Welcome To Timişoara!
Interview Notes courtesy of Robert Grotjohn
You have been personally invited! Nicolae Robu, the mayor of Timişoara, has extended to you the opportunity to visit his city, in Romania.
Slightly smaller than America’s state of Michigan, Romania is part of southeastern Europe, with its eastern tip bordering the Black Sea. And, being the farthest western city in Romania, Timişoara is in close proximity to Hungary and Serbia and located along the Bega River’s northern bank.
According to an official Romanian touring website, Timişoara was established and is remembered for being “an important crossroads fortress.” Throughout history, citizens from Austria, Germany, Serbia and Turkey left their national influences upon this city.
Robu further explained that Romania exists “at the confluence of main empires:” referring to the Austrian, Ottoman and Russian Empires. So, as a result of being close to these massive-dueling powers, Romania, and especially Timişoara, were not left untouched by both conflict and culture.
Despite the city enduring destruction, and later seizure and occupation by opposing nations, all over the course of 400 years, Timişoara was eventually reconstructed and revitalized. Timişoara’s major milestones include being incorporated into Romania in 1919 and being the first communism-free city in Romania in 1989.
Nowadays, Timişoara has gained a reputation for its nickname of “Little Vienna.” Home to a variety of European musicals, theater performances, art galleries and museums, Timişoara offers year-round history and entertainment for residents and international guests.
Timişoara’s trivia is noteworthy. In 1869, the city began running horse-drawn trams (street cars), the first time introduced in any European city. Then, in 1889, the city installed electrical street lighting, another first among European cities. Also, Johnny Weissmuller, best known for playing America’s first Tarzan, is a native Timişoaran.
Robert Grotjohn, writer for Gwangju News, asked Robu two additional questions pertaining to Timişoara. The whole interview can be found here:
Gwangju News: What is the one place that a visitor to Timişoara should make sure to see?
Nicolae Robu: It is compulsory to visit the Victory Square, where we have the orthodox cathedral, the opera and the administrative center of the Polytechnica University. The name before 1989 was Opera Square, but after the revolution, the name was changed to Victory Square because the principal events in 1989 took place there, at the balcony of the Opera and throughout the square.
GN: Romania and Timişoara specifically seem open and multicultural.
NR: It is the most multicultural city in Romania, due to its history, because our region of Banatul, with the capital as Timişoara, [has a] history populated with Serbians, Hungarians, Ukrainians, Germans and Bulgarians. We have, in Timişoara, 29 nationalities now. We encourage them to keep their traditions, their cultures and their specificities. In Timişoara we have three theaters: one in Romanian, of course, but one in Hungarian and one in German.
Robu additionally considered his city to be a calming and appreciated city, for Romanians and visitors alike. So, whenever you travel Europe, visiting Timişoara in Romania will be worth the investment. And just remember, Nicolae Robu, the mayor of Timişoara, has personally welcomed you!