Things to see and do Timişoara

From the first glance, this large paved and grassy square, surrounded by colourful buildings, seduces by its elegance. Entirely pedestrian, it is a popular meeting place: people come here to chat, play football, meet around the small circular fountain in the centre or have a drink at one of its many terraces. Union Square has been the scene of many important events for Banat. For example, it was here that the region's attachment to Romania was celebrated, hence its name. In the center stands the statue of the Holy Trinity (1740), which recalls the plague epidemic that devastated Timişoara. Created in Vienna, in the purest Baroque style, the statue was transported by river. It was renovated in 1995.

Piața Unirii is surrounded by many remarkable buildings, most of them of Baroque architecture, but also classical or eclectic: the Baroque Palace, which houses the Museum of Art, the Serbian Catholic and Orthodox Cathedrals, the Episcopal Palace. Note also the amazing Casa Brück, at No. 2, built in 1910 in the Art Nouveau style. Or, in a corner, at the very beginning of the rue Gheorghe Lazăr, a jewel of Art Nouveau architecture from 1908, with wavy shapes and glazed ceramic ornaments. The beautiful building is reminiscent of those designed by the famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. A little further on, by taking the Augustin Pasha street, you will see at n° 6 the house "au Trompettiste", surmounted by a baroque bulb.

It's the city's landmark building. Of neo-Byzantine and neo-Romanesque inspiration, the Orthodox cathedral was built between 1936 and 1946 and can accommodate 5,000 standing worshippers. Its monumental appearance is impressive: 63 m long, 35 m wide, 80 m high. The ochre and yellow of the brick and the green and gold of the tiles form an elegant color combination. Its bells, each weighing 8 tonnes, were cast from rare metals from Sumatra and Borneo. Inside, the icons are superb. Some are on display in a basement museum.

It was built according to the plans of the Austrian architect Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach (1693-1742). Begun in 1736, work was interrupted by the plague epidemic and the cathedral was not completed until 1774. In the shape of a cross, it mixes classical influences and baroque decorations. The two altars bring a rococo touch to the whole. In 1849, the building was severely damaged and the last restorations took place in 1981-1982. The arrangement of the vaults gives the place an excellent acoustics, suitable for organ concerts.

Just on the outskirts of the town, this open-air museum, created in 1971, exhibits typical 19th century farm buildings and houses, but also tools from all corners of Banat, as well as a farm and water and windmills. The complex, organised in accordance with the layout of the villages at the time, includes all the traditional institutions: town hall, school, church... To get there, take bus n° 46 from the Bastion station.

Facing the Orthodox Cathedral, this lively, flowery square is lined with terraces. Note in the centre the replica of the famous statue of the Capitoline Wolf, donated by the city of Rome in 1926. The beautiful building housing the Theatre and Opera dates back to the 19th century, except for its neo-Byzantine façade, rebuilt after the fire of 1920. Victory Square is also the symbol of the revolution, of which it was the main stage. It was here that on 16 December 1989, thousands of demonstrators came to protest against the forced transfer of Pastor László Tőkés.

Timişoara was one of the first cities in Romania to set up a tourist office. You will find all kinds of information: maps, data on the main tourist objectives of the city and its surroundings, a list of hotels and pensions, contact details of guides and agencies, transport timetables and practical publications to find out about cultural event programmes (concerts, etc.), such as the free bi-monthly Zile și Nopți The office also has a website, rich in information.

It was developed from the ^18th century onwards, with the establishment of various factories. More popular than the center, but just as colorful, it's a true neighborhood. Its Poporului park is pleasant and lively. Nearby stands an imposing Secession-style synagogue dating from 1897. Further east, Piața Traian, surrounded by beautiful buildings, is the heart of the district. Piața Romanilor, more intimate, is the entry point to the Millenium Catholic Church (1896). A vast program to renovate the district is due to begin in 2024.

The foundation stone of this baroque building was laid in 1731 by Peter Solderer, the mayor of the town, for the German community. The façade, decorated with the town's coat of arms, was restored in 1782 in Renaissance style. Its external appearance was further modified during the restoration of 1935. Near its main entrance, on the right-hand side, you will find an inscription in Arabic, a sign of the Ottoman occupation of the city and which refers to the Turkish baths on which the old town hall (Primăria veche) was built.

Southwest of the centre, on the other side of the Bega river, you will happily get lost in the residential areas of Elizabetin and Iosefin. The large houses are not always in good condition, but are nevertheless elegant. Streets with a village character, sometimes paved, small quiet squares, a lively market and the rarity of cars also make the charm of these places. Among the points of interest: the Reformed Church (strada Cipariu 1) of Pastor László Tőkés. This is where the very first rally against Ceaușescu was formed on December 15, 1989.

