Debrecen

THE STATE THEATRE dominates Ferdinand Square with its imposing features. Situated in the center of a true architectural museum, this building in eclectic style imposes with exceptional craftsmanship. The construction, so avidly desired by the municipality of the age, was entrusted to renowned Viennese construction firm Fellner and Helmer. http://oradea.travel/en/?p=1873&nggpage=2

THE BLACK EAGLE COMPLEX is probably the most monumental architectural accomplishment in Oradea and in Transylvania, as far as the Secession building style is concerned. The contest to build this architectural complex was won by architects Komor Marcell and Jakab Dezső. http://oradea.travel/en/?p=1913

This is one of many places of worship that were declared historical monuments and it can be visited on 5 Parcul Traian Street. Its troubled history had an influence on whom to choose as a patron saint and how its interior developed, since it was used consecutively by priests and believers of three denominations – Roman-Catholic, Ruthenian (Greek-Catholic) and, at present, Orthodox Christians. http://oradea.travel/en/?p=1957

The Purgly Castle is a historic monument located in Şofronea, Arad county. Based on documents is believed the castle construction date would be around 1789. However, the first documentary mention is in 1889, the building appears in a document that mentions an exchange of land. Baron Janos Purgly is one that has transformed the old castle giving her current appearance. http://www.uvisitromania.com/tourist-attractions/arad/purgly-castle-id547

The reformed church (Luther) – built in 1912, the church holds an altar painted by Iványi Grünwald Béla, one of the most important representatives of the Baia Mare Painting School. Address: Str. Lucaciu Vasile, nr. 18. http://discover-maramures.com/en/tourist-attractions/baia-mare/

The museum hosts an exhibition held on 900 square meters, which exhibits over 1,000 samples of minerals, rocks and fossils. There are other 15,000 pieces in the institution's warehouses. The Museum of Mineralogy in Baia Mare is the largest regional museum in Europe, many of the exhibits being considered unique in the world and heritage values. The unofficial, cultural name par excellence and unanimously used is the Museum of Mine Flowers. except for some component crystals, which totally make the piece well individualized compared to the others ”(Victor Gorduza - director of the institution). On the ground floor, the basic exhibition presents the geological composition of North-West Romania, the systematics of hydrothermal minerals and non-ferrous metal deposits on the southern frame of the Oaș-Gutâi mountains, as well as in Țibleș and the Borșa-Vişeu area. Upstairs, the exhibition space includes the most impressive pieces, full of poetry and colour, wrapped in ambient music that creates an image-melodic syncretism conducive to high-profile cultural events - here is the annual awards ceremony " Books of the Year ”, organized by the county branch of the Romanian Writers' Union. https://www.baiamare.ro/ro/Descopera-Baia-Mare/Obiective-turistice-si-atractii/Muzee/Muzeul-de-Mineralogie/

The Stefan Tower is the bell tower of the former church dedicated to "Saint King Stephen of Baia Mare. The tower is located between Crișan and 1 Mai streets, in the immediate vicinity of Liberty Square - Central Square (Circulus fori) - of the old city. It was built The first documentary attestation of the "Sfântul Ștefan" church dates from 1347, but the construction was officially inaugurated only in 1387. The tower, built of solid stone, was built at the initiative of Prince Ioan de Hunedoara, to mark the victory. from Ialomita (1442) against the Ottomans. The construction of the tower begins after 1446 but is completed only in 1468, under the reign of Matthias Corvinus. In 1619, the upper part was rebuilt, having the shape of a pyramid with a square base, with four turrets and is endowed with bells. Nine years later, a moon clock is set. Repeatedly affected by lightning and fire, the two buildings underwent several major repairs, but in 1763 only the tower was rebuilt. On this occasion, the porch at the top is built. https://www.baiamare.ro/ro/Descopera-Baia-Mare/Obiective-turistice-si-atractii/Atractii-turistice/Turnul-Stefan/

Iancu de Hunedoara House was built in 1446, it is part of the old medieval castle built by Iancu for his wife Elisabeta. https://www.baiamare.ro/ro/Descopera-Baia-Mare/Obiective-turistice-si-atractii/Atractii-turistice/Casa-Iancu-de-Hunedoara/

