Coltea Tower in 1888 before demolition. In the 18th and 19th century, Coltea Tower, the tallest construction of the time, was the pride of the city, much admired by travellers visiting Bucharest. Despite many people protests, the Mayor of the time decided on the demolition of the tower which, already dilapidated after repeated earthquakes, was preventing the widening of the boulevard that was going to be the North-South axis of the city.