History
Târgu Mureş (Marosvásárhely in Hungarian, Neumarkt in German) was first documented as a market town, ‘Novum Forum Sicolorum’, in 1322. It developed as a leading garrison town and later as an important cultural and academic centre. In 1658 it was attacked by Turks, who captured 3000 inhabitants and transported them back to Istanbul as slave labour.
During the Ceauşescu regime, Târgu Mureş was a ‘closed city’, with ethnic groups other than Romanians forbidden to settle here, in an effort to dilute the Hungarian community.
In 1990 Târgu Mureş was the scene of bloody clashes (now known as 'Black March') between Hungarian students, demonstrating for a Hungarian-language faculty, and Romanians who raided the local Hungarian political party offices. Both sides had casualties. The Romanian mob attempted to gouge out the eyes of playwright András Sütő, who remained blind in one eye until his death in 2006. According to Human Rights Watch World Report for 1990, the violence was stirred by rumours that Romanian peasants were being bussed in from outlying villages to fortify Romanian protesters.
Wounds haven't healed, though demonstrations in the 2000s have largely been orderly. Demonstrations in Târgu Mureş calling for Székely autonomy are usually timed for 10 March, so-called 'Székely Freedom Day'. In 2014, an estimated 10,000 demonstrators gathered in Târgu Mureş.
Târgu Mureş
1Top Sights
1Culture PalaceB2
2Ethnographic MuseumB2
1Sights
3CitadelC1
4City MuseumC1
5County Council BuildingB2
6Fortress ChurchC1
7Orthodox CathedralC1
8Orthodox SynagogueB2
9Roman Catholic ChurchC2
10Teleki-Bolyai LibraryC2
4Sleeping
11Atlantic HotelA2
12Hotel ConcordiaB2
13Pension Ana MariaD2
14Pensiunea TempoB1
5Eating
15DonuterieC2
16EmmaB2
Laci CsárdaB1
6Drinking & Nightlife
17Old City PubB2
18PiafC2
3Entertainment
19Agenţie de BileteB2
State PhilharmonicB2
1Sights
Piaţa Trandafirilor & Around
The effervescent central Piaţa Trandafirilor is filled with statues, open-air cafes, restaurants, a cinema and theatre, as well as Târgu Mureş' two unmissable sights: the Culture Palace and Ethnographic Museum. At its northeastern end are two contrasting churches.
oCulture PalaceMUSEUM
(Palatul Culturii; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0265-267 629; www.palatulculturiimures.ro; Str Enescu 2; 12 lei; h9am-6pm Tue-Sun summer, to 4pm winter)
This ornate secessionist-style building, ostentatiously tiled on the outside and colourfully furnished within, is unlike anything else in Transylvania. Built 1911–13, the Culture Palace harbours busts and glass portraits of composers, glinting chandeliers, Carrara marble stairways, mirrors imported from Venice, a regally decorated concert hall, and display rooms on local history and art (all included in the entry price). The undisputed highlight is the Hall of Mirrors (Sala Oglinzi), where Székely village life and dark fairy-tales are immortalised in stained glass.
The windows in the 45m-long Hall of Mirrors feature cautionary tales, odes to maternal love, and women being ravaged by the Devil, all captured in colourful stained glass. Elsewhere, a small museum of regional history is within the Dandea Hall, while the Secession Hall exhibits medals, costumes and large late-19th-century and early-20th-century paintings. Peep inside the Concert Hall to see ox-blood velvet seats and a ceiling dripping with gold decoration.
oEthnographic MuseumMUSEUM
(Muzeul de Etnografie; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0265-250 169; Piaţa Trandafirilor 11; 6 lei; h9am-4pm Tue-Fri, to 2pm Sat, to 1pm Sun)
Ethnographic exhibitions can be humdrum, so Târgu Mureş’ hay-strewn and vividly soundtracked museum is a welcome surprise. A voiceover (in Romanian), supplemented by a multilingual booklet, guides you through a racy story of moral dilemmas from a century ago, set in rural Transylvania. The museum is furnished with great attention to period detail. Vintage coats on hooks and discarded antique teacups allow you to imagine the characters in the story have only just left the room.