The Holy Trinity - the roman-catholic cathedral was built in 1766 by Jesuits on the place of former St. Martin church. The cathedral holds an organ with three registers, built between 1940-1944. The cathedral, which is the perspective head of the Unirii Boulevard in Baia Mare, is an impressive building, representative for the construction of churches in Transylvania, built in the tradition of Orthodox churches, with dimensions of 85 m long, 50 m wide and 85 m high. The cathedral capacity is about 3000 people. From the first level, being plated with brick from Oradea, paved on the floor with porcelain stoneware from Spain and iconostasis made of brick with icons in Murano mosaic. Spacious altar, sf. brick table with a marble plate 2 / 1,50m, gr. 5cm., Oak furniture, wrought iron chandeliers. Twelve columns supporting the central dome and main nave. In the back of the church there is a large Byzantine Hall, where there are exhibitions of icons, two offices and four warehouses. Considering the large influx of believers who frequent this cathedral, the access and exit is made on two doors and two monumental stairs, and at the exit there are two places to light candles. http://www.catedralabaiamare.ro/

The Assumption Cathedral in Baia Mare is a place of worship built by the Greek Catholic faithful in Baia Mare between 1905-1911. The building is declared a historical monument (code LMI MM-II-mB-04471), next to the episcopal palace of the Greek Catholic Episcopate of Maramureș and the former confessional school (currently Șc. Gen. no. 2), all located on Vasile Lucaciu Street from the municipality of Baia Mare. https://www.baiamare.ro/ro/Descopera-Baia-Mare/Obiective-turistice-si-atractii/Atractii-turistice/Catedrala-Adormirea-Maicii-Domnului/

The Red Church is a historical and architectural monument of the Arad city. The building serves as a place of worship of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Romania. The name comes from the external finish of polished brick. The church is built in 1906 in Gothic style, with the main tower of 46 meters and a Gothic-style stained glass. At the inauguration, the church had three bells in weight 1590 kg. During World War I, from the disposal of the authorities have been melted two bells, from their bronze were made projectiles. The bells were cast in the foundry workshop Hönig from Arad, famous for bronze casting work. http://www.uvisitromania.com/tourist-attractions/arad/the-red-church-id537

The Cenad Palace (Palatul Cenad) is a three-story, 19th century, eclectic, neo-classical, architectural style palace located in the city of Arad, Romania. The palace was constructed with the sole purpose of functioning as the headquarters for Arad’s Railway Company. Funding for the palace was provided by the very wealthy and aristocratic Count Želenski Robert. The Cenad Palace has an imposing presence in the Arad center. It is surrounded by many other eclectic and neo-classical style buildings which were Arad’s predominant architectural styles in the era of the late 19th century. The palace is considered and listed as one of Romania’s Historical Monuments. The palace is shaped like an L and contains two spectacular towers on the front left and front right corners. There are four separate entrance gates which lead inside the building. The palace’s courtyard contains two dazzling 19th-century gas chandeliers which have been well preserved for many decades. https://roamingromania.com/cenad-palace-arad/

The Administrative Palace of Arad is a building built between 1872-1875, which today houses the Arad City Hall. Architectural gem, shaped in "U", with 90 rooms, a true "Palazzo del Municipio", the building reflects the possibilities and also the willingness of citizens to keep up with European modernization. http://www.uvisitromania.com/tourist-attractions/arad/the-administrative-palace-id533

The Neumann Palace (Palatul Neumann) is a two-story, 19th century, eclectic architectural style palace that’s located in the city center of Arad, Romania. The palace was founded by and built to be, the living quarters for the Jewish, Neumann family, which emigrated to Arad from Vienna in the mid-19th century. The Neumann family went on to become one of the most influential, wealthy, and aristocratic families in all of Romania at the end of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century. The Neumann’s amassed great fortunes by owning many factories, stadiums, schools, and by controlling the majority of industry in Arad at the time. Some of the family’s most profitable businesses were their spirit and yeast factories, their textile factories, and their steam-powered flour mills. The Neumann family played a significant role in the early development of Arad. Their factories employed and provided salaries to thousands of Arad citizens. The family built schools and stadiums for the community. They also helped fund projects that modernized much of the city’s infrastructure. https://roamingromania.com/neumann-palace-arad/

