After World War I, Romania was among the first countries that, following the example of France, decided to build a monument dedicated to the memory of those who died on the battlefields. Thus, according to the Versailles Treaty, where each country’s responsibilities to honour the war graves was agreed, Romania was the first country that assimilated the foreign heroes to the national ones, as shown in the "Memoire addressed to the Romanian Government by the Society for the Heroes Tombs", whose president was the Mitropolite Miron Cristea.

Cele zece sicrie de stejar cu trupurile ostaşilor anonimi

In sign of eternal honour, the Romanian rulers decided in 1923 that the symbol for the sacrifice of the many, fallen for the unification of the country, should be evoked by the remains of one of the anonymous soldiers from Marasesti, Marasti, Oituz, Targu-Ocna, Jiu, Prahova, Bucharest, Dobrogea, Ardeal and Basarabia. The exhumation and taking of these remains was followed by their laying in ten oak coffins, doubled with zinc and their expose in the Church "The Assumption" in Marasesti on the 13th of May 1923.

The choice of the remains of the Unknown Soldier was made by the military pupil Amilcar C. Sandulescu (from the "Dimitrie A. Sturdza" Military Highschool), class leader and war orphan, who knelt in front of the fourth coffin and said the legendary words: "This is my father."

After that choice of the Unknown Soldier, the other nine coffins were taken in a place of great honour, in the Heroes Cemetery in Marasesti, and buried with military honours on the 14th of May 1923.

Trenul cu care a sosit în Bucureşti sicriul cu Ostaşul Necunoscut

The next day, the Unknown Soldier's coffin, decorated with the Romanian flag, was carried by a guard of officers of the "Mihai Viteazu" military order and laid on the platform of a special train with the destination Bucharest, that arrived there during the same afternoon. State officials, as well as political and military authorities waited its arrival at the North Railway Station. King Ferdinand himself was there, wearing his uniform of general officer of the Royal Escort Regiment, and inspecting the company of honour.

The coffin was then placed on a catafalque covered with the Romanian flag and insignia and, after the religious ceremony and military honours, it was put on a canon carriage pulled by eight horses and transported, in a long procession, up to the "Mihai Voda" Church. The coffin remained there the whole day of the 16th of May, so that the public from Bucharest could come in pilgrimage.

Mormântul Ostaşului Necunoscut

On the 17th of May 1923, in the presence of the royal family, Government, legislative chambers and a numerous public, the burial ceremony took place in the Carol Park. The religious service was performed and, by noon, the siren of the Army Arsenal and the bells of the churches announced the introduction of the Unknown Soldier in the resting place. All public activities were stopped for two minutes.

The Unknown Soldier’s Tomb was, in fact, a simple crypt covered by a stone slab decorated with flower sculptures. On the slab there was the following inscription: "Here lies at rest happily unto the Lord the Unknown Soldier, extinguished from life in the sacrifice for the unity of the Romanian people. On his bones lies the land of united Romania. 1916-1919."

The funerary complex was constructed in 1927, according to the sculptor Emil Willy Becker’s plans. At the same period, by the care of the Homeland Cult Society, a candle with an eternal flame has been lightened. At a later time, on the 28th of October 1934, a cross was raised and blessed next to the tomb.

Din 1959 până în 1991, locul Mormântului Ostaşului Necunoscut a fost în faţa Mausoleului de la Mărăşeşti

During the Communist regime, in the night of 22/23 December 1958, the Unknown Soldier’s funerary monument was dismantled and moved, in great secrecy, at the Marasesti Mausoleum. Only after 1989, at the insistence of the Ministry of National Defence, of the National Association of War Veterans and of some political parties, the Romanian Government decided to bring the Unknown Soldier’s remains back to the Capital City. On the 26th of October 1991, the Unknown Soldier came back where his resting place initially was, in the Carol I Park.

The monument is registered with no. 2434, code B-IV-m-A-20105, in the List of Historical Monuments, updated by the Order of the Minister of Culture and Cults no. 2314 of 8th of July 2004.