We used to see Caeucescu and his wife Elena on this balcony,on the TV news, trying to placate the revolutionary crowds in 1989. Eventually they escaped from this roof into a helicopter, but were caught in a nearby town, and tried and executed by the people.
The very large palace is the one he had built. It was only finished years after his death, at enormous cost, so he never got to appear on the balcony. First to appear there was Michael Jackson, who made the terrible mistake of saying Hello Budapest, instead of Hello Bucharest.
We also saw ads for Paul Anka, whom our young guide, Coco, had never heard of, so nancie and I and a couple of others performed "Diana" for her, in the bus!!!