Standing guard, imposingly, at the head of B-dul Kogalniceanu, the Casa Centrala a Armatei, usually known to all as Cercul Militar, was built in 1912 on the site of the former Sarindar Monastery (the name of which is preserved in the name of the fountain directly in front of the building). This neo-classical masterpiece, designed by Romanian architect Dimitrie Maimaroiu, was built to host the social, cultural and educational needs of the Romanian army. Banquets and regimental balls are still hosted in the main function rooms, while upstairs are the army's library, offices and classrooms for officer instruction. The main part of the building is out of bounds to civilians not attending a wedding or such like, but there is a cafe on the terrace during the summer.
