Architecture

The Brück House is an architectural jewel of Timișoara, built in Art Nouveau and Secession styles, with Hungarian folk motifs. The house is located on 9 Mercy St., on the corner of Union Square, and it was erected in 1910, based on the plans of architects Székely László and Arnold Merbl, at the initiative of the then owner, Salamon Brück. After the construction of the building in 1910, Salamon Brück opened at the ground floor a pharmacy that is still working today, preserving some of the old furniture. Over time, the building has been damaged. Lucky that an Italian, Gianluca Testa, who came to Timișoara on business in 1997, realised the historical importance, as well as the value of the property where he had acquired an apartment in 1999. He did not over think it, but took the initiative to restore the building, after obtaining the necessary permits from the relevant authorities. The rehabilitation works were aimed not only at the façade of the building, but also at the interior, thus both the stairway and the rooms were restored, the costs of the work amounting to 300,000 Euros. The building has regained its shine, catching the eye of all those who make it to downtown Timișoara. Text and photo sources: https://www.facebook.com/Casa-Bruck; https://timisoara.eventya.eu/

The House of the Orthodox Community is located at 5 Union Square; it was built by the Orthodox community in 1828, on the site of an older house dating back to the second half of the eighteenth century. The building was used both by the Romanian and Serbian Orthodox believers. From the architectural stand point, the building was designed in Classicist style, with some Baroque influences. The entrance portal is flanked by double Doric semi-columns. The six openings from the ground floor, located left and right of the entrance portal, have round arches above, typical of the Classicist style. During the restoration work carried out in 1983, executed by architect Şerban Sturza, the house was added a gable roof in Austrian Baroque style. Over time, the house has several uses. Thus, in 1823, the Orthodox school functioned here, and later, in 1847, it became known as the "New Illyrian House", with a wine cellar and commercial spaces on the ground floor. In 1853, on these premises nine shops used to operate. After the separation of the Romanian Orthodox Church from the Serbian one, the building remained property of the latter. Currently, part of the building is leased to companies. Text and photo sources: http://www.timisoara-info.ro/; https://timisoara.eventya.eu/

The House with the Iron Axis is one of the landmarks of the city. Is it known that in the eighteenth century each house in Timișoara had to wear an emblem in order to be recognized. The house located at 1 Ionel I.C. Brătianu Square has an iron axis with a length of 2.5 meters attached to it, resembling the axle of a cart and mounted at the wall intersection. There isn't much historical data, but according to the legend, the iron axis is the axle from Prince Eugene of Savoya's cart, in which he drove into the city on October 18, 1716, defeating the Turks. Text and photo sources: http://www.opiniatimisoarei.ro/; https://timisoara.eventya.eu/

The House with the Lions is located in Union Square, on the north side, being the first house to be built in this square, in Baroque style, dated 1758. Over time, the House with the Lions had several names, depending on its destination. Since 1840, the building was successively home to the "La Soarele de Aur" ("The Golden Sun") tavern, the "La Câinele Alb" ("The White Dog") grocery store and the "La Fluierul Mare" ("The Big Flute") shop. Early twentieth century, when the building belonged to the Weiss family, it was rebuilt in the Secession style, which is when the two life-size carved lions were added on the roof, thus dominating the façade of the house up to present day. The building is known as the "House with the Lions" or the "Weiss-Grünbaum Trade House". Text and photo sources: http://www.timisoara-info.ro/; https://timisoara.eventya.eu/

The Ormós House is located on Episcop Augustin Pacha St. and serves as headquarters to the Library of the Romanian Academy - the Timișoara Branch. It is the former Welauer House, built in 1891, now bearing the name of Ormós Zsigmond, who purchased the building, modifying it and turning it into the museum of the History and Archaeology Society, of which he was a founding member. Ormós Zsigmond was a leading figure of the Timișoara cultural life, a collector and an art historian, who also served as Prefect of Timiș County. In this capacity, he launched a call for a grant, seeking to attract as many founding members of the museum as possible. The museum objects collected by Ormós Zsigmond, through acquisitions and donations, are exhibited in the History Museum of Banat in Timișoara. Ever since 1941, the Town Library has functioned in the Ormós House, and later, the Academy Library starting 1953. The building was designed in the Eclectic style of the German Renaissance and is part of the national cultural heritage. Over time, the bass reliefs disappeared, the statue of goddess Minerva being the only one which was preserved intact on the façade of the building. Text and photo sources: https://debanat.ro/; https://timisoara.eventya.eu/

