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0845 3000 247 +44 (0)1539 531258 |
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HIGHLIGHTS |
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St.Mihai Catholic Cathedral Matthias Corvinus statue and house Banffy Palace Art Museum Orthodox Cathedral National Opera House Hungarian Theatre Neologue Synagogue Eclectic & Sezession architecture Pharmacy Museum (Hintz House) Tailors' Bastion Botanic Gardens Cock Church Calvaria Church (Manastur) Citadel ruins (Cetutuia Hill) Open-air Village Museum |
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SURROUNDINGS |
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Banffy Palace & Park, Bontida Salaj: wooden churches Apuseni Mountains: Turda Gorge Padis plateau - karstic landcape Scarisoara Ice Caves Pestera Ursilor "Bear Cave" "Girl Fair" on Mt.Gaina |
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TRAVEL |
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Scheduled services with Tarom via Bucharest, or Austrian via Vienna from Bucharest; Carpatair flights to Budapest and Timisoara with connections to cities in Germany an Italy. Transfers can also be organised from Budapest. International rail services from Budapest (twice daily) with connections to Vienna and Prague There are several daily services to/from Bucharest including two overnight sleeper service trains. Convenient 'Blue Arrow' (Sageata Albastra) inter-city services to Oradea, Arad, Timisoara and Sibiu.Local express services to Arad, Oradea, Timisoara, Suceava, Iasi, Sibiu, Brasov & Baia Mare. Transfers, city tours, rail tickets and even short breaks can be reserved in advance. |
Cluj "Imperial Transylvania"
of the province under the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
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Kolozsvár - Imperial capital of Austro-Hungarian Transylvania, Klausenburg - one of the Saxon Siebenbürgen, or present day Cluj-Napoca, cultural centre of northern Romania. With such a pedigree it it is not surprising that this city is such a lively, melting pot, an intellectual centre with an active cafe society, renowned university, museums, theatres and eye-catching architecture.
Cluj is an ideal gateway to northern Transylvania, the Apuseni Mountains, the mountains of Bistrita-Nasaud, and the Maramures. It is also suitable for short- break holidays. There is a good selection of hotels from the historic, Hotel Continental to the 4-star Hotel Rimini. We can also organise flights from Heathrow via Vienna or Bucharest, and sleeper trains.
The history of Cluj may be traced back to before the Romans who named it 'Napoca'. Now it is a thriving city and university town (the Babes-Bolyai University was founded in 1581) which is presently going through something of a renaissance due to its location on important trade routes which is attracting new businesses and investment. Even the bleak quarters of communist-style apartment blocks are coming to life with new restaurants, shops and showrooms. You will notice restoration projects such as the brightly coloured facades and eclectic architecture of the buildings lining Strada Horea and Piata Mihai Viteazu '- curious blends of turquoise, sea green, apricot, primrose yellow, cornflower blue, lavender and chestnut - more authentic than it might appear at first sight to anyone more used to the natural brick and stone of northern Europe!
Cluj is an ideal gateway to northern Transylvania, the Apuseni Mountains, the mountains of Bistrita-Nasaud, and the Maramures. It is also suitable for short- break holidays. There is a good selection of hotels from the historic, Hotel Continental to the 4-star Hotel Rimini. We can also organise flights from Heathrow via Vienna or Bucharest, and sleeper trains.
The history of Cluj may be traced back to before the Romans who named it 'Napoca'. Now it is a thriving city and university town (the Babes-Bolyai University was founded in 1581) which is presently going through something of a renaissance due to its location on important trade routes which is attracting new businesses and investment. Even the bleak quarters of communist-style apartment blocks are coming to life with new restaurants, shops and showrooms. You will notice restoration projects such as the brightly coloured facades and eclectic architecture of the buildings lining Strada Horea and Piata Mihai Viteazu '- curious blends of turquoise, sea green, apricot, primrose yellow, cornflower blue, lavender and chestnut - more authentic than it might appear at first sight to anyone more used to the natural brick and stone of northern Europe!
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+44 (0)1539 531258
On Piata Avram Iancu (Victoriei) you will find the tall orthodox cathedral (1921-33), the attractive art nouveau opera house, designed by Fellner and Hellmer, and the eclectic style 'Court of Appeal'. There is also an excellent Hungarian Theatre near the river and park. Other attractions include several museums, statues and churches, the Mughal-style Neologue Synagogue (1886) on Strada Horea, the nearby eclectic, neo-baroque and sezessionist archirecture of the 'palaces' on each corner of the Somes Bridge, together with the Urania building and the city hall, the Hintz House (a pharmacy dating from 1573 which is now a Pharmacy Museum, the Tailor's Bastion, the gothic-style Reformed Church, and the botanical gardens, the largest in south-eastern Europe, which offer a wonderful escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. There is also a village museum located on the north-west side of the city.