County Council BuildingNOTABLE BUILDING
(Prefectura; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Piața Victoriei 1)
Next door to the Culture Palace is the County Council Building (1905–7), also secessionist in style. Its decorative orange and green tiled roof and ornate 60m watchtower have made it one of Târgu Mureş' most photographed buildings. You can glimpse inside to see hand-painted ceilings and stained glass facing a grand staircase, but tourists can enjoy a more in-depth fix of architectural splendour at the Culture Palace.
Orthodox CathedralCHURCH
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Piaţa Trandafirilor; h8am-6pm)
The dominating Orthodox Cathedral (1925–34) was designed to impress, with Byzantine-style paintings and gold-haloed icons of saints – plus a politically charged mural of a ‘Romanian peasant’ Jesus being whipped by nobles in Hungarian costumes.
Teleki-Bolyai LibraryMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.telekiteka.ro; Str Bolyai 17; donations welcome; h10am-6pm Tue-Fri, to 1pm Sat & Sun)F
Opened in 1802, this is one of the oldest libraries in Transylvania, named for its founder Count Sámuel Teleki de Szék. Technically still used as a public library, it’s now a 240,000-strong collection with treasures including 15th- to 19th-century encyclopedias and an engraved copy of the USA’s Declaration of Independence (1819). Visitors may need to knock to gain entry. No, you can’t touch the books.
Roman Catholic ChurchCHURCH
(Biserica Sfântul Jonos; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Piaţa Trandafirilor; h8am-6pm)
Built by Jesuit monks between 1728 and 1764, this baroque-style church was given a neo-Renaissance makeover in the 1930s. It's across the street from the Orthodox Cathedral.
Orthodox SynagogueSYNAGOGUE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.izraelsarokms.ro; Str Aurel Filmon 23; by donation; h9am-12.30pm Mon-Fri)
A block west of the Ethnographic Museum is an ornate and well-preserved synagogue from 1899–1900. Before WWII more than 6000 Jews lived in Târgu Mureş; in the early 2000s, surveys found about 200 still reside here.
The Citadel & Around
A block northeast of Piaţa Trandafirilor, the huge citadel dates from 1492. It houses the Fortress Church, the oldest church in town, and City Museum, and its gardens are a soothing space to stroll.
CitadelHISTORIC BUILDING
(Cetatea Medievală; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.cetatespum.ro; B-dul Cetății; h8am-9pm Tue-Sun)F
Visitors can wander freely within the walls of Târgu Mureş' citadel, whose foundations date to 1492. It houses the Fortress Church and City Museum ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Citadel, B-dul Cetății; adult/student 4/1 lei; h9am-4pm Tue-Fri, 10am-2pm Sat & Sun), and its gardens are a soothing space to stroll.
Fortress ChurchCHURCH
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Citadel, B-dul Cetății; hhours variable)
Enclosed by the walls of the citadel, this oft-closed late-Gothic church is the oldest one in Târgu Mureş. Construction began in the mid-14th century, though it wasn't completed for a century.
Complexul WeekendSWIMMING POOL
( GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Str Luntraşilor & Str Plutelor; adult/child 6/3 lei; h8am-7pm Tue-Sun May-Aug)
In high summer when the mercury tops 40°C, this swimming complex, 2.5km north of the centre, is a welcome oasis. There's a couple of giant pools, a few kids pools, waterslides, plus a beach volleyball area.
4Sleeping
Hotels rise and fall in Târgu Mureş' ever-changing accommodation scene. Still, several excellent stalwarts endure, while more and more enterprising locals are renting flats privately on booking and accommodation websites. Boutique and high-end hotels are easy to find around Piața Trandafirilor, though the best valu
e is at guesthouses in residential streets one or two kilometres from the centre.
Pension Ana MariaPENSION$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0265-264 401; Str Papiu Ilarian 17; d/tr from €30/35; pW)
This family-run hotel of 20 years boasts traditional Austro-Hungarian furnishings, and some rooms even have decorative awnings over the blue beds. Breakfasts are very generous.
oAtlantic HotelHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0265-268 381; www.atlantichotel.ro; Str Libertăţii 15; r/apt from €43/58, with jacuzzi €85; paW)
Instantly seizing attention with its deer-antler furniture and marbled entrance, the Atlantic is an oasis despite its central location. Flamboyant antiques and wooden furnishings fill its spacious rooms, green plants breathe life into common areas, and staff are just the right blend of cheerful and cordial. A sophisticated choice.
