About Timisoara.
Places of interest.

About Timisoara.

Timisoara (pronunciation: /timiˈʃo̯ara/), also known as "The City of Athletes", is a city in the Banat region of western Romania. It is the capital of Timis County.
Along its existence, Timisoara has achieved many great things. But most of them were “shadowed” by the Communist regime, the period of material shortage, lack of freedom, moral and spiritual oppression. On December 16–22, 1989, a very important page was written by Timisoara in the History Book of the Romanian people. Timisoara was the town where the Revolution that lead to the defeat of the Communist regime started, proving once again its European spirituality convergent on the perennial values of democracy.
With almost 400,000 inhabitants, Timisoara is a large economic and cultural center in Banat in the west of the country. In recent years, Timisoara has enjoyed a significant economic boom as the number of foreign investments, especially in high-tech sectors, has risen constantly. It is frequently considered the second most prosperous city in Romania (following Bucharest) and there have been frequent debateson whether the so-called "Timisoara Model" could be applied to other cities. In an article in late 2005, French magazine L'Expansion called Timisoara Romania's economic showcase, and referred to the increased number of foreign investments as a "second revolution".
Apart from the several local investments, many substantial investments from the European Union take place in Timisoara, particularly from Germany and Italy, as well as from the USA. Continental AG has produced tires here for several years. The company Linde produces technical gases, and a part of the wiring moulds for BMW and Audi vehicles are produced by the company Draexelmaier. The US company Solectron maintains a large workplace in the west of the city for the production of mobile telephony and government inspection department devices. The American company Procter & Gamble manufactures washing and cleaning agents in Timisoara. The Swiss company Nestlé produces waffles here.
It is a multicultural city with influential minorities, primarily Hungarians, Germans, and Serbs, as well as Italians, Arabs, Indians, Bulgarians, Roma people, Jews and Greeks.
The city is also called "Little Vienna", because it belonged for a very long time to the Habsburg Empire and the entire city center consists of buildings built in the Kaiser era, which is reminiscent of the old Vienna. Timisoara is an important university center with the emphasis on subjects like medicine, mechanics and electro-technology.

The charm of this city, settled on the northern bank of the Bega River, lies in its distinct architectural character and vibrant cultural life. Timisoara is home to year-round musical and theatrical performances, art galleries, museums and a buzzing nightlife. A progressive, cosmopolitan place, Timisoara was the first city in Europe and second in the world after New York, to use electricity to illuminate its public streets.Thanks to a Mediterranean climate, life is best observed outdoors, in the many public squares and lush green retreats. Timisoara is easy to explore on foot. If you get tired, a tram will be along in a moment; the system is fast, frequent and efficient.
Timisoara's public transport network consists in tram lines, trolleybus lines and bus lines. The city is served by Romania's second busiest airport, Traian Vuia International Airport, which is the hub of the Romania's second-largest airline, Carpatair. The city is connected to a series of major European and domestic destinations. Timisoara is a major railway centre and is connected to all other major Romanian cities, as well as local destinations.

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Places of interest.

Timisoara abounds with churches of several denominations, a Jewish quarter, an elegant baroque square and a pedestrian-only downtown area. Some of the monuments in the heart of the city afford panoramic views, while the many parks in this “city of flowers” provide an idyllic spot to take a break from sightseeing.

Victory Square.

Some of the city's most interesting sites are its elegant baroque buildings, spread around town and particularly along the main square, Piata Victoriei, which stretches from Opera Square (Piata Operei) to Loga Boulevard.
The focal point is the towering Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral (Catedrala Ortodoxa Mitropolitana) at the south side of the square. Built between 1936 and 1946, its green and red roof tiles are arranged in a mosaic design. In front of the Cathedral is a memorial to those who lost their lives during the 1989 Revolution which overthrew Communist rule. The Memorial Museum of the 1989 Revolution (Muzeul Revolutiei) offers a full insight into the revolution in Timisoara.

Union Square.

Across the town centre is the picturesque Habsburg-era Piata Unirii, so-named for the imposing sight of the Romano-Catholic and Serbian Orthodox Cathedrals facing each other. Historic pastel-hued buildings line the square. During the 18th century, this was the city's commercial centre and the venue for numerous military processions and religious ceremonies.
Nicolas Lenau College (Liceul Nicolas Lenau), located on the north side of the square, was built in 1761 and was home to the earliest theatre in Timisoara.

The baroque Serbian Orthodox Cathedral (Biserica Orthodoxa Sarba), built in 1745-48, and the mint green and white Serbian Bishop's Residence (Vicariatul Ortodox Sarb) with its extravagant decorations are located on the west side of the square. The Cathedral can be visited daily between 7am and 6pm.

The Roman Catholic Cathedral (Catedrala Episcopala Romano-Catolica) on the east side of the square was built between 1736 and 1754 to the design of Fisher von Erlach and represents a fine example of Viennese baroque style. The main altar painting was completed by Michael Angelo Unterberger, director of the Fine Arts Academy in Vienna.

The impressive 18th century Baroque Palace (Palatul Vechii Prefecturi) dominates the square's south side. Formerly the governor's residence, it now houses the Museum of Fine Arts with works by German, Flemish and Italian artists.