Three large squares line the route: Piața Victoriei, opposite the cathedral, is undoubtedly the busiest, with its cafés and terraces. Piața Libertății is the main tramway station. Note at no. 7 the former military casino, in late Baroque style. Finally, Piața Unirii, with its square surrounded by ^18th-century buildings, is a meeting point for locals. Between these two squares, the streets are pleasant and colorful. Among them is the Catholic Episcopal Palace (strada Augustin Pacha), a remarkable Baroque building dating from 1752.

It occupies the Baroque Palace, one of the most striking buildings on Union Square. Built in 1754, its restored interiors are extremely elegant, with superb carved wooden doors and walls featuring a wealth of Rococo and neo-Renaissance ornamentation. The museum's five permanent exhibitions are dedicated to ancient Banat painting and icons, modern Romanian art, the famous painter Corneliu Baba and European art. The museum also hosts interesting temporary exhibitions and various cultural events.

Housed in a decrepit former military barracks, this association-run memorial is an essential stop-off point for immersing yourself in the genesis of the Romanian Revolution. It traces the chronology of the uprising in Timișoara, and then the entire country. The exhibition is supported by numerous black-and-white period photos, offering a man's-eye view of the events. The main panels are translated into English, and a rather well-made documentary, available in French, is screened upstairs. The association's staff can also guide you through the rooms. One of them features a series of children's drawings, produced shortly after the revolution, forming a mosaic of hard-hitting and touching glimpses of events. Another room shows miniatures of the twelve sculptures of remembrance scattered around the city. Each has its own significance: one is dedicated to the mothers of the victims, another to the children killed during the repression, and so on. The memorial features maps indicating their location and meaning. Throughout the exhibition, you'll also find emblematic objects: flags with holes in them (symbols of the revolution), police uniforms or demonstrators' clothes... A chapel has even been reconstituted, in memory of the 104 people killed in Timișoara, four of whom have never been identified. While the lack of resources is palpable, the visit is nonetheless instructive and emotionally charged.

Built between 1862 and 1865, to plans by Viennese architect Ignaz Schumann, it features an eclectic style, using elements of Moorish architecture, in vogue at the time. Its facade, framed by two massive towers, is covered in exposed brick and ceramic tiles. The grandeur of the building is a reminder that, at the turn of the century, Timișoara had a very large Jewish population: it numbered over 12,000, compared with a few hundred today. Most emigrated to Israel under Ceaușescu.

Built at the same time as the Catholic Cathedral, it rises on the other side of piața Unirii, to which it has its back. Its facade faces Ungurianu street. The building, which blends Baroque and classical styles, returned to the Serbian community after its separation from the Romanian Orthodox Church in 1865. The adjoining Episcopal Palace, the seat of the Serbian Orthodox bishopric, also dates from the 18th century, but its façade was rebuilt in 1905 in a neo-Serbian style.

This is the only remaining bastion of the nine in the Timișoara fortress, built in the ^18th century in the Vauban style. The bastions formed the third and final circle of the fortification, the innermost. The whole complex was almost entirely demolished in 1892, to allow for the development of the city. Renovated, the Theresia bastion now houses temporary exhibitions organized by the Banat Museum, as well as bar-restaurants, an art gallery and a museum dedicated to the cartoonist Popa (Wednesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.).

Here's a place not to be missed in Timișoara: in 2009, the independent theater Aualeu took over an old house, a little way from the center, to house its small performance hall, a bar called Scârț and, since 2015, a museum of the Communist Consumer. It's a sort of Ali Baba's cave, populated by everyday objects emblematic of that era. Noting that they were often destined for the garbage can, the Aualeu team set about rescuing some of them, donated or salvaged right and left, with the aim of preserving the popular memory of this period. This is not political nostalgia, but rather an evocation of childhood and family life under Communism. Three rooms have been reconstructed in the basement: a living room, a kitchen and a child's bedroom. You'll see old radio and TV sets, bottles for making sparkling water, crockery, games, dolls, school supplies, Disney magazines (from the days when the regime had opened up a little), sets of tin labels, propaganda posters and a large collection of porcelain trinkets (a very common gift at the time, due to lack of choice). Don't hesitate to ask the staff for explanations, otherwise you may feel a little helpless in the midst of all this bric-a-brac. The bar, with its bookshelves full of old books, retro foosball table, period portraits and kitsch paintings, is already setting the mood.

They stretch to the southeast of the center, along the Bega river. Some are dedicated to leisure activities, with swimming pools and tennis courts. The most beautiful is the Rose Park(Rozelor), where you can sit on a bench and admire the multicolored flowers. Nearby, the open-air theater regularly hosts cultural events. The Children's Park(Copiilor) has plenty of games for the little ones. On the other side of the river, you'll find the large university campus, a veritable city within the city, with a lively nightlife.