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THE IDEA Romania is placed between Central and Southeastern Europe. The country fascinates by its history, the strange legends, mystical forests and rough mountain areas. With this series of ebooks, the reader should get closer impressions about the country. It is not a simple travel guide, but a picture book, which seeks to stimulate your own discoveries.
FOREWORD
The Little Vienna and City of Roses and Parks. Today Timisoara is a cosmopolitan city with lots of charm and thriving culture. His sights are relatively new and were built after the liberation of the city from the Ottomans in 1716 and later, after the revolution in 1848. Emperor Josef II, Franz I of Austria and Franz Josef visited the town. In 1809 the Austrian treasury has been placed here to protect them from the French. Due to the loyalty of the city during the Revolution of 1848,-the Habsburg Emperor Franz Josef has traveled to Timisoara in 1853 to attend the inauguration of the victory monument in person.
both its buildings and its charm. Timisoara is also very fond of its second nickname: "City of Roses and Parks."
Dipl. Econ. Simion Giurca Romanian Tourist Office 1010 Vienna - Austria
Among the most popular sons of the city include the famous actor Johnny Weissmuller ("First Tarzan"), the longest serving director of the Vienna State Opera, Ioan Holender and the Austrian director Robert Dornhelm. You have to experience the charm of this city.
Timisoara is a modern multicultural city characterized by its Baroque and Art Nouveau buildings. The hallmark Timisoara’s is his tolerance, his close cohesion and peaceful coexistence of different minorities, cultures and religions with full respect and understanding towards others. The city at the Bega Canal is the only city with three theaters in three languages (Romanian, German and Hungarian). Timisoara has evolved has not only culturally and economically, but also as a university city. Until today Timisoara is called "Little Vienna", a name that bear the inhabitants with full pride. This name owes to the city 2
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FIRST IMPRESSION After Bucharest, Timisoara is the second largest city in Romania. "Little Vienna" presents itself friendly, cosmopolitan and worth visiting at any time of a year. Timisoara is the capital of the district Timis and the cultural and economic center of the Banat. The city is divided into 10 districts and has about 300,000 inhabitants.
The long affiliation with the Austro-Hungarian monarchy lives on in about 15,000 buildings painted in the noble Schoenbrunn Yellow or the Pastel Colors of the time. Many buildings look even more impressive, when they are dipped in light at night. Electric street lighting is available in Timisoara since December 1884. Romania’s first brewery was opened in Timisoara in 1718, it was also the first company in the country which has been privatized (1727). Today, the brewery is part of the SABMiller Group. 1745 the first municipal hospital of the country went into operation in Timisoara. The first horse-drawn tram in Romania and in all of Southern Europe started in 1869. Timisoara has always been ahead of its time and has set many new standards.
WORLD'S LARGEST BEER MUG 6 meters high, a capacity of 11,000 liters and a weight of 2.5 tons; these are the key figures of the world record beer mug on display in Timisoara. 4
BANAT The Banat is a historical region in Central Europe, which is now in the States, Romania, Serbia and Hungary. The term Banat derives from the territory which was governed by a-Ban (Count).
The city has a pleasing size, with easily surmountable distances. The excellent public transport and very inexpensive taxis help all "City Explorers" to overcome even longer distances quickly and effortless. Depending on the time of the year, you can either warm up in one of the friendly cafes, restaurants and pubs, or settle down in a sunny or shady spot in one of the exciting locations.
A stroll is best to start in the city center, where the local Tourist Office is right next to the Opera House (looking towards the Opera the office is on the right side, in Alba Iulia Street). At the Tourist Office you can obtain a free map of all main attractions of Timisoara.
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RELIGIOUS SITES As in all of Romania, religion is of great importance in Timisoara. Particularly noticeable is the vast number of different churches and faiths that are found here on a relatively narrow space. Openness and tolerance are demonstrated exemplary in Timisoara. Here you will find a small summary of these remarkable sites.
MILITARY CHAPEL Right opposite the Piata 700 you’ll find the small chapel, which was built in 1801. In the period of the communist regime, the chapel was misused, but again set up in 1999 as a church. The wonderfully detailed paintings are simply stunning.
CATHEDRAL OF SAINT GEORGE The foundation stone of the cathedral was laid in 1736. The cathedral has been build in the masterly style of Fischer von Erlach. Because of the Russo-Austrian Turkish War, the building was completed only in 1774. Two architects from Timisoara Johann Theodor Kostka Edler and Carl Alexander Steinlein completed the cathedral. The main altar is from the director of the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, Michel Angelo Unterberger.
