Calea Victoriei 12
Bucharest
Romania
44.431442, 26.097459
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Relics of Zlătari Church

Bucharest, Romania

miles away

Muzeul Micul Paris (Little Paris Museum)

Bucharest, Romania

miles away

Cărturești Carusel Bookstore

Bucharest, Romania

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Bucharest

Bucharest

Romania

Places 17

Nearby Places

Relics of Zlătari Church

Bucharest, Romania

miles away

Muzeul Micul Paris (Little Paris Museum)

Bucharest, Romania

miles away

Cărturești Carusel Bookstore

Bucharest, Romania

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Bucharest

Bucharest

Romania

Places 17

Related Places

  • The wolf in the summer months.

    Tønsberg, Norway

    Capitoline Wolf Statue

    A statue that would be at home in Rome can instead be found in the heart of Norway's oldest city.

  • “Constantine by this sign conquer.”

    York, England

    'Constantine the Great'

    This sculpture marks the spot where one of the greatest Roman rulers was proclaimed emperor.

  • A gift from Mussolini to the city of Cincinnati

    Cincinnati, Ohio

    Twin Lakes Capitoline Wolf

    Mussolini gave Cincinnati a bronze statue of Romulus and Remus suckling at a wolf's teats.

  • Taipei, Taiwan

    National Taiwan Museum Bronze Oxen

    These two 90-year-old statues were once part of a Japanese Shinto shrine.

  • This curious cat is especially dear to locals.

    La Rochelle, France

    La Maison du Chat (The Cat House)

    No one knows the story behind the mysterious feline perched on this rooftop.

  • Odate, Japan

    ‘Homesick Hachiko’

    Another statue of Japan's most famous dog stands in his hometown.

  • Woerden, Netherlands

    Woerden Elagabal Inscription

    This ancient stele gives a testimony to the presence of the Syrian sun god Elagabalus on the Roman Empire's western frontier.

  • Diokletian Aqueduct

    Split, Croatia

    Dioklecijanov Akvadukt (Diocletian Aqueduct)

    This ancient Roman aqueduct once funneled water to Diocletian's palace.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.