The Clergy Houses are an ensemble of 4 houses, located at 8, 9, 10 and 11 Union Square. The houses date back to the second half of the eighteenth century and originally formed a single building, with a unitary façade, until after 1844. All the houses were originally executed in the Austrian Baroque style, and rebuilt after the 1849 siege in Classicist style, and later restored in 1980, based on the plans of architect Șerban Sturza. The house at no.8, known as the Szervinatz House, belonged in 1828 to Johann Szervinatz. In 1847, the house sheltered the tavern "La Trei Husari", and in 1852 it was turned into a vinegar factory. The house at number 9, known as the Nica Koszta House, belonged in 1828 to Nica Koszta, and later this is where the tavern "La Balotul din Ardeal" ("The Transylvanian Bale") worked. In 2009, the house was restored as part of the Romanian-German cooperation project „The Prudent Rehabilitation and Economic Revitalization of the Historic Neighbourhoods in Timişoara”, implemented by the Municipality of Timişoara and the German Society for Technical Cooperation (GTZ). The house at number 10 was known in 1828 as the "Clergy House". The one at number 11 is the Krautwaschl House, which in 1828 belonged to Franz Krautwaschl. In 1844 this is where the tavern "La Struţ" ("The Ostrich") functioned, the emblem of the tavern was represented by a red painted ostrich. In the mean time, the house became headquarters of bank subsidiaries, editorials, political parties. It was restored in 2009. Text and photo sources: http://www.timisoara-info.ro/; https://timisoara.eventya.eu/

The Military Casino is located in Liberty Square, and is the most valuable military building, dating back to the eighteenth century. The construction works were completed in 1775, and in time the building was superimposed and completed with a large terrace. In a refined decor, the great festivity hall of the Military Casino was where the officers' balls used to take place, so famous at that time. This highlights the important role that the building once played in the social life of the young locals in those days. In 1924 the Rose Exhibition was organised here, when black and blue roses were introduced for the first time. In 1996, the building of the Military Casino started housing the Military Museum and Club. Text source: https://timisoara.eventya.eu/

The Monument of the Lupa Capitolina is located in central Victory Square, on top of a Roman column, about 5 meters high. It is a replica of the Lupa Capitolina, also called Lupa Romana, the Etruscan bronze statue probably cast in the 5th century B.C., somewhere on the valley of the River Tiber, that depicts the two siblings, founders of Rome – Romulus and Remus, fed by a she-wolf. The original statue is kpt in the "Museo Nuovo" inside the Palazzo dei Conservatori in Roma. A copy is exhibited outdoors in Piazza Del Campidoglio. The statue found nowadays in Victory Square was presented to Timișoara in 1926 by the City of Rome, as a symbol of the Latin origin of the Romanian people. The inauguration of the monument took place on April 23, 1926, in the presence of 10,000 people; Dr. Samuil Șagovici, mayor of Timișoara, Vasile Goldiș, the Minister of Religious Affairs, Grigore Trancu-Iași, The Labour Minister, as well as delegates of Mussolini, the Italian head of state at that time, participated in the event. The reception was done by Codecca, the Italian Consul in Timișoara. Two such copies were also given to the towns of Cluj-Napoca and Bucharest. Text source: https://timisoara.eventya.eu/

