Barcelona, Vienna, Budapest, Nancy are just some of the cities belonging to the Réseau Art Nouveau Network, an association of cities boasting an exceptional wealth of Art Nouveau architecture. , and the term “Art Nouveau pearl” is not an exaggeration. When I heard it for the first time, I thought that this city of almost 300,000 people near the Hungarian border probably had a few historic tenement houses and that's all. But it's different.
. Within the old town, they are adjacent to classicist, baroque and eclectic buildings, spilling out into less frequented streets, and finally adjacent to post-communist buildings. When walking around the city, even if we move away from the center, we will still encounter objects of surprising beauty, and each of them can be treated as an “Insta-point”.
What first catches your eye is how clean and well-kept this city is. . Life here goes on at a calm pace. When walking along Calea Republicii, a 600-meter-long representative promenade, we do not have to squeeze through crowds of tourists. There are plenty of cafes, café gardens, restaurants and shops here.
This street is also home to some of the most representative Art Nouveau palaces, including: (corner of Parcul Traian street, notice the “tree of life” above the corner balcony), (no. 10, look in the gate, the staircase landing is decorated with a carpet motif, is a common motif symbolizing hospitality), (at no. 12, pay attention to the sculptures of the four muses crowning the façade, they symbolize the spiritual values of the city), (inspired by the Venetian “Golden House”).
Calea Republici leads from the train station to Ferdinand Square (pay attention to the Municipal Theatre), here you just need to cross the bridge and you are in the main square of the city. However, before crossing the river, it is worth turning left into Calea Iosif Vulcan, where there is . The Darvas-La Roche house is considered an architectural gem of the city. Jewish entrepreneur and art collector Imre Darvas visited many European cities and was impressed by current trends, so he hired famous architects, the Vago brothers, to design his house.
The effect is impressive: the elegant facade with exposed concrete slabs decorated with ceramic elements is one of the most original works of European architecture from the early 20th century. The interiors with beautiful stained glass windows, refined details and stylish furnishings are no less interesting. Although Darvas enjoyed the house for only a year, which then changed hands and was largely devastated during the communist era, today, after renovation, it reflects the atmosphere of the era and the lifestyle of the hosts. The arrangements were created to give the feeling that the former owners only left for a moment…
Just a glance from the St. Bridge. Władysław to Plac Unii allows us to notice an important feature that says a lot about the character of the city. Roman Catholic Church of St. Władysław, Greek Catholic Cathedral of St. Nicholas, the Orthodox “Moon Church” and a synagogue – , where you can count over a dozen different confessions (the most numerous are: Orthodox Church, Reformed Church, Roman Catholic Church, Pentecostal Church).
It is worth paying attention to the so-called “Church of the Moon” (Cathedral of the “Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary”), which owes its name to a mechanism unique in Europe – a black and gold ball placed in the upper part of the facade indicates the phases of the moon thanks to a connection with a clock mechanism (it makes a full revolution in 28 days) .
Although the city's most beautiful buildings were built at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the city's history dates back about a thousand years, during which time Oreada was part of, among others, the Kingdom of Hungary, the Habsburg Monarchy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which influenced its cosmopolitan character. Today, a large Hungarian minority lives here, and festivals and days of Hungarian culture are organized twice a year (May, August), and festivals of Jewish and Slovak culture are also held (both in September).
. A quarter of a century later, it had its own headquarters, which it used for the next 20 years. The architecture of the building is completely unique. It is windowless, and the eight sphinxes surrounding the top create an atmosphere of mystery. The good news for those who want to explore the secrets of Freemasonry is that today it is a museum open to visitors. The organization of the space shows the structure of the original Masonic lodge with the Temple Hall, the Hall of the Lost Stairs, the Reflection Room, the Lodge Master's Office and the exhibition hall. The museum is located just a few minutes from Unii Square on Armatei Române no. 4
Let's go back to Unii Square to see the building that has become one of the symbols of Oradea. In the 18th century, in its place there was a small building that focused the administrative and cultural life of the city (a former inn, where the city office was located). In 1905, the city organized a competition for the concept of a new facility. However, the winning project turned out to be too expensive and the city considered its implementation unprofitable.