SYNAGOGUE IN THE CITY Unfortunately, the synagogue in the city center is closed for years and only to be admired from outside. It was built 1863-1865 according to the plans of the Viennese architect Ignatz Schuhmann. The synagogue has a capacity of about 3,000 people, making it one of the largest synagogues in Europe. 7
CATHEDRAL OF THE HOLY THREE HIERARCHS The foundation stone was laid in 1936 and the building was completed in 1940. The cathedral is dedicated to Holy Three Hierarchs, Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus and John Chrysostom. Architect of the tallest building of Timisoara (96 m), was Ioan Traianescu. The enormous building, consists out of 11 towers, it has been built on marshy ground and therefore stands on more than 1,000 concrete pillars.
Atanasie Demian painted the interior of the cathedral; the Iconostasis is the work of Stefan I. Goja, it is gold plated and carved out of linden wood. The surface area of the work of art is 135 m². In the basement is an exhibition of ancient religious art. The bones of the Saint Ion cel Nou de la Pårtos, the Patron Saint of the Romanian Orthodox believers in the Banat are kept here.
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MILLENNIUM CHURCH The impressive religious house was created according to the plans of architect Ludwig Ybl. It has a capacity of 3,000 believers and was erected from 1896 to 1901. About 4 million bricks were used to build this Neo-Romanesque landmark, which also includes some Gothic Revival features. The monumental altar painting of the largest Catholic Church in Timisoara comes from George Vastag and shows Mary with a crown and scepter, and the infant Jesus in her arms. The church was established late 1901 to mark the millennium celebrations of the Kingdom of Hungary and inaugurated by Bishop Alexander III. Dessewfy.
CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY The building was built in the Baroque Style and was originally home to the Roman Catholic Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. After the construction of the Millennium Church, this holy house was donated to the Greek Catholic parish in Fabric.
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REFORMED CHURCH ON MARY
The Hungarian Reformed Church was named after the nearby statue of the Virgin Mary. The statue was erected in memory of the leader of the Transylvanian peasant revolt of 1514 (Gyรถrgy Doja). The church itself was built in 1902, built in the style of English Gothic.
The sermons of the pastor of the church, Laszlo Tokes, which showed the poor conditions in the country, eventually led to his transfer. Since he refused to be silent and move to another community, an attempt had been made to remove him by force.
The church so far has also great significance in the recent history of Romania, as it was the starting point of the revolution of 1989.
The use of violence against the pastor and the solidarity of the population eventually set the spark and started the revolution
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BEGA The Bega, also called Bega Channel is a Romanian-Serbian River, a little over 250 km long. It rises in the Carpathian Mountains and flows near Titel in the Serbian province of Vojvodina in the Tisa. The Tisa in turn flows into the Danube. The Bega has a gradient of only 18 cm per kilometer and is channeled over long distances and usually navigable.
Count Claudius Florimund Mercy led the channeling of Bega under the technical supervision of military professionals in the years 1727-1733. That was a huge technical achievement for its time. By dehumidifying the swamps, the Banat Heath became a very fertile farmland. The area around Timisoara was very boggy at this time, so the construction and regulation of Bega was finally also the reclamation of the land. This also led to the termination of Malaria, against the settlers of this region had to fight. Over the years, the channel has been extended and always repaired. In 1958 the ship traffic with the neighboring states was stopped, and in 1967 the entire commercial use of the channel ceased. Since 2011, the channel is partially navigable and finishing work is in progress. If the channel starts operating again, Timisoara will become a port of the Pan-European Corridor VII. Timisoara would be connected to other harbors from the North Sea to the Black Sea.
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UNION SQUARE The Union Square is unofficially referred to as Cathedral Square. The historically valuable Unirii Square is the oldest square in the city and is situated in the center of Cetate, the first district, within the limits of the former fortress. The pastel colors of the churches and palaces, which were mostly built in the 18th and 19th Century, create a very special bohemian flair.
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BAROQUE PALACE
The building is also known as “Presidential Palace”, “Old Prefecture” or “House of the County”. The stately palace consists of two floors and has a loft. The palace originally consisted of two buildings, the Mine Office (1733) and Army Fund (1735). Between 1752 and 1754 it was converted into a government building.
