A city break in Tmisoara? Why not? Timisoara is one of the main cities of Romania. It is very close to the border with Serbia and Hungary. This is a city you must visit when you are in the West of Romania.
Facts about Timisoara and a bit of history
The city of Timisoara has a population of approximately 320.000 people and it number 3 in Romania, population wise. It is crossed by Bega river and it is very close to the hungarian and serbian borders.
Geographically is located at equal distances to Bucharest, Viena and Sofia, that is 500 km.
Timisoara is a very important economical, industrial, medical and financial sector. The name of the city comes from the Timis river, combined with the hungarian noun ,,var” (which means city), hence Timis fortress.
Located on Bega river, the city is considered the heart of the historical region Banat. From 1848 and 1860 it was the official capital of the Timisean Banat.
Timisoara was conquered in 1716 by the austrians (it belonged to the turkish) and after that it developed behind the main fortifications.
After the fortress lost its value, the wall of the citadel was knocked down and the areas on which the fortress was, become useful.
Moving over the years, Timisoara was the starting point for the 1989 Revolution, a turning point in the history of Romania.
Some of the most famous and beautiful buildings in the city are: The Metropolitan Cathedral, The National Opera House, The Serbian Cathedral, The Baroque Palace. In September 2016 Timisoara was appointed European Capital of Culture for 2021.
The german colonization in Timisoara
After the conquest of Banat, the imperial authorities from Viena started an ample process of colonization, using especially catholic germans (called svabi) from Wurttemberg, Suabia, Nassau. As a result, the number of the catholic germans got to represent 50% of the total population.
Religious life in Timisoara
Due to its multiethnic tradition, Timisoara is a city with one of the most diverse confessional structures in Romania. In 2011 around 80% of the people here said they are Orthodox, 10% are Roman Catholics (germans and hungarians).
There are other religions too: pentecostals, jewish, muslims.
The Revolution from 1989
Timisoara has a sad history as well. This is actually the place where the Revolution started, which eventually led to the fall of communism in Romania. Thus, Timisoara is a martyr city.
What do you do in Timisoara on a city break?
Timisoara is very close to the serbian and hungarian borders so the people from those countries can get here quickly. Timisoara is a very vivid city, with lots of music shows, festivals, big music events.
If you come to Timisoara you can enjoy a walk in the main city center, admire the historical buildings, and just soak up the beautiful atmosphere.
You can visit beautiful parks or simply enjoy a nice afternoon in Piata Unirii or Piata Victoriei.
