The boulevard and the Unification Square were built in the 1980s. during the period of the communist dictatorship of N. Ceausescu as part of the project of the grandiose Civic Center. Unification Boulevard runs from the Palace of the Parliament to Alba Iulia Square and is surrounded by residential buildings that were intended to house leaders and officials of the communist government. During the construction of this Center, entire residential areas with churches, streets and houses of the 19th century were demolished. Unirii Boulevard is very wide, it is also called the "Romanian Champs Elysees". At present, a park has been laid out on the Unification Square and fountains have been installed, and the Unireya Shopping Center also operates here. The boulevard is an important thoroughfare of the city, and the square is a transport hub: there are bus stops and a metro station.