Austrian architect Franz Anton Hillebrandt designed the building, based on the famous Palais Kinsky in Vienna. Since 1984 the palace houses the Museum of Art Timisoara (Muzeul de Arta). The Art Department of the Banat Museum resides at Palatul Baroc since 2005.
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BRUECK HOUSE LAZAROVITS HOUSE THE ELEPHANTS HOUSE
The city architect László Székely built the “Brueck House” in 1910. It originated in Eclecticism Style combined with elements of Baroque and Art Nouveau. On the back, towards Mercy Street is the “Emmer House”. The middle of the three buildings is the former home of Lazar Lazarovits. For the first time a twostorey house was mentioned in 1752 at this location. Between the world wars, an additional storey was added. The third building is "The
Elephants House", named after a very famous guest and host house, which was located there. First mentioning of a building at this location dates back to 1746. The "Lazarovits" and "La Elefant" were rebuilt in the 80s of the last century. The architect Serban Sturza created a new facade in an eclectic historicist style.
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MAX STEINER PALACE
The first building on this spot was mentioned in 1752. The owner Max Steiner built the current palace in 1908. It included, among other things, the former Bank of Discount Loan.
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REŞEDINŢA SEE EPISCOPAL EPISCOPULUI ORTODOX-SÂRB SERBIAN CATHEDRAL CATEDRALA SÂRBEASCǍ SERBIAN COMMUNITY CASA COMUNITǍŢII SÂRBEŞTI
At the moment, the facade of the Serbian Orthodox Episcopal See is being renovated. The building was built in 1747. The facade was rebuilt in 1906 in "Neoserbian Style." In the middle of the three historic buildings is the impressive Serbian Orthodox Cathedral. This was built in 1744 – 1748. Very impressive is the baroque façade of the Cathdral, facing Ungureanu Street.
At the far right is the house of the Serb community, which was built about 1821. Many commercial enterprises and businesses used this location. Also Serbs of public life had offices here. The architect Serban Sturdza directed the reconstruction of the house in 1983.
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FRANZ-JOSEPH-BARRACKS
The Franz Josef Barracks was in his history always a "purpose built", which was either the accommodation or training of soldiers. Since a few years, lots of discussions regarding the possibilities of building a modern five-star hotel in its place are held. Over the past, the building was also called “UBarracks” or “Vienna Barracks”
Up to the date on which the politicians, architects, investors and anyone else who "wants to be part of the deal" the building is used as a "canvas" for graffiti artists. In its long history, this is the most peaceful task of the relatively dilapidated and not very attractive building.
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CASA CU WITH LEI LIONS HOUSE
The historic baroque monument on the northwestern part of the square was first mentioned in 1758. Its present form is received on the occasion of the restoration beginning in 1900. The name of the cottage arose from the two lions, located on the roof. Unfortunately the lions are heavily weathered. Under the gables, four swords to cross a "W", this coat of arms was the symbol of the owners, the Weiss family. Two griffins flank the coat of arms.
Over the years the building housed numerous businesses. Some of the very famous names were for example: The tavern "Golden Sun", the shops "To White Dog" and later "To the Great Flute". The House with the Lions is also known under the name "House Weiss " or "Business Building Weiss-Gruenbaum�
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THE SEVEN ELECTORS LENAU HIGH SCHOOL
Located on the south side of the square, was the first hotel in Timisoara: "The Seven electors." It was one of the most famous restaurants in the city and known far beyond the borders. The building was built around 1752. It is only documented that there was a construction site on this property at this time point. From 1995 to 1996 the building was renovated according to plans of architect Lucia Pfaff.
In 1870, the first school opened in the building, it was the "Scoala superioara regala Maghiara de stat" (Royal Hungarian State University), Over the years, many different school activities took place at this building. From 1955 onwards a division of the Liceul Teoretic Nikolaus Lenau (Lenau High School) is located there.
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HOUSE JOHANN SZERVINATZ HOUSE COSTA NICA
The first building of the so-called "Group of Canonical Houses" is the House Johann Szerviantz, where in 1847 the inn was "The Three Hussars" was located. The building itself first appeared in 1758 on the map. Originally, probably until 1849, the entire building was divided into four separate houses.
The original facade of the building matched the Austrian baroque style; the individual buildings appear after the renovation in classical style. The second house is the so-called "House Costa Nica".