Pensiunea FullPENSION$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0265-311 030; www.pensiuneafull.ro; Str Cornești 61; s/d 130/160 lei; pas)
This well-run guesthouse, 1.5km east of Piața Trandafirilor, is ideal for those seeking respite from the din of central Târgu Mureş. The decor might feel a touch 1970s, but rooms come with fridges and safes, bathrooms are in great nick, and there's a relaxing pool area with sun loungers and trimmed lawns.
Pensiunea TempoPENSION$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0265-213 552; www.tempo.ro; Str Morii 27; s 160-205 lei, d 175-220 lei; pa)
Festooned in baskets of flowers, this motel-style courtyard accommodation is one of Târgu Mureş' top picks. Standard rooms are clean and cosy, while the more expensive superior rooms are large with an upmarket chalet feel, plus occasional Saxon-style furnishings. As a bonus, you're in prime position to grab a coveted table at Laci Csárda next door.
Hotel ConcordiaBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0265-260 602; www.hotelconcordia.ro/hotel.html; Piaţa Trandafirilor 45; s/d/ste €56/64/75; pWs)
With retro-nodding furniture and bohemian touches, Hotel Concordia seems to take inspiration from London's Soho in the 1980s. Rooms have zebra-patterned chairs and claret-red carpets, there's a small spa and pool area (included in the price) and the hotel poses right on the main square.
5Eating
Pick any street leading from Piața Trandafirilor – itself overflowing with cafes and restaurants – and you'll find somewhere pleasant to eat. Befitting Târgu Mureş' ethnic mix, you'll find a medley of Hungarian and Romanian kitchens, along with ever-present pizzerias and bistros.
oLaci CsárdaROMANIAN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0265-213 552; www.tempo.ro/restaurant-laci-csarda; Str Morii 27; mains 20-30 lei; h10am-midnight)
Shaped like a wooden church, this striking restaurant with an outdoor terrace prepares heaving platefuls of nourishing peasant fare such as koloszvari-style stuffed cabbage (with pork and rice), paprika mushrooms, and stewed beef with polenta.
EmmaROMANIAN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Str Horea 6; mains 11-25 lei; h8am-11pm Mon-Fri, from 10am Sat, from 11am Sun)
Hearty schnitzels, paprika chicken and veggie chilli is on the menu at this local lunch favourite. The embroidered tablecloths and cosy interior matches the homestyle cooking perfectly. Lunch specials cost a reasonable 13 lei.
DonuterieDESSERTS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.donuterie.ro; Str Bolyai 3; donut 2.50 lei; h9.30am-6.30pm Mon-Fri)
Quell the munchies as you museum-hop around Târgu Mureş by grabbing one of Donuterie's rainbow-coloured, chocolate-covered or Oreo-sprinkled creations.
6Drinking & Nightlife
PiafCOCKTAIL BAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.piafcafe.ro; Str Bolyai 10; h8am-3am Thu-Sat, to 1am Mon-Wed)
The illuminated wall of red and white bottles is clue enough: Piaf is mixology central. Cocktail creation extends beyond the excellent mojitos. There is an ample selection of mocktails, infused with exotic flavours from coconut to buckthorn. Modern art and jazzy seats, along with sultry portraits and exposed brick, conspire to make it one of Târgu Mureş' most enticing spots for a drink.
Old City PubBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Piața Trandafirilor 43; h9am-1am Sun-Wed, till late Thu-Sat)
Just off the square through an archway, this cafe and pub is a favourite with locals thanks to its cosy but chic atmosphere, and occasional program of karaoke, quizzes and more. Cocktails are good, and there is a pleasing range of food on offer, from salads and spaghetti to French-style desserts.
3Entertainment
The lovely Culture Palace houses the Agenţie de Bilete ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; hnoon-5.30pm Mon-Fri), which sells tickets for a wide variety of shows, including opera and the State Philharmonic (Filarmonica de Stat; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %tickets 0265-261 420; www.filarmonicams.ro; Str George Enescu 2; tickets from 20 lei) concerts.
8Information
ATMs are easy to find in the centre, including at Banca Carpaţi ( GOOGLE MAP ; Str Poștei 1; h8.30am-5pm Mon-Fri).