The Cultural Palace (Palatul Cultural) is an early 20th century diverse (multi) architectural style palace located in the city of Arad, Romania. The architecture of the building contains the Classic Italian Renaissance, Romanian Baroque, and French Gothic, elements and designs. The inspiration for some of the palace’s design came from the 15th century Corvin Castle, of Hunedoara, Romania. The idea for the Cultural Palace came from the Kölcsey Cultural Association (Society) of Arad. The Kölcsey Cultural Association of Arad was a literary, historical association that operated in Arad from 1881-1948, and again in 1989. The association was formed by and consisted of a committee of Hungarian’s that were living in Arad. They are credited for preserving much of Arad’s culture and history. https://roamingromania.com/arad-culture-palace/

The Fortress of Arad is a solid fortification system which was built in the 18th century at the orders of, and with the funding from, the Habsburg Empress, Maria Theresa. The cost to complete and erect the fortress reached 3 million Gulden (the currency used by the Habsburg Monarchy at the time). The fortress was built as an inner fortification system to protect the outer region of the Habsburg empire from conflicts in the area. The main conflicts at the time were the ongoing wars between the Habsburgs and the Turkish Ottomans. The location for the fortress was chosen strategically to be at the crossroads of two very important trade routes of the day. It lies in the middle of the trade routes that led from the West to the Transylvania Region, and from the North, Oradea, and Satu Mare, to Timisoara, and down to the Danube waterway. http://roamingromania.com/fortress-of-arad/

The Ioan Slavici Classical Theatre (Teatrul Clasic Ioan Slavici) is a three-story, nineteenth century, neoclassical theatre located in the city of Arad. The building was named after one of Romania’s most renowned writers, journalist, and Arad native, Ioan Slavici. The theatre has put on thousands of shows throughout the decades that have delighted and dazzled guests from both near, and afar. The theatre’s inception took place in 1868 when Arad’s city mayor, Aztel Peter, and the baron, Béla Bánhidy, along with other city officials, decided that the city had to have a new theatre. After the decision was made they moved forward and replaced Arad’s old and outdated baroque style theatre, which had been functioning as the city’s primary theatre since 1817, with the new Ioan Slavici Classical Theatre. https://roamingromania.com/ioan-slavici-classical-theatre-arad/

The Cathedral "Birth of St. John the Baptist" is a monument of baroque architecture in the Arad city. The building was built between 1862-1865. The main funders of construction were family Mocioni and banker Gheorghe Sina. The two towers of the facade were raised in 1904. The two towers are provided with a clock on each side. The church served as the cathedral of the Diocese Arad until 2009, when Holy Trinity Cathedral in Arad, built since 1991, has acquired this feature. http://www.uvisitromania.com/tourist-attractions/arad/cathedral-birth-of-st-john-the-baptist-id540

The Water Tower is a building in the city of Arad, which resembles a medieval fortress donjon. The Water Tower has 35 m height and was opened in 1896. At the time of construction, it was the tallest building in the city. It is a massive stone and brick building, which is characterized by the decoration of balconies and windows. On the top floor, there is a water tank with a capacity of 400 tons, which you can get using the scale. http://www.uvisitromania.com/tourist-attractions/arad/water-tower-id546

The Lunca Muresului Natural Park (Floodplain) is a protected area in Romania, downstream of Arad, until to the border with Hungary, along the river Mures, classified as a natural park at the national level and as a terrestrial landscape protected by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). It comprises the dammed area of the river Mures, respectively the flood area of dams on either side of the river between high terraces of the same river. Is an area with periodic flooding where the surrounding plants and animals are adapted to this regime. Lunca Muresului Natural Park Natural Park hosts over 200 species of birds. In the forests of the park, we will find deer, wild boar, squirrel and fallow deer. http://www.uvisitromania.com/tourist-attractions/arad/lunca-muresului-natural-park-id550