Sediul Consiliului Judeţean Timiş este situat în clădirea de pe bulevardul Revoluţiei 1989 nr. 17 din municipiul Timişoara. Clădirea a fost reşedinţa rezidentului regal răspunzător de administrarea ţinutului Timiş (judeţele Timiş-Torontal, Arad, Caraş-Severin şi Hunedoara), creat în anul 1938, apoi sediul prefecturii Timiş-Torontal. Clădirea a fost destinată prin proiect şi apoi executată pentru a funcţiona ca şcoală de menaj, în perioada anilor ’30, fiind finanţată de la bugetul de stat. Datorită crizei economice din anii 1929 -1933, care a avut influenţă asupra economiei României dar şi asupra părţii de vest a ţării, nu a putut fi terminată, a fost ridicată în roşu, acoperită şi a stat nefinisată până în anul 1938. Odată cu înfiinţarea ţinutului administrativ Timiş şi a numirii rezidentului regal în fruntea acestui ţinut, se punea problema găsirii unui sediu adecvat acestuia, astfel s-a ajuns la soluţia schimbării destinaţiei acestei clădiri, din şcoală în palat administrativ. Fiind însă o clădire cu destinaţie şcoală, au fost necesare mai multe modificări în toată structura clădirii. Reproiectarea clădirii, pentru a fi funcţională ca sediu administrativ, s-a făcut de renumitul profesor universitar de la Politehnica timişoreană, arhitectul Victor Vlad, în colaborare cu arhitectul Corneliu Liuba. Lucrările de reamenajare la clădire au început în anul 1938 şi s-au încheiat la începutul anilor ‘40. Aşa cum ni se înfăţişează astăzi, clădirea Palatului Administrativ este o construcţie monumentală în stil modern. În exterior dominante sunt însă elementele clasice, într-o realizare cu materiale moderne. Clădirea impune prin proporţii, volum şi elemente decorative. Coloanele clasice cu capitel corintic decorează faţada, la care fusul este finisat în terasit, restul fiind lucrat în piatră artificială. Din orice parte ai privi-o, ţi se arată maiestuoasă, reprezentativă, în care specificul naţional este pus în evidenţă fără ostentaţie într-o judicioasă compoziţie de volume simple, agrementate cu elemente plastice de origine locală. De-a lungul timpului, clădirea a suferit o serie de modificări interioare prin recompartimentarea spaţiilor şi redistribuirea funcţiunilor, menţinându-se profilul administrativ. În perioada anilor 1968-1989, clădirea a fost folosită şi de către Comitetul Judeţean Timiş al PCR şi UTC, Uniunea Judeţeană a Cooperativelor Agricole de Producţie şi Gărzile Patriotice. În prezent clădirea este folosită ca sediu pentru Consiliul Judeţean Timiş şi Instituţia Prefectului Judeţului Timiş, fiind în proprietatea publică a judeţului Timiş şi administrarea Consiliului Judeţean Timiş. Pentru a face faţă activităţilor administraţiei publice judeţene, cât şi în perspectivă pentru Regiunea de Vest, s-a hotărât extinderea actualei clădiri pe latura nordică a construcţiei existente, mărginită de străzile Leonte Filipescu şi Tulnicului şi Piaţa Eftimie Murgu. Noua clădire are o arie desfăşurată de 3167 mp., pe patru tronsoane de diferite niveluri, fiind inaugurată în anul 2010.

The Water Palace is one of the most valuable buildings in Timișoara, located at the entrance to the Iosefin Neighbourhood, immediately after Traian Bridge. The Water Palace or the House of the House of the Timiș Bega Hydro-Improvement Company, as it was originally called, was built between 1900 and 1902 by Karl Hart, based on architect Baumhorn Lipót's plans, after Bega became navigable. The building was designed in the architectural style typical of the 1900s, and decorated with Neo-Baroque and Ionic elements. Since originally it had been a single-storey building, it was later raised by Artur Tunner, without, however, losing its architectural harmony. The heightened roof of the central part of the building and the double columns of the façade can be noted, both highlighting the pediments. The decorations are extremely rich, while one may distinguish representations of fish and other water-inspired figures, as well as anthropomorphic ones. Text and photo sources: http://www.radiotimisoara.ro/; http://timisoara.eventya.eu/

The Palace of the National Bank is a representative building of Timișoara, located at 1 Ion Brătianu Av.. It was built between 1903 and 1904, based on architect Josef Hubert's plans, in the style typical of the 1900s, with late Baroque elements combined with Secession. The lion heads that decorate the façade signify wealth and power. The building is surrounded by a garden and has two entrances that lead to an elegant hallway, with columns, where the counters are. The upper level impresses through the sobriety and elegance of its halls. The Palace of the National Bank is an imposing building that served as the Austro-Hungarian Bank headquarters between 1904 and 1918, and later, as the State Bank. Currently this is where the Timișoara Branch of the National Bank of Romania operates. Text and photo sources: http://www.timisoreni.ro/; http://timisoara.eventya.eu/

