Oradea - Art Nouveau - Life Nouveau
A city that fully enjoys each season and pumps live energy in a surprising architectural landscape, becoming one of the region’s best known destinations for slow and stress free tourism.
Situated on the western Romanian border, at only 490 km from Vienna, Oradea breathed in the influence of the occident in every moment of its long history. The most spectacular proof are the facades of the buildings in the central area, facades built on Art Nouveau concepts with influences of the Austrian secession. The architectural patrimony in Oradea is so unique that the city is member of an exclusive club, the Art Nouveau Network, certified as Cultural route by the Council of Europe.
Secession, Baroque and Eclectics confer personality and add colour to the Oradea architectural mingling. Above all this lays, for centuries now, the symbol – Oradea Fortress, as an undisputable mark of its leading position in the hierarchy of medieval European cities.
Oradea Fortress is unquestionably one of the most important late medieval architectural monuments found in Transylvania. Here is the place where the town’s history can be best felt and seen. The fortress is opened for the public since 2015 after a long restoration process. For a few years, all civilized world oriented itself by Tabula Primi Mobilis, a volume that comprises studies over
the sun and moon eclipses, and the 0 Meridian is in Oradea. Museums, craft workshops, medieval demonstrations, events, and restaurants will walk you down memory lane. Currently the Oradea Fortress is the central point of the city’s cultural events, ranging from medieval festivals to movie evening, organised on the grass in the citadel park.
Oradea is the city of the young, of health and relaxation. In Reader’s Digest top, Oradea is on first place for its merry people and in the online environment was voted, in 2014 as being “The most beautiful city in Romania”. Boosting an incredible events agenda that spread all year long, Oradea is the perfect destination for city break tourists. The city is thrilled to offer to its visitors, during every season, unparalleled experiences during Easter Market, the international classical music festival
European Music Open, Kids Fest, Festifall, Christmas Fair, to name just a few of its now renowned local events. Cultural addicts can enjoy an impressive range of exhibitions in local museums, and unwind during one of the Philharmonics or Oradea National Theatre performances.
Nymphaea Aqua Park is the perfect place to “recharge your batteries”, offering a whooping area of 7 hectares, 10 water slides and 15 pools. Ideal for quality family time, the exterior pools are perfect to cool in during the summer heat and the interior pools to warm up and run from the cold season.
The wave pools and the water slides are going to be a real delight for the little ones. Spa services will make your stay enjoyable with saunas, Turkish baths with thermal water, steam cabins, aqua therapy and massage chambers.
Elegant or traditional pubs, cafes with terraces open until late at night or luxury clubs with parties that end in the morning. Yours is the choice. Wherever you decide to enter, you will meet young people from all over the world. The university from Oradea brought here a multitude of cultures. At
night, Oradea is an effervescent city!
With almost 30 sqm of green space per inhabitant, Oradea is the green capital city of Romania. The river Crisul Repede crosses the city, offering beautiful views and promenade on a considerable length. The bicycle tracks built in the last few years follow the line of the river and the 2 million
square meters of green space will turn your walking into a real oxygen cure.
During the warm season, the cycling fans cross the city to get to their favourite spots or just for the fun of it. Those who love the adventure go to the green forests that surround the city to climb on especially designed tracks that are internationally appreciated for the fans of this sport.
Tourists in search of nature discoveries and a bit of adrenaline can book tours and activities in the mountains surrounding the area, only 60 minute drive from the city. Thus, experience incredible adventure trail running, trail biking, rafting, canoeing, kayaking, Via Feratta (a unique escalading
experience in the Crisul Repede River Canyon). Closer to the city tourist can enjoy golf, horse riding, and a lot of activities with their family and children in specially design areas for their needs, offering a safe and friendly experience.
Felix Bath Resort is Thermals by definition, one must get in here at least once in a lifetime. Located just 10 km away from Oradea and a short 10 minute car drive, almost 15,000 square meters of pools full of minerals thermal water are waiting for you to experience their healing power.
The Oradea municipality has succeeded to honour the city of glorious kings and knits, to create an attractive destination for tourists and foreign investors, to offer a green city where visitors can enjoy a slow living pace. Now, Oradea is stepping into the future, is looking forward for the city of youth and festivals.
A lot of people will come and visit the city to admire the Art Nouveau architecture, snapshots of a city from the past, but even more will come for the life promised by the constantly renewed city of the future. They will come for Oradea, Art Nouveau, Life Nouveau.
Best Hotel Deals in Oradea
8.8
DoubleTree by Hilton ★★★★
5-minute drive from the city centre
Indoor swimming pool, a fitness room, a spa
9.0
Ramada by wyndham ★★★★
2-minute drive from the historical city centre
Fitness centre, 2 saunas, a salt cave
8.6
Elite resort hotel & spa ★★★★
Couples particularly like the location
Features a warm water pool
Oradea
image gallery
Top things to do
in Oradea
Unirii Square
Seven architectural styles in one look: Baroque, Classicist, Historicist, Secession, Romatism and NeoRomanian. It is the place where history and architectural patrimony mingles with state of the art projection, with contemporary art performances, where visitors can enjoy the sunny days on one of its bars, restaurants or terraces. Unirii Square has become the epicentre of the city’s events agenda through the year.
The Moon Church
The name “Moon Church” comes from the mechanism installed in the church tower in 1793. The
clock and the moon are the masterpiece of a creative mechanic from Oradea, Georg Rueppe.
The mechanism that spins the moon is supposed to complete a full round on its axis in 28 days, indicating the moon phases, according to the daily cycle marked by the clock mechanism. In the churchyard one may visit a representative museum with beautiful Orthodox cult objects.
Republicii Street
Ideal places for promenade. Cafes, restaurants, architecture. Lots of attractions for all ages.
600 metres of joy and fabulous buildings are waiting to be discovered and admired. Republicii street is animated all year long, but during the warm season it is filled until late at night with locals and holiday makers. In the summer nights the cafes and the restaurants are on top preferences for customers who enjoy local and international specialties.
Black Eagle Palace
The assembly of buildings is one of the monumental secession architecture accomplishments in
Oradea and Transylvania. Its construction begins in 1907 under the supervision of Sztarill Ferenc, construction engineer and ends in December 1908. Remarkable by its elegance, the architectural complex is personalized by two great stained glasses that represent an eagle flying. Conceived as a symbol of the sophisticated modern city life, the ample palace used to house: one hotel, two cinema halls, ballrooms, one casino, cafes, shops and one bank. Freshly restored, the palace is the architectural symbol of the city and it is unique in Europe. The Y shaped passage has three entrances and the interior, covered by glass, was inspired by Galleria Vittorio Emanuele from Milan.
Palace and Tower of the City Hall
The building is the work of Rimanóczy Kálmán Junior, the architect who wins, in 1896, the new city hall project contest. On the 10th of January 1904 took place the solemn inauguration meeting. With a height of almost 50 meters and four main levels, three of which with a panoramic view, the Tower of the City Hall Palace is also the clock to tell the exact hour in Oradea. The mechanism of the horologe, also named “mother clock” sings at fixed hours a Romanian patriotic song “Marșul lui Iancu”, and was built at the beginning of 20th century, in 1904, by a clock master named Mezey Dezső. The clock survived through the two world wars, and the roof and walls were spared during the great fires from 1917 and 1944.