The Citadel of Soimos was built after the first invasion of the Tatars and documented since 1278. Soimos Citadel is on the list of historical monuments. From 1278 until 1509, the city was ruled by Ladislau Kan II and Iancu of Hunedoara. In 1509 the citadel and the domain become the property of Gheorghe Hohenzollern of Brandenburg. It was besieged in 1514 by Romanian and Hungarian rebels, led by Gheorghe Doja. After a brief resistance, the garrison of citadel led by Prince of Ciuci is an uprising against people of Gheorghe Hohenzollern and joins the rebels. Turks occupied the citadel in 1552, after repeated sieges, and in 1595 was recaptured by György Borbély - Captain of Stephen Bathory - reaching into custody rulers of Transylvania. In 1599-1600 pass under the rule of Michael the Brave (Mihai Viteazul). The citadel was finally liberated from Turkish domination in 1688. http://www.uvisitromania.com/tourist-attractions/arad/soimos-citadel-id535

In 1642 Pater Andrija Stipancic, an observant franciscan monk from the “Bosna Argentina” province and priest at Radna, succeeds, after a long pilgrimage on foot made to Istambul and back, to obtain an Embre from the sultan for the renovation of his chapel. http://www.uvisitromania.com/tourist-attractions/arad/basilica-maria-radna-id532

The Bezdin Monastery is a monastery dedicated to the Assumption, located in Lunca Muresului Natural Park, near the village Munar, Arad County, on the right bank of the river Mures. The monastery was founded in 1539, the name comes from the Bezdin lake located in the eastern part of the monastery. During the Ottoman occupation, the monastery was burned by the ottomans, and in 1690 a brick church was built in Byzantine style as a form of clover with three abisade. Inside the church is a miraculous icon of Our Lady, brought from Mount Athos. http://www.uvisitromania.com/tourist-attractions/arad/bezdin-monastery-id549

Let 'us go towards the main square again. About 100 meters away on your right in Arany János Street you can find the Lutheran Church built in the 19th century. Until the end of the 1980s Miklós Ybl’s masterpiece, decorated with Romanesque motives, was hidden by cheap stores; today it can be seen in its original beauty. https://www.budapest.com/hungary/kecskemet/sights/lutheran_church.en.html

The neighbouring building is the Town Hall built by the plans of Ödön Lechner and Gyula Pártos. The 150-year-old building of the City Hall was demolished in 1892. József Katona, the writer of our national drama worked there for 10 years. He collapsed and died at the entrance. The cracked stone monument set up at the scene of his heart attack in front of the building reminds us of this tragic event. The notice on this monument says: „The heart of the son of Kecskemét broke here.” In 1895 the offices moved into the building of which area is 5534 m2 and has 174 rooms. On the 8th July, 1911 there was a huge earthquake in the city which did not spare the City Hall either. Its collapsed chimneys and cracked walls were soon reconstructed under the direction of Ödön Lechner. The style of the building with its nearly rectangle-shaped ground-plan mixes the forms of the French Renaissance architecture and the elements of our popular art. The Ceremonial Hall is the venue of the General Assembly meetings of the city, national and international conferences, wedding ceremonies and ceremonial receptions. The period furniture of the Ceremonial Hall is handicraft work. The wooden furniture and the printed leather backed chairs were made in Szeged according to the design of Lechner and Pártos. The beautiful and richly coloured glass windows were made in the workshop of the famous Miksa Róth. The decorative wall-painting was made by Adolf Götz, the wall-candlesticks and the chandelier were made by Sándor Árkay, Imperial and Royal locksmith upon the basis of the designs of Szilárd Várady. The paintings were made by the famous Hungarian painter Bertalan Székely. These paintings show some periods of the Hungarian history embracing one thousand years. https://www.budapest.com/hungary/kecskemet/sights/town_hall.en.html