The Baroque Palace is one of the representative buildings of eighteenth century Timișoara. It is located centrally, at 1 Union Square. Also known as the Palace of the Old Prefecture, the building of the Baroque Palace had over time several functions: - in 1733 it housed the Judicial Mining Office; - in 1735 the treasury of the military garrison was here; - in 1752 it was the old administrative office of the region; - in 1754 the building became the residence of the president of the civil administration, Count Vilana Perlas, and, thus, known as the Palace of the President; - until 1849 it used to be the seat of the County Administration; - between 1849-1860, the administration of the Banat of Temeschwar and Serbian Vojvodina was established here; - in 1861 the seat of the Timiș County was restored here; - in 1919 it became the seat of the Prefecture of Timiș - Torontal County; - mid-twentieth century, the Baroque Palace housed the Agronomy Institute; - in 1979 it was arranged for it to accommodate a museum; - in 1984 it starting housing the Art Section of the Banat Museum, which on January 1, 2006 became the Art Museum. From the architectural point of view, the palace was built in Baroque style, with some rococo elements. Between 1885 and1886, the attic and the ironware were restored, based on architect Jacques Klein's project. This is when the baroque decoration elements were removed, especially from the façade. The palace is especially elegant inside, and in the basement there is an eighteenth century fountain. Text source: http://timisoara.eventya.eu/

The Palace of the Reformed Community is located in the vicinity of the Virgin Mary Square in Timişoara, at 1 Timotei Cipariu St.. The building houses the parsonage and the reformed church, and it was built in 1902 in Neo-Gothic style, based on the projects of Budapest architects Nagy Károly and Jánosházi László. The architecture of the building is a special one. It highlights the sharp-shaped roofs, similar to the medieval towers from the Gothic period. The organ of the Reformed Community Palace was manufactured in Lipót Wegenstein's workshop, and the pulpit is the work of Jakab Fischer. In front of the Reformed Community Palace, on December 15, 1989, the Romanian anti-communist revolution began, with the manifestation against the deportation of the Reformed pastor, László Tökes. Text and photo sources: http://www.timisoara-info.ro/; http://timisoara.eventya.eu/

The Palace of Culture, located in Victory Square, was built between 1871 and 1875, by architects Helmer and Fellner, in Renaissance style. In 1880, the building underwent a fire and was rebuilt between 1880 and 1882, maintaining the original style. In 1920, the building caught fire again and was rebuilt between 1923 and 1928; the interior was rebuilt in Neo-Romanian style. The 3 entrance arches from the ground floor were replaced with a larger gate. Between 1934-1936, the façade was fundamentally changed, and a huge modern arch was built. The three Eclectic, Historicist arches from the first floor of the buildings were replaced with three Neo-Byzantine arches. In 2003, the side surfaces of the main façade regained their original appearance. Currently, the building of the Palace of Culture houses shows put on by the Romanian Opera, the National Theatre, the German State Theatre and the Hungarian Theatre "Csiky Gergely". Text and photo sources: http://www.timisoara-info.ro/; http://timisoara.eventya.eu/

The Dauerbach Palace, also known as the Palace, is a monumental building, located in Victory Square of Timișoara. Built between 1912 and 1913, based on the plans of famous architect László Székely, the edifice impresses through the harmonious combination of architectural styles of the era: Eclectic, Art Nouveau and Baroque. The façade of the building was executed in a special way, being structured into one central and two side parts. The central side is also divided into 3 higher parts, with three pediments at the roof level, in the shape of an ogival accolade. The sides each have 2 pillars, and at the upper level - a pediment and a lower roof. Ever since the inauguration of the building, the Palace restaurant and café were opened at the ground floor, as well as the first open-air terrace in town. For a very long time, the restaurant was one of the most appreciated ones among the local high society. On the northern corner of the building, a pharmacy used to work in 1913, which is still enjoying a good reputation in town. Text and photo sources: http://www.timisoara-info.ro/; http://timisoara.eventya.eu/

After the defeat of the Hungarian Republic established in 1849, Hungary was divided into the five "crown countries" (kronländer). Banat of Temeschwar and Serbian Vojvodina, with its capital at Timișoara, was one of them. A seat for the government of this crown country needed to be built. Thus, between 1855 and 1860, the Dicasterial Palace appeared, the biggest building in town at the time. It was built in the style of the Italian Renaissance, with architectural elements similar to those in the Palazzo Strozzi and Palazzo Pitti in Florence. In the year when the building was finally completed, Banat was once more adjoined to Hungary, therefore a seat for the government was no longer necessary, since Timișoara became the capital of the county. The Palace has three levels, with originally 273 offices, 34 servant rooms, 34 kitchens, 65 cellars, 27 storage rooms, all placed around three inner courtyards. Today, the Dicasterial Palace houses the Court House of Timișoara, the Timiș Tribunal and the Appellate Court. Text and photo sources http://www.timisoara-info.ro/; http://timisoara.eventya.eu/