View along Strada Iuliu Maniu to the Orthodox Cathedral
Cluj also offers a selection of excellent restaurantsserving evetything from Transylvania cuisine to Chinese, Greek and Japanese food, or pizzas and kebabs! The city is also noted for its cafe society and offers a wide range of cafes and bars. It is also home to one of Romania's best-known beers - "Ursus" which you will find almost everywhere!
SPECIAL: Click here for our photo gallery: CLUJ
AN EVENING AT THE THEATRE OR OPERA?
Enjoy a night out in the beautiful Cluj National Theatre and Opera, a secessionist and neo-baroque building designed by the famous
Viennese architects Fellner and Helmer in 1907. Programmes are posted on the Opera's website:
Opera National Romana Cluj-Napoca
Alternative try the equally excellent Hungarian opera and theatre which stands close to the Somes Mic river on Strada G. Baritiu.
Programmes and information can be found on their website:
Teatrul Maghiar de Stat, Cluj-Napoca / Kolozsvári Állami Magyar Színház
We can organise tickets and transfers in advance
In the immediate vicinity of Cluj you will find camping and a restaurant on the popular hill called Feleacu, whilst to the north you can explore some of the relatively undiscovered villages of Romania - those of Salaj county are known for their wooden churches whilst to the north of Gherla there are a group of villages on the Transylvanian Heath with some of the most varied folk music in Europe. Of special interest is the project to restore the Banffy Palace at Bontida (see panel below)
APUSENI "The Green Mountains"
The Apuseni mountains, located to the west of Cluj, are bordered by the Crisul Repede river
to the north and the Aries to the south. This fascinating region is ideal for walking and adventure,
a mixture of karstic landscape - limestone gorges (the Turda Gorge is 3km long with 300m cliffs), cave systems
including the Pestera Ursilor ("Bear Cave") and the exceptional Scarisoara Ice Caves,
stalactites and stalagmites, and subterranean rivers, with igneous mountains, interwoven with the fascinating
folk festivals such as the famous "Girl Fair" held on Mt. Gaina, and the traditional culture of the 'Moti
'- the ancient inhabitants of this isolated upland region, and very diverse flora and fauna
including bears,wolves, chamois, eagles and numerous endemic plant species.
A wide range of activity adventure breaks are available through our colleagues at
GREEN MOUNTAIN HOLIDAYS in Izvoru Crisului - walking, mountain biking, caving,
horse and cart trips, and kayaking with the real experts of the Apuseni.
Full details on Request
BANFFY PALACE, BONTIDA
Of special interest is the ongoing restoration of the baroque Banffy Palace
located to the north-east of the city in the village of Bontida.
It was virtually destroyed by the retreating German army in 1944 in
revenge for Miklos Banffy's trying make peace with the advancing Red Army.
The palace was listed amongst the World's 100 most endangered
monuments in 1999. However, renovation is progressing well with funds
from the Romanian and Hungarian governments and other
non-governmental organisations. A Heritage training centre has been
established here to train craftsmen and architects.
The site may be visited by the public.
There is also a project promoted by Pro Patrimonio (modelled on the
National Trust) to save the 500 acre park here which was originally
laid down and planted in 1750-1760.
Pro Patrimonio
St, Mihail Catholic Church
Statue of Matthias Corvinus (Matei Corvin) / Botanic Gardens /
Statue of Mihai Viteazul (Michael the Brave)
Strada Horea / Piata Unirii (ex.Libertatii) with the Continental Hotel /
Banffy Palace & Roman-Catholic church buildings
FURTHER READING
Rough Guide Romania (4th Edition) - published September 2004
Blue Guide Romania - for more detailed cultural information
"Raggle-Taggle" Walter Starkie - a classic travelogue, Walter Starkie spent some time in Cluj in the early 1930s, mainly studying Gypsy life and folklore.
"They Were Counted" Miklós Bánffy - the first in the classic 'Banffy Trilogy', works of fiction based around life in pre 1914 Transylvania
"Winds of Sorrow" Alan Ogden (John Sandoe Books, Chelsea or Amazon) - excellent cultural account of the region with breakdown of locations in the Banffy Trilogy
You will also find other city guides in local bookstores such as the University Bookshop opposite Hotel Continental. "What, Where, When ... Cluj" is a free publication often left in hotel foyers or rooms which lists services, entertainment, restaurants and events. mainly aimed at business travellers but very useful.
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