Let's start our walk in the main square of the "Famous Town" that used to be the market-place for centuries. Here you can find the Big Catholic Church which is the largest cathedral in the Great Hungarian Plain built in the style of the age of Louis XVI of France. Looking down from the 73 meter tall tower you can see the panorama of the town. https://www.budapest.com/hungary/kecskemet/sights/big_catholic_church.en.html

The National Ethnographic Vuia, established in 1929, bears the name of its founder and first museum manager, Professor Romulus Vuia. The exhibited pieces are in fact old traditional buildings, grouped according to their regional establishments, folk architecture monuments, folk installations, craftsman workshops, wells, gateways, big wooden crosses and indoor textiles. Interesting facts: •The Ethnographic Museum is the oldest from Romania; •The oldest exhibit pieces date back from 1678; •The church from Cizer-Salaj, at the construction of which contributed Nicola Ursu (Horea), just before the 1784 uprising, is one of the most beautiful wooden churches in Transylvania; weddings are still being officiated in this architectural monument; •It hosts annual fairs and traditional cultural manifestations. http://www.visitclujnapoca.ro/en/atractii-turistice/muzee/the-romulus-vuia-national-ethnographic-park.html

Creating Central Park had been one of the first initiatives of urban remodelling of the city at the end of the 19th century. Its purpose had been the creation of a leisure spot in the close proximity of the city center. The initial name of the area field was ants’ grove situated on the bank of the river Somes. At the beginning of the 19th century, this spot was visited by all citizens of Cluj, the furrier János Meleg provided the public with refreshments. In 1827, the Women’s Charity Organization will rent the grove with the intention to create a “place suitable for longer strolls” and a beer garden based on a contract of 12 months. This contract would also determine the municipality to initiate and sponsor some of the works necessary to drain and consolidate the land that had been a swampy area frequently flooded by the river. In the year 1833, together with the return of the Gubernium a decision will be made on how to spend the gathered money on the development of the park. On this occasion they will establish and name the members of the Promenade comity, a council made up of important members of the urban community; they will also employ the gardener József Schütz to plant, clean and maintain the park. The park itself had been originally founded on the 22nd April 1838 and after two years the engineer Sámuel Hermann was entrusted with the design of the park. http://www.visitclujnapoca.ro/en/atractii-turistice/best-of-cluj-napoca/simion-barnutiu-central-park.html

The Vivarium was built between 1998 and 2001 out of the Babes-Bolyai University and the Biology and Geology Faculty funds. It contains approximately 57 animal species. When it opened in 2001, it only sheltered a collection of reptiles and amphibians. Currently, alongside the reptile collection, the Vivarium also hosts 10 fish species, 9 micro mammal species and 6 bird species, out of which we can mention the Puff Adder, the Rainbow Boa, the leopard gecko, the Nile monitor, the chinchilla, the Dobrogea turtle, the salamander etc. http://www.visitclujnapoca.ro/en/atractii-turistice/muzee/page/3/the-vivarium.html

The building was constructed at the end of 19th century, according to the plans of the architect Alpár Ignác, having a baroque facade of Viennese style and a corner tower with a clock that impresses by strength and sobriety. On the tower was applied the Prefecture's coat of arms (Cluj County) because the initial destination of the building was that of a County headquarter. The building was included in the systematization plan of the city in 1798 which stated that any new construction had to have the city council’s approval. The initial destination of the building as the headquarter of the County was multiple – political, administrative, fiscal headquarter etc., where the County officials were deciding the wellbeing of the area; in the big chambers, besides the usual meetings, exhibitions of famous and of young artists as well as the city balls from the beginning of the 20th century took place. Nowadays it is the headquarter of the Cluj-Napoca City Hall, an institution that follows the principles of local administrative and financial autonomy, decentralization of public services, lawfulness and eligibility of the local public administration authorities, the consultation of the citizens on community issues. http://www.visitclujnapoca.ro/en/atractii-turistice/monumente-si-complexe-arhitectonice/clujnapoca-city-hall.html

