Timișoara belongs to the largest cities in western Romania, as well as important industrial and academic centers of the country. Since the beginning of the 21st century, it has also been gaining more and more popularity among tourists who are attracted by picturesque buildings, numerous parks and a friendly atmosphere.
The city was founded in the 13th century and from the beginning it was closely connected with Hungary. A very large Hungarian Protestant community lives here to this day. This forced resettlement by the Hungarian pastor Laszlo Tokes by the Securitate in December 1989 led to an outbreak of protests that eventually spread throughout the country and led to the collapse of the Ceausescu dictatorship.
The city center is concentrated around several squares of different nature. The most important of them are Piața Uniri, Libertati and Victoriei, between which the Old Town extends. Piața Uniri is the largest and has been the center of Hungarian Timișoara since the beginning. It is surrounded by multi-storey houses with colorful facades, and at its top stands the baroque Roman Catholic cathedral of St. George.
The elongated Piața Victoriei consists of squares planted with flower beds, and in its main part stands the monumental Cathedral of the Three Hierarchs from the interwar period. This temple in a style reminiscent of the church of Wallachia was built as a symbol of the reborn Romanian state.
The intimate Piata Libertati is a place where you can find numerous cafes and restaurants. Around the center there are several well-maintained parks, thanks to which Timișoara is referred to as the "city of gardens". You can also see here the rebuilt former Hunyadych castle, which houses the Banat Museum and the remains of a bastion fortress from the 17th century.