At the northwest corner of Piata Unirii stands the spectacular Scont Bank (Banca de Scont). This typical Hungarian-style art nouveau structure, built in the early 20th century, features an organic shape comprising curved walls studded with turquoise tiles forming patterns drawn from folklore, and extravagant iron gutters and window grills.

From Piata Unirii (Union Square), walk east along Str. Palanca to the oldest building in Timisoara, now housing the Banat Etnographic Museum within the city's remaining 18th century bastion.
Freedom Square (Piata Libertatii) to Victory Square (Piata Victoriei).
Another remarkable open space in the city is Piata Libertatii which offers a great display of Secessionist architecture. The Banat region was under Turkish rule from 1552 until 1716 when the Austrian-Habsburg Prince Eugene de Savoy took over Timisoara. At this time, a seven-star- shaped bastion and gate-towers were constructed and the marshes surrounding the town were drained by the new Habsburg governor, General Mercy.

Continue along Str. Lucian Blaga to the 14th century Huniade Castle (Castelui Huniade). Built during the rule of Carol Robert, Prince de Anjou, it was completed by Iancu of Hundeoara and redesigned by the Habsburgs in the 18th century.
Residential areas.
South and east of the Bega Canal are the Josefin, Elisabetin and Fabric residential districts, true gems of Jugendstil, or art nouveau, architecture, built mainly in the late 19th century. The small residential square of Piata Plevnei, south of the Bega Canal, is bordered by excellent examples of the first phase of Secessionist architecture, such as Gemeinhardt's Peacock House (Casa cu Pauni) built in 1905. Facades are covered with an abundance of typical motifs: peacocks, swans, owls and squirrels together with sinuous vines and foliage. The theme continues on the buildings lining Splaiul Tudor Vladimirescu, following the south bank of the Bega, and to a lesser extent, around nearby Piata Maria and Bulevardul 16 Decembrie 1989.

Jewish Timisoara.

Even though Jewish presence in the Banat region dates back to the 2nd century AD, the first written mention of the Jewish community in Timisoara occurred in 1716, when the Turkish army commander surrendered the town to the Austrian Prince Eugeniu of Savoia.

In the old Sephardic cemetery, graves dating to the Turkish occupation may be seen, the oldest belonging to Azriel Assael, a Rabbi and surgeon who died in 1636. A century latter, Rabbi Meir Amigo and four followers from Istanbul were allowed to settle in the city. Following the implementation of citizen rights acts in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Timisoara's Jewish community flourished, reaching a population of almost 7,000. Six synagogues were built in the city after 1867, the year of the Austro-Hungarian reconciliation. Today, three remain with one still active.

The New Synagogue in Fabric (Sinagoga din Fabric). One of the most beautiful buildings in Timisoara, the synagogue in the Fabric district was built in 1899 by Hungarian architect Lipot Baumhorn in a traditional Moorish style. It is currently closed for structural repairs.
Great Synagogue (Sinagoga Cetate). This Neolog-rite synagogue, built in Oriental style in 1865, resembles the great synagogue in Oran, Algeria. One of the largest synagogues in Europe, it is currently closed for structural repairs.
Orthodox Synagogue. Built between 1906 and 1910, this Orthodox Synagogue is the only one in service at this moment.

Museums.
Banat Museum (Muzeul Banatului). Occupying a 14th century castle, this museum boasts sizeable historical and natural history sections.
Banat Museum, Ethnographic Section (Muzeul Banatului, Sectia de Etnografie). Exhibits of textiles, folk costumes, and glass-painted icons are on display.

Memorial Museum of the 1989 Revolution (Muzeul Revolutiei). The Memorial Museum exhibits uniforms of Romanian militia and military, written testimonies of witnesses and participants in the Revolution, official and personal documents, an audio-visual archive, a library and a collection of newspapers. A video charting the rise and fall of Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu may be shown on request.
Timisoara Art Museum (Muzeul de Arta). The collection includes works of 15th – 17th century Italian masters and prints by important European artists.
Banat Village Museum (Muzeul Satului Banatean). This open-air museum, located three miles from the city centre, exhibits more than 30 traditional peasant houses dating from the 19th century. Wood, stone and clay homes were taken piece by piece and set up in the beautiful surroundings of Padurea Verde (Green Forest). Craftsmen's fairs and folk shows are held here periodically.
Serbian Bishops' Collection (Muzeul Diocezei Ortodoxe Sarbesti). The collection includes portraits and outstanding 18th century icons.

Opera & Ballet.
Romanian Opera House (Opera Romana Timisoara)The construction of the Romanian Opera House, began in 1871 and ended four years later, in 1875. The design was that of Viennese architects, Helmer and Fellner, the authors of numerous concert halls in Budapest , Vienna and Odessa . The murals in the concert hall are inspired by history and popular Romanian fairytales. Opera in Timisoara was appreciated as far back as the end of the 18th century. Joseph Strauss started out as Musical Director at Timisoara , where he composed and presented the world premiere of Faust's Life and Deeds. Franz Liszt also performed in Timisoara in 1846.

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