The Matthias Corvinus House (or Mehffy House) is a stylish building in gothic style from the 15th century (today, Art and Design University of Cluj Napoca). In this house, which was the city’s inn in past, was born on 23rd of February 1443 Matia Corvin, the son of the vaivode of Transylvania, John Hunyadi (Ioan de Hunedoara). Matia Corvin was the greatest king of Hungary (1458-1490), he was learned, patron of arts, wise and just, being mentioned in songs and legends even today. In 1467, he acquited the owners of the house in which he was born from paying taxes and fees to the city. This privilege was enforced by the next kings and princes. The house served as different institutions. It was a college but was also home for the ethnographic collections of the Transylvanian Carpathian Society. Over time, the building has suffered various changes, adapted to the new architectural styles. The basement and some platband of windows and doors that have lintels in the oblique section are characteristic of the gothic style. During the first half of the 16th century appeared the first elements of the Renaissance: some platbands from Renaissance on the facade, with denticles, together with gothic elements, as well as the portal in a broken arch. The original arches were chiefly replaced. During the 18th century, the building was made a hospital and the yard had suffered a few baroque changes. At the end of the 19th century, the building was in an advanced state of degradation and it was restored. Many elements of Art Nouveau, Secession were introduced, being in fashion at that time. In the ’50s of the last century, the modifications of Art Nouveau were removed, being incompatible with the architecture of the building, which gained the present appearance. http://www.visitclujnapoca.ro/en/atractii-turistice/best-of-cluj-napoca/the-matthias-corvinus-house.html

Founded in 1922 by professor Romulus Voia, the Ethnographic Museum of Transylvania entered the elite of the Romanian ethnographic museums, due to the exceptional quality of its patrimony. It is currently composed of over 41.000 traditional peasant objects from 17th-20th centuries and a documentary fund of over 80.000 items. The museum has two sections: the Pavilion Section and „Romulus Vuia” ethnographic Park (the open-air section). The Pavilion Section functions in „Reduta” Palace – a historical monument that dates since the 16th century. The current pavilion exhibition, vernished on 16th of December and called „Traditional folk culture from Transylvania in the 18th-20th centuries”, rebuilds, with talent, the way in which the Transylvanian peasantry lived two centuries ago. As testimonies remained simple tools or ingenious equipment used in domestic activities, culminating with rich folk suits, which showed not only the stage of the life but also the social position of the one who wore them. There are also presented traditional costumes of the life cycle, the calendar ones and the peasant costumes, with an essential role in highlighting the regional and ethnic identity. Curiosities: With a history of more than 80 years, the museum is the greatest of this kind in Romania and among the most prestigious in Europe (the sixth). The museum functions in „Reduta” building, which housed during 1848-1865 the Transylvanian Diet. The famous trial of the authors of the Transylvanian Memorandum took place in this building in 1894-1895. It has 50.000 photos, 5.000 diapositives, 12.000 specialised magazines. http://www.visitclujnapoca.ro/en/atractii-turistice/best-of-cluj-napoca/the-ethnographic-museum-of-transylvania.html

The “Emil Racoviţă” Speleology Museum was established in 1998, and it is the only museum in Romania dedicated to the scientist Emil Racoviţă and to the cave science. Emil Racoviţă is the founder of biospeleology and of the first Speleology institute in the world, which was opened in Cluj-Napoca in 1920. The results of the biospeleology program initiated by E. Racoviţă were exceptional: 1,200 explored caves throughout Europe and Africa, a collection of 50,000 copies of cave fauna, 66 scientific studies adding up to approximately 6,000 pages. Racoviţă reached the peak of his scientific career when he elaborated an original theory regarding evolution. The museum also includes The Emil Racoviţă Collection with numerous varied exhibition pieces like a notebook from the period when Racoviţă was a student at the Paris-Sorbonne University (1886-1891), the Zeiss microscope and the Linhof photo device which he used in his “Belgica” Antarctic expedition (1897-1899), the projector and slides he used when teaching his General Biology course at the Science University in Cluj, original drawings illustrated in his scientific works, personal desk objects. The building in which the museum operates is an old medieval prison (from the 14th century up to the 19th century) and it is considered a national historical monument dating back to 1376. http://www.visitclujnapoca.ro/en/atractii-turistice/muzee/the-emil-racovita-speleology-museum.html