This is where two Jewish lawyers and entrepreneurs, Dr. Ede Kurländer and Dr. Emil Adorján, stepped in and decided to invest in the construction, committing themselves to strictly follow the winning design. It was not without difficulties. When the news of the huge investment, brick suppliers doubled their prices, Adorján founded a brickyard, when banks raised rates, making access to credit more difficult, Kurländer and Adorján founded their own bank.
In 1909, the palace was officially opened. It consists of several multi-story buildings connected by a Y-shaped glass passage with entrances from three streets. The ground floor and the passage were intended for 35 shops, the upper floors for apartments, the complex also included a hotel, a confectionery shop, a cafe, a cinema and a cabaret, and two auditoriums hosted numerous performances and concerts.
. The palace has been compared to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, Italy, and it is certainly one of the most photogenic places in the city.
We will turn into Strada Vasile Alecsandri, the first street on the right from the Black Eagle Palace, leading deep into the former Jewish district. . At no. 1, it is worth paying attention to the unique sgraffito decorations decorating the Palace of Adolf Moskovitz and his sons, right next to it is another must-have insta-spot: at no. 4 attention is drawn to the cobalt decorations of the former glass and porcelain shop of Ignacy Deutsch. The building itself was supposed to resemble a unique porcelain gem, and although there is no trace of the store today, the setting remains.
These beautiful buildings and palaces began to be built in the Orașul Nou (New City) district only after Jewish entrepreneurship began to gain momentum in the second half of the 19th century, when Jews were equalized in rights with other citizens of Austria-Hungary. In earlier centuries, this community lived mainly in the Subcetate district located at the foot of the fortress. Walking towards the fortress, we can also visit the Great Orthodox Synagogue (Strada Mihai Viteazul 4). This is already the area of the ghetto, where in 1944 almost 30,000 Jews (1/3 of the city's inhabitants) were gathered and then deported to Auschwitz. Of this number, only 2,000 survived.
The walk from Unii Square to the fortress will take less than 20 minutes. It's time to move from the fantasy fin de siècle to a few centuries earlier. The pentagonal bastion fortress is one of the most important structures of this type in Romania. It was built in the 16th and 17th centuries by Italian architects, but archaeological traces point to earlier fortifications dating back to the 11th century.
The fortress has served a defensive function for centuries, and its moat, filled with thermal waters, never freezes, making access difficult even in winter. The Turks besieged it unsuccessfully for five weeks. However, great destruction was caused by the communist authorities, who maintained a prison on its premises. Nowadays, the fortress is restored and many cultural events take place here. In July, the facility hosts one of the largest medieval festivals in Europe.
When you look at the calm waters of the river, the name may seem surprising, but in fact the current flows quickly. But in a relaxing, green environment. You can walk along the boulevards when returning from the fortress towards the city center, but it is also a great place to spend an evening in one of the restaurants with glass terraces overlooking the river. You can count not only on romantic views, but also on excellent food.
On weekends, you can continue the evening at Cafe Columbus (Black Eagle Palace), dancing until dawn. People who do not like the rhythms proposed by DJs may be interested in the “Sounds of Oradea” festival (in June) or the jazz festival (in November).
Thermal waters are one of the city's resources that contribute to its development. Some districts are entirely heated this way. In 2016, the Nymphaea Aquapark was also opened, which is an ideal place for spending time with family. On an area of 7 ha, you will find 10 slides, 13 swimming and relaxation pools, pools with artificial waves for children, and in the wellness area there are saunas (6 types), a Turkish bath, as well as a jacuzzi and a massage salon. The Aquapark also has bars and restaurants and a rest room for mothers with children.
They were first appreciated during the world exhibition in Paris in 1896, when the resort was awarded a gold medal. Located just 10 km from Oradea, the town is today one of the most famous health resorts in Romania with numerous hotels and medical facilities. Water with a temperature of 40-49 degrees Celsius has a high mineral content (1 g per liter) and is used to treat rheumatic and dermatological diseases. The quiet surroundings and the Aquapark also attract families with children who want to relax.
For people who stay in the city for at least two nights (in one of the numerous hotels participating in the project), Oradea offers free admission to: the Țării Crișurilor Museum, the Museum of Jewish History, the Darvas-La Roche House, the Sion Neolog Synagogue, the Masonic Temple and Town Hall Tower, as well as free public transport for 24 hours and discounts in partner restaurants and cafes. The project will last until the end of December.