Targu Mures

TARGU MURES is a medieval town offering many sights for visitors looking for history.

THE FORTRESS
The first fortress in the town was erected in 1492 upon order of Transylvanian voivode Stefan Bathory, and was accomplished somewhere between 1602 and 1652 under judge Borsos Tamas. Having a pentagon plan, surrounded by a defense wall, the Citadel has seven forts, five of them bearing the names of the guild which – according to tradition – supported its maintenance: the leather dressers’, the tailors’, the butchers’, the ironmongers’, the coopers’. After the Citadel was taken over by the Austrian troops, it became the headquarters of the military garrison based in the town. In the meantime the Baroque style building was built (on the left hand side of the road in front of the entrance gate)

THE PALACE OF CULTURE
Architects Komor Marcell and Jakab Dezso were the designer of one of the most representative buildings of the Transylvanian Secession. Built in the style of Lechner school the place impresses both through its external and internal decorations.
In the harmonious aspect of the whole, the Majolica roof manufactured at Zsolnai factories in Pecs, Hungary, as well as the monumental inlay carried out according to the plans of painter Korosfoi-Kriesch Aladar stand out; further, the bas relief's executed by master Kallos Ede dominating the front of the building, as well as Korosfoi-Kriesch Aladar’s frescoes inside, and the stained glass windows of masters Nagy Sandor and Thoroczkai-Wigand Ede, worked by Roth Miksa. The internal decorations are made from original, invaluable materials: the impressive internal hall – 45 meters long – is made from Italian marble of Carrara, framed by two Venetian mirrors. The two mythology frescoes dominating the hall are remarkable.
Nowadays the Palace of Culture is mostly host of several culture institutions (the State Philharmonic Orchestra, the County Library, the Art Museum, the Art Galleries, the permanent History Museum etc.

THE ADMINISTRATIVE PALACE built between 1906 and 1907 following the design of architects Komor Marcel and Jakab Dezso. It was the first building out of a series meant to change the appearance of the new city center, at the beginning of the 20th century. Carried out in Secession style, enriched with folklore ornaments, the palace is remarkable for its 60m high spire, built originally as a watchtower of the town, placed asymmetrically and covered- like the rest of the building- with colorful Majolica. This material is present in the external flower decorations, too. The impressive entrance hall- in the style of the Knights’ Hall at the Castle of Hunedoara – and the Council Hall too, had been decorated with huge stained glass windows.

 

TELEKI HOUSE
Placed nearby the Citadel, probably on the former place of the ‘Short Pipe’ inn, the residence of count Teleki Domokos was erected, following his own indications, between 1797-1803. Originally built in the late Baroque style, the building underwent important alterations and changed its style; however, the front preserved a rich decoration of Baroque origin. In January 1849 general Josef Bem established his headquarters here. The house was restored between 1985-1987 and it is today the seat of Parish and Arch Parish of the Reformed Church.

TELEKI-BOLYAI LIBRARY
It was built between 1797-1801 following the design of the Viennese architect Ignatz Schlaff and under the personal advice of count Teleki Samuel (at that date he was Chancellor of Transylvania). The library is one of the most beautiful buildings of the ‘old town’. Despite its execution in several stages, it impresses both with its balanced form and sober harmony, as well as through its single style. The Library Hall is two storeys high, 21.65X12.40 m. The basic fund of the library consists of the 40.000 volumes (amongst which 66 incunabula and many rare works and editions) from the count’s personal collection. In 1955 the funds of the former Reformed College had been integrated here (approx. 90.000 volumes) as well as the manuscripts and personal belongings of two genius mathematicians born in Targu Mures - Bolyai Farkas and Bolyai Janos – that were grouped in the “Bolyai” memorial museum.

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
The most impressive Baroque building in the center of the town, the church was built by the Jesuits between 1728-1764, following the design of architect Scherzer Valentinus.
The plan and the main front, facing Roses Square, resemble the Jesuits’ church in Cluj, work of the same architect. After the altar was erected (in 1755) and painted by the famous Austrian painter Michelangelo Unterberger – “Jesus’Baptism” brought in 1731 by the Jesuits -, the main altar works were finished. The pulpit was set in 1757.

THE ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL
The first subscription in view of building an Orthodox Cathedral in Targu Mures, goes back to 1907. The construction was started on May 1925 and was finished on 2nd of December 1934 upon initiative and steady support of mayor Emil A. Dandea, following the design of architect Iosif Victor Vlad. Erected under the shape of a Greek cross, the church encloses a true masterpiece of Romanian church painting – the decoration of the dome is work of master Aurel Ciupe. Between 1974-1986 the internal walls were covered with frescoes executed by a group under the guidance of master Nicolae Stoica, and the dedication of the painting was performed on 11 November 1990.

THE SMALL CATHEDRAL
Erected on a triangular place that encloses the central square of the town from the West, the Church of the Feast of the Annunciation is a small reproduction of St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome. It was built from 1926 to 1936, dedicated on 8 September 1936, and until 1948 it belonged to the Greek-Catholic Church; after that date it has been in the use of the Orthodox Church.