Standing just behind the National Art Museum, the Palace Hall (in Romanian: Sala Palatului) was built over what was until 1944 the residence of the royal family. When the palace was bombed in august 1944, these areas could no longer be used, and were demolished during the Communist era. The concert hall was opened in 1960 and instantly became one of the most important halls in Romania, a venue not only for concerts but also political meetings. Indeed, this was where the Communist Congress was held every 5 years from 1965.. With a capacity of over 4,000 seats, the great hall is used on a regular basis for all types of music shows, the most famous of which is the George Enescu International Festival for classical music.