The Serbian Orthodox Bishopric, located in Union Square of Timișoara, is one of the monumental buildings of this town. The Palace was built between 1745 and 1748, in the times of Serbian Orthodox Bishop of Timișoara, Gheorghie Popovici. From the architectural point of view, the building was designed in Byzantine style, originally one storey high, as typical Baroque elements were introduced, according to architect László Székely's plans. In 1911 decorations taken from the Serbian architecture were added. Above the entrance gate, one can see the coat of arms of the Serbian Orthodox Bishopric of Timișoara. The Palace was meant to be an Episcopal residence, as it was an important centre for the Orthodox faith and culture. Since 1967, The Serbian Orthodox Bishopric has been housing a rich collection of religious art from the 17th to the 19th centuries, consisting of wood and canvas icons, prints brought from Orthodox churches and monasteries, old books, silverware, portraits of Serbian Orthodox bishops. Also, an extremely valuable library and archive are housed here, where the original plans of the palace are kept. Text source: http://timisoara.eventya.eu/

The construction of the Roman-Catholic Episcopal Palace, located at 4 Augustin Pacha St. started in 1743, when the building was donated by Empress Maria Theresa to the Roman-Catholic Episcopacy. Starting the year 1783, the building became the permanent residence of the Catholic Bishop. In terms of architectural style, the Baroque style may be identified, while the portal is decorated with some rococo elements. The Roman-Catholic Bishopric of Timișoara is considered to the successor of the Bishopric of Cenad, founded in 1030. Once transferred to Timișoara in 1738, it became the Bishopric of Timișoara in 1930. In the post-war period, the Bishopric was closed down, and it continued its activity as a simple Deanship. After 1990 it was reactivated and the building was recovered. Now it hosts a museum, where statues, paintings and other religios exhibits may be seen. Upstairs there are eight huge stained glass windows depicting saints and martyrs of the Hungarian Catholic community. They were rescued and hidden in communist times. Text and photo sources: http://www.timisoara-info.ro/; http://timisoara.eventya.eu/

Built between 1910 and 1912, in the style of the 1900s, with elements typical of the Secession trend. Thus stands Lloyd Palace at 2 Victory Square. The building was designed by architect Leopold Baumhorn and stands on three floors, with façades decorated and adorned with statues. For a long time, the Lloyd Palace housed the Agricultural Stock Exchange and the Lloyd Club. In 1948, the building became known as the Politechnica Palace, home to the Rectorate of the Politechnical University of Timișoara. Among the decorative elements of the building, remnants of panels, mirrors, stained glass windows and a few chandeliers are still preserved. The entrance hall is very nicely decorated. Text and photo sources: http://www.timisoara-info.ro/; http://timisoara.eventya.eu/

The Széchenyi Palace is located at 8 Victory Square. It was built between 1900 and 1914 by the Széchényi Company, based on architect László Székely's plans. It is considered to be the most beautiful building in Victory Square, due to its rich decorations, statues and bas-reliefs adorning it. The Széchenyi Palace was designed in the style of the 1900s, with elements typical of the Secession trend. Architect László Székely had his office in this building. Architect Michael Wolf performed his professional practice in this office. Later, he took over Székely's office. In the interwar period, Wolf became one of the best architects in Timişoara. Text source: http://timisoara.eventya.eu/

The Weiss Palace, located at 2 Bulevardul Republicii, was built in 1912 for the Weiss family. The building was designed by Arnold Merbl Co., based on Adalbert Szladek's plans, and the pediment was redesigned by architect Székely László. The architectural style is Eclectic, influenced by the 1900s style, with elements typical of the Secession trend. The main pediment of the building faces the town theatre, while the ground floor houses several shops. The Palace comprises 27 residential apartments, and the building entrance is on Sf.Ioan St. Text and photo sources: http://www.timisoara-info.ro/; http://timisoara.eventya.eu/