Oradea
Encyclopedia
Oradea is the capital city of Bihor County
, in the Crișana
region of north-western Romania
. The city has a population of 204,477, according to the 2009 estimates. The wider Oradea metropolitan area
has a total population of 245,832.
's basin. It is situated 126 meters above sea level, surrounded on the north-eastern part by the hills of Oradea, part of the Șes hills. The main part of the settlement is situated on the floodplain and on the terraces situated down the river Crișul Repede. Oradea is famous for its thermal springs. The river Crişul Repede crosses the city right in the center, providing it with a picturesque beauty. Its output depends on the season; the dykes near Tileagd
have partly controlled it ever since they were built in the early 1980s.
Oradea, 12 km from the Hungarian border, dates back to a small 10th century castle, while its bishopric
was founded during the 11th century by King Ladislaus I of Hungary
. The first documented mention of its name was in 1113 under the Latin
name Varadinum ("vár" means fortress in Hungarian). The city flourished during the 13th century. The Citadel
of Oradea, the ruins of which remain today, was first mentioned in 1241 during the Mongol invasion
. The 14th century was one of the most prosperous periods in the city's life. Statues of St. Stephen, Emeric and Ladislaus (before 1372) and the equestrian sculpture
of St. Ladislaus (1390) were erected in Oradea. St. Ladislaus' fabled statue was the first proto-renaissance public square equestrian in Europe. Bishop Andreas Báthori (1329–1345) rebuilt the cathedral in Gothic
style. From that epoch
dates also the Hermes, now preserved at Györ, which contains the skull of King Ladislaus, and which is a masterpiece of the Hungarian goldsmith's art.
Georg von Peuerbach worked at the Observatory of Varadinum, using it as the reference or prime meridian of Earth in his Tabula Varadiensis, published posthumously in 1464.
In 1474 the city was devastated by the Turks. It was not until the 16th century that Oradea started growing as an urban area. The Peace of Várad was concluded between Ferdinand I
and János Szapolyai here on February 4, 1538, in which they mutually recognized each other to be king. In the 18th century, the Viennese
engineer Franz Anton Hillebrandt planned the city in the Baroque
style and, starting from 1752, many landmarks were constructed such as the Roman Catholic Cathedral and the Bishop's Palace, presently the Muzeul Țării Crișurilor ("The Museum of the Crișland").
After the Ottoman invasion of Hungary
in the 16th century, the city was administered at various times by the Principality of Transylvania, the Ottoman Empire
, and the Habsburg Monarchy
. In 1598, the fortress was besieged and, on August 27, 1660, Oradea fell to the Turks
and became the capital of Varat Province
. This eyalet
had Varat (Oradea), Salanta
, Debreçin
(formerly part of Budin and Eğri Eyalets), Halmaș
, Sengevi
and Yapıșmaz
sanjaks. The siege is described in detail by Szalárdy János in his contemporary chronicle. The city was seized by the Habsburg-led German-Hungarian-Croatian forces in September 1692. The Hungarian Revolution of 1848
played an important role in the city's history. It was the home of largest Hungarian arms factory while Debrecen was the temporary seat of the Hungarian government
.
In the second half of the 19th century literary nicknames for the town included "Hungarian Compostela", "Felix civitas", "Paris on the River Pece", "the City of Tomorrow", "Athens on the Körös", and "the City of Yesterday". These nicknames are not widely used today, although "Paris on the River Pece" is still utilized sometimes.
As a consequence of Hungary's role in World War I, the Treaty of Trianon
awarded Oradea to the Kingdom of Romania
. Under the Second Vienna Award
brokered by Hitler and Mussolini in 1940, Hungary reoccupied North Transylvania, including Oradea, but, being on the losing side again, had to relinquish claims to it under the Treaty of Paris
concluded on February 10, 1947.
In 1925 the status of municipality
was given to Oradea dissolving its former civic autonomy. Under the same ordinance its name was changed from Oradea Mare ("Great" Oradea) to simply