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CANONICAL HOUSES SEC XVIII HOUSE KRAUTWASCHL
Today you’ll find offices and coffee shop in the partially restored houses. When you look at the buildings today, you see many flourishes and ornaments. Optical elements and bright colors were used to beautify the buildings and make them more impressive. The penultimate House has no name; it is only referred to as Canonical House Sec XVIII.
The last building is the so-called "House Krautwaschl". It takes its name from Franz Krautwaschl, who was owner of the house in 1828. Over the years, here was the coffee "La Strut", a bank and the offices of various political parties. The roman number MCMLXXX on the roof gables the stands for 1980.
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THE CATHEDRAL The Cathedral was built 1736-1774 in the masterly style of J.E. Fischer von Erlach the Younger. In front of the Cathedral there is the Plague or Trinity Column (Monumentul Sfintei Treimi / Monumentul Ciumei). The column was created in Vienna by sculptor Georg Raphael Donner from 1739 to 1740. The transport to Timisoara happened over waterways. Between the cathedral and Plague Column is a 400 m deep Artesian fountain.
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SWABIAN BANK HOUSE PRENNER / BREMER
The Banatian "Swabian bank" moved here in 1920. Before this time, the "Economic Bank South-Hungary" had a branch here. The building was first mentioned in 1812. Emericus (Emmerich) Oszlányi was the owner of the house in 1828. Late in 1904, the architect László Székely undertook the modification towards Art Nouveau Style.
The “Swabian Bank” and the “House Prenner” (Bremer) already existed in 1812. Wolfgang Prenner (Wolfgang Bremer) was the owner of the building in 1828. In 1848 two businesses, a carpentry and a locksmith were located on the ground floor. After 1900 the building was raised by one storey.
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VICTORY SQUARE The Victory Square (Piata Victoriei), also called Opera Square (Piata Operei) is the present city center of Timisoara. With many cafes, the opera, restaurants and wide roads, this area has become the most famous square of the city.The square in its current expansion was established approximately in 1910.
NATIONAL THEATRE AND OPERA It has 711 seats and is one of the landmarks of the city. In the right wing of the building the German and Hungarian State Theatres are housed. These theaters offer 100 seats. In 1875 the architects Hermann Helmer and Ferdinand Fellner the younger created “The Palace of Culture�. The original facade was destroyed by fire in 1920 and built partially new under the architect Duiliu Marcu. The State Opera House Timisoara was founded in 1946. During the Revolution of 1989 flaming speeches were made on the assembled crowds from the balcony.
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PALAIS LOEFFLER The building, which is also called Chateau Loeffler or Loeffler Palace was completed in 1913. In his time, the palace had very advanced features. It has three floors with 64 apartments with a total of 142 rooms; six lifts, including three for staff facilitated the visit of the upper floors. Many major companies and the authorities had their headquarters in the Palais Loeffler. The popular coffee Cafeneaua Bulevard was at the Palais Loeffler.
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TOWARDS THE CATHEDRAL If you walk past the Palais Loeffler, towards the cathedral, you'll first pass the Palace of the Chamber of Commerce and then the row of two residential and commercial buildings constructed in 1961. The Chamber of Commerce in 1850 established by the decree of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I. and had its first seat in the Lloyd's Palace. In 1933, the institution then moved into its own building. The authorities banned the Chamber of Commerce in 1949, but a year after the Revolution, in1990, it was the first regional Chamber of Commerce, which started operating again.
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SHE-WOLF In the middle of the square is a small park, where there are three monuments. Particularly noteworthy is the Capitoline Wolf (Lupoaica Capitolină), which is a gift from the city of Rome from 1926. It is a replica of the Lupa Capitolina, and is intended to show the common Latin roots of Italian and Romanian people. The bronze stands on a 4.96 m high column and is one of the landmarks of the city. Other monuments include the Fountain with Fish, made of bronze, which was founded in 1957 and in front of the cathedral the SkuĂĽlptur Crucificare, the broken cross, dedicated to the victims of the revolution of 1989. The sculpture is the work of Paul Neagu.
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PALAIS LLOYD PALAIS LLOYD PALATUL LLOYD PALAIS WEISS PALATUL WEISS HOTEL TIMIŞOARA TIMIȘOARA
It was built in 1910-1912 under Lipót Baumhorn. Lloyd's of London with an exchange market for agricultural goods were accommodated on the first floor. In the second and third floor apartments were located.
PALAIS WEISS The architects László Székely and Anton Merbl constructed the very impressive building for the
Weiss family in 1912. Similar to Palais Lloyd it is impressed by Eclecticism Style with Baroque and Art Nouveau elements.