Tourism Information Centre ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0365-404 934; www.cjmures.ro/turism; cnr Piaţa Trandafirilor & Str Enescu; h8am-4pm Mon-Thu, to 3pm Fri) Occupying the enviable corner spot at the Culture Palace, this superbly run centre offers free maps and information on the region, as well as advice on accommodation and transport.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Târgu Mureş Airport ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0265-328 259; www.aeroportultransilvania.ro; Str Ludus Km14.5) is 14km southwest of town (on the road to Cluj-Napoca). Catch a bus from outside the theatre (buses are usually timed for major flights).
At the time of writing, Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com) ran flights to/from Budapest (twice weekly), London Luton (four weekly), Madrid (twice weekly), Paris Beauvais (twice weekly) and more.
Bus
The bus station ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0265-237 774; Str Gheorghe Doja 143) sends daily bus and maxitaxi services around Transylvania, including the following services.
Destination Cost (lei) Duration (hr) Frequency (daily)
Bistriţa 22 2½-4 3
Braşov 35 3-4 3
Bucharest 60 7 2
Budapest 100 9 3
Cluj-Napoca 25 2-2½ 13
Sibiu 20-30 2½-3½ 6
Sighişoara 13 1½ almost hourly
Sovata 14 1½-2 at least hourly
Train
From the train station ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0265-236 284; Piaţa Gării) there is one daily direct train each to Bucharest (90 lei, 8½ hours) Cluj-Napoca (26 to 60 lei, five hours), Sibiu (30 lei, six hours) and Timişoara (66 lei, 7½ hours). There are more services if you change trains.
8Getting Around
Central Târgu Mureş is small enough to cover by foot. Bus 18 goes from the stop at Piaţa Teatrul and Piaţa Trandafirilor to the bus station; bus 5 goes to the train station (ticket 2 lei). A taxi to or from the airport is about 40 lei. Taxis are easy to find around town; rates are 2 to 2.50 lei per kilometre.
Southwest Transylvania
Southwest Transylvania’s history was built on ancient gold and medieval might. Stretching between the Retezat and Apuseni Mountain ranges, west of the Cluj-Napoca–Sibiu highway, the region is littered with citadels. Corvin Castle has doomy towers and drawbridges to inspire envy in even the most dastardly of Counts. Câlnic's fortification and crumbled Deva fortress whisper of the medieval past. Alba Iulia’s citadel encloses monuments, churches and the hall where the union between Romania and Transylvania was signed in 1918.
But on southwest Transylvania’s timeline, these castles are youngsters. The gold-rich hills have been mined for nearly 2000 years (you can admire glistening remnants at the gold museum in Brad), and ancient Dacian civilisation has left traces at mysterious Sarmizegetusa Regia. Contemplate this vast history among southwest Transylvania’s most enduring features, the Retezat Mountains, where hiking trails climb to lofty glacial lakes.
Alba Iulia
Pop 63,530
Alba Iulia’s star-shaped citadel is one of Transylvania’s most overlooked sights. The walls of this magnificently pres
erved citadel – the largest in Romania – enclose grand monuments and museums, glittering churches, and archaeological treasures. Over recent years, these attractions have been thoroughly rejuvenated and sprinkled with plenty of multilingual information. As the place where the agreement was signed to unify Transylvania with Romania, Alba Iulia is the natural focus of 2018’s centenary of the union. So it's no wonder the town has a spring in its step.
Outside the citadel, Alba Iulia is a busy, sprawling place with no shortage of Soviet-era concrete. It's a worthy stop if you’re travelling from Sibiu towards the castles of Deva and Hunedoara, or up to Cluj-Napoca and the Apuseni Mountains.
History
The nation announced the union of Transylvania with Romania here in 1599 and 1918, which were hugely important to Romanians. Alba Iulia was known by the Dacians as Apulum, serving both as the capital of Upper Dacia and, later, during Roman times, as the largest centre in the Dacian province of the Roman empire. From 1542 to 1690 Alba Iulia was the capital of the principality of Transylvania. Romania’s national day (1 December) is a time of major celebrations in Alba Iulia.
Alba Iulia
1Top Sights
1Alba Carolina CitadelB1
1Sights
2Coronation CathedralA1
3Custozza MonumentB2
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