National Day 2024 in Romania

Romania’s National Day (Ziua Națională), or Great Union Day (Ziua Marii Uniri), is an annual public holiday on December 1 to celebrate the unification of Romanian provinces. Romania also has Constitution Day, Flag Day and Anthem Day.

Is National Day a Public Holiday?

National Day is a public holiday. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed.

In 2024, it falls on a Sunday, and some businesses may choose to follow Sunday opening hours.

What Do People Do?

Romania celebrates its national day, also called 1918 Great Union Day or Unification Day, with military parades and public speeches given by national leaders in cities such as Bucharest and in Alba Iulia (the “union city”). Many people in Romania have the day off work and school.

Public Life

National Day is a public holiday in Romania so banks, public offices, and many private businesses are closed. People intending to travel via public transport during public holidays must check with the public transit authorities on any changes to time schedules. Some parts of Bucharest, and possibly other major cities, may be closed off during certain times of the day for military parades.

Background

Romania’s National Day marks the country’s unification in 1918. Romania’s full independence had been recognized in 1878 but it was not until December 1, 1918 in the city of Alba Iulia, when Romania – made of Moldova and Wallachia at the time – was united with Transylvania, Crisana, Banat and the Maramures area. National Day has been celebrated in Romania since 1990, after the fall of the Romanian Communist Party.

Symbols

The Romanian flag is flown on National Day in Romania. The national flag is a tricolor blue, yellow, red, with colors arranged in vertical bands of equal size. It has a width-length ratio of 2:3. The 3 colors symbolize 3 Romanian provinces – Wallachia (yellow), Moldavia (red), and Transylvania (blue). The national anthem “Deşteaptă-te, române!” (Awaken thee, Romanian!) is also performed. The anthem is a symbol of unity, courage, and patriotism among Romanians.

While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. If you find an error, please let us know.