HOTEL TIMIȘOARA Built in 1928 to 1929 after plans of the architects László Székely and Mathias Hubert. In 1975 to 1978 a new building holding the hotel lobby expanded the hotel. Further investments in the hotel are planned for the coming years. 31
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CULTURE & MORE If you are planning to relax culturally in Timisoara, then there are many variations and possibilities. Apart from the Opera, the Hungarian and the German Theater, the Banat Philharmonic is a cultural landmark of the region.
The Banat Philharmonic (Filarmonica Banatul) emerged from the Philharmonic club founded in Timisoara in 1871.
The original association maintained mainly a men's choir and dealt with the holding of solo concerts. Topics such as chamber music, symphony, oratorio and mixed choirs were provided in the statutes. The orchestra was renamed in 1947 in Banatul Philharmonic Orchestra and subsequently in Banatul Philharmonic. At the beginning the concerts were held in the Opera. Since 1969 the annual festival of the Banat
Philharmonic (initially every two years) the “Timisoara Muzicala” takes place. Onwards from 1981 there is also the annual Festival “George Enescu Musical Days” (Zilele muzicale George Enescu). End of 2006, the building of the former Capitol Cinema was legally pledged to the Ministry of Culture. The Banat Philharmonic uses the Capitol since that time.
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SHOPPING Markets, shops, modern shopping centers or dreamy shopping streets in Timisoara you can shop all the way you are feeling (and budgeting). The flower market at Piata 700 is very colorful. Many elaborate arrangements are created here, specially customized for any occasion.
PIAČšA 700 From flowers to vegetables and fruits, here you will find a large selection of local and exotic goods. The market got its name in 1966, in which the seven-hundredth birthday, of the in 1266 first mentioned Piata 700 was celebrated.
IULIUS MALL TIMIČ˜OARA Modern, three-story complex, shopping center with 330 shops, grocery hypermarket, cinema, 20 restaurants, swimming pool and fitness center. The center has 2,500 parking spaces. From Union Square (Piata Unirii) the centre is reachable on foot in 15 minutes (less the a mile).
BEGA SHOPPING CENTER Bega Shopping Center was the first shopping center in the city. It is located right next to the Hotel Continental and houses 42 shops, including a large grocery store in the basement.
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HOTEL & MEETING Select your hotel according to your individual requirements. For meetings and if a large room and personal service for you are valuable, the Lido is recommended. If you want everything under one roof, gym, swimming pool and an integrated casino, then you will be staying at the Continental. Central for visiting the Opera, if you want to go just across
the street, then Hotel Timisoara will be your first choice. Of course, there are other hotels in Timisoara, for more hotels please consult your regional Romanian Tourism Office.
HOTEL & MEETING
Hotel Lido
HOTEL LIDO Boulevard Iosif Bulbuca Nr. 20 30073 Timișoara +40 256 407373 reservations@hotel-lido.ro www.hotel-lido.ro
Hotel Timișoara
Hotel Continental 37
Hospitality is a priority in Timisoara. In this summary, three hotels were described. The offer is of course much larger and bids all visitors a wide range of possibilities.
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TOURIST OFFICES In many countries, there are Romanian Tourist Offices. Here is a current list of all offices, with addresses, telephone and fax numbers, websites and email addresses.
AUSTRIA
GREAT BRITAIN
RUSSIA
Romanian Tourist Office Opera Ring 1, R Staircase, Floor 4, Door 404 1010 Vienna Tel: +43 (1) 317-31-57 Fax: +43 (1) 317-31-574 E-mail: Rumaenien@aon.at www.rumaenien-info.at
Romanian Tourist Office 12 Harley Street London W1G 9PG Tel: +44 (207) 224-36-92 E-mail: romaniatravel@btconnect.com www.RomaniaTourism.com
Romanian Tourist Office Masfilmovskaya Street 35, Office 313 119330, Moscow Tel: +7 (499) 143-87-65 Fax: +7 (499) 143-86-72 E-mail: info@romaniatravel.ru www.RomaniaTravel.ru
ITALY FRANCE Office de Tourisme de Roumanie 7, Rue Gaillon 75002 Paris Tel: +33 (1) 40-20-99-33 Fax: +33 (1) 40-20 99-43 E-mail: info@GuideRoumanie.com www.GuideRoumanie.com
Turismo della Romania Via Torino 95, Galleria Esedra 00184 Rome Tel: +39 (6) 488-02-67 Fax: +39 (6) 4898-62-81 E-mail: office@romania.it www.Romania.it
POLAND GERMANY Romanian Tourist Office Reinhardtstraße 47 10117 Berlin Tel: +49 (30) 400-55-904 Fax: +49 (30) 400-55-906 E-mail: info@rumaenien-tourismus.de www.rumaenien-tourismus.de
Ośrodek informacji Turystycznej Rumunii Krakowskie Przedmieście 47/51 00-071 Warszawa Tel / fax: +48 (22) 826-40-10 E-mail: info.rumunia@wp.pl
SPAIN Romanian Tourist Office Calle Alcántara 49-51 28006 Madrid Tel: +34 (91) 401-42-68 Fax: +34 (91) 402-71-83 E-mail: oficina@RumaniaTour.com marina@rumaniatour.com www.RumaniaTour.com
USA Romanian Tourist Office 355 Lexington Avenue, 8th Floor New York NY 10017 Tel / Fax: +1 (212) 545-8484 E-mail: Info@RomaniaTourism.com www.RomaniaTourism.com
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FINALLY At the end of the eBook is the legendary restaurant "The Trumpeter", which was built in 1750. It was one of the most famous Inns of the Banat and numerous personalities stayed in it. On the following pages are various photos and information material from Timisoara.
AVENUE OF PERSONALITIES The Avenue of personalities (Aleea Personalitǎților) is located in the central park of Timisoara. Currently, you can admire the 16 busts of famous people. The festive opening took place on 3rd August 2009. This day has great significance for Timisoara: on 3rd August 1919 Romanian troops marched under the Commander Virgil Economu in the city. This marked the end of the Hungarian rule and the introduction of a Romanian administration.
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Deliu Petroiu (1922 - 2008)
THE 10 DISTRICTS I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X.
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Inner City - Chetatea Factory town - Fabric Elizabeth City - Elisabetin Josefstadt - Iosefin Mehala - Mehala Fratelia - Fratelia Free village - Freidorf Kardos colony - Plopi New Giroda - Ghiroda Nouă Red Tavern - Ciarda Roşie
BEGA BRIDGES A Pasarela de la Uzina Hidroelectrică B Podul Mihai Viteazul C Podul Dacilor D Podul Decebal E Pasarela dintre Parcuri F Podul Michelangelo G Podul Tinereții H Podul Traian I Podul de Fier J Podul Ștefan cel Mare K Podul Eroilor L Podul Muncii M Pasarela Gelu N Podul Modoș
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PUBLIC TRANSPORT Tram Lines Trolley Bus Lines Bus Lines Express Bus Lines Metropolitan Bus Lines
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COPYRIGHT
EPILOGUE Spring of 2013 did not really bring the weather we were expecting for our visit in Timisoara. Even with snow storms and rain, there were a few moments where the clouds looked a bit friendlier and we could move around.
Rudolf J. Strutz Author and Photographer
As soon as the city blooms and the rose garden brings its thousands of colors, this book is extended by a special "flowers chapter".
Many thanks to everyone helping to realize this book, especially my assistant and friend Vlad Anitei (he will also provide a Romanian version of it), who accompanied me a many miles on the walks through the city. More of my books are available in the iBook Store. To contact me, or to get more information please visit me at my Website: jr-design.net Š 2013 Copyright JR-Design & Rudolf J. Strutz Maps by Google Maps, diagrams by Wikipedia. All material in this book may not be used without prior written approval of the author.
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SPECIAL TOOLS
Previously photographs were mainly developed in a chemical process after they were taken. Today the developing is a matter of using digital tools. I am not sitting in front of the computer for hours to digitally change photographs entirely. Each photograph is exact as it was shoot, there are no background changes and or Photoshop operations. Sometimes I am using Nikon NX2 or Photoshop to straighten a photograph, or to reduce the effects created by using lenses like a fisheye. For me, one of the greatest effects are HD-tools. High Definition let me create the photograph in that way, in which I’ve seen it and in which way I want to present it. Nearly all photographs in this eBook were finished with HDR Projects Platin from Franzis in Germany. This software allows experimenting and playing with the images. A great feature is the possibility to create outstanding effects even using only a single photograph. All my photographs are taken in RAW-format and HDR Projects Platin handles this format without converting or any additional steps. More Information about HDR Projects Platin you’ll find directly on the website of Franzis. hdrprojects.de 47