Wednesday – Dinamo Swimming Pool

The Netflix series Wednesday prominently features Bazinul de Înot Dinamo Tolea Grințescu as the swimming pool at Nancy Reagan High School, a key early location in the story of Wednesday Addams. This historic indoor pool in Bucharest, Romania, stands out for its vintage architecture and functional design, perfectly suiting the show’s early high school chaos. Built as part of the Dinamo sports complex, it evokes a mid-20th-century athletic vibe with tiled walls, high ceilings, and spectator seating, contrasting the gothic Nevermore Academy that dominates later episodes. Filming here captures the mundane normalcy of Wednesday’s pre-Nevermore life before her transfer, blending real Romanian infrastructure with the Addams Family’s dark humor. The location’s coordinates at 44.4356, 26.0855 place it in Bucharest’s northern sports district, accessible yet understated.

The Scene

In episode one of Wednesday, the pool at Nancy Reagan High School becomes the stage for one of Wednesday Addams’ most vengeful acts. Expelled after unleashing chaos, Wednesday attends a water polo match where bullies target her. She dramatically empties two bags of piranhas into the pool, sending the team into panicked frenzy as the fish attack. The scene highlights Jenna Ortega’s deadpan delivery amid splashing horror, with water churning and screams echoing off the tiled walls. This pivotal moment underscores Wednesday’s intolerance for conformity and sets up her expulsion, propelling her to Nevermore Academy. The sequence uses tight shots of the pool’s edge and underwater chaos to amplify tension, marking a shift from everyday teen drama to supernatural mischief.

The Real Filming Location

Bazinul de Înot Dinamo Tolea Grințescu is an indoor swimming facility within Bucharest’s Dinamo Sports Park, named after swimmer Tolea Grințescu. One of Romania’s oldest pools, it features a 50-meter competition lane setup, diving boards, and bleachers, originally tied to the Dinamo sports club founded in the communist era. Located at coordinates 44.4356, 26.0855, it sits in the capital’s northern Pantelimon area, surrounded by athletic fields and accessible via public transport. The production transformed minimal parts of the space for filming in winter 2021-2022, preserving its authentic, weathered look with blue-tiled interiors and arched windows. Today, it serves local swimmers and clubs, maintaining its role as a community hub despite its brief cinematic fame.

Why This Location Was Chosen

Production chose Bazinul de Înot Dinamo Tolea Grințescu for its realistic depiction of an American high school pool, leveraging Bucharest’s diverse architecture to mimic U.S. suburbs without extensive sets. Director Tim Burton noted Romania’s locations “weirdly fit into the Addams Family world,” with the pool’s aged, institutional feel enhancing the scene’s chaotic energy. As part of 70 sets across Bucharest, it offered practical logistics near other sites like Universitatea Politehnica, used for school exteriors. The venue’s availability during off-hours allowed controlled filming of water effects and stunts, while its scale suited wide shots of the piranha frenzy. Cost-effective compared to U.S. builds, it blended seamlessly with visual effects to evoke Vermont’s fictional Nancy Reagan High.

Visiting the Location

Fans can visit Bazinul de Înot Dinamo Tolea Grințescu via Bucharest’s metro (M1 line to Pantelimon) or bus, entering Dinamo Sports Park at Strada Dinamo. Open to public swimmers weekdays 6 AM-10 PM and weekends 8 AM-8 PM, entry costs around 10-20 RON for adults, with lane swimming sessions prioritized. Photography is allowed outside peak hours; inquire at the desk about Wednesday photo spots near the pool entrance. Combine with nearby Politehnica University tours for a full episode one trail. Note winter closures for maintenance; check local schedules as it’s active for competitions. Respect ongoing use—no recreating piranha scenes—and enjoy the park’s tracks for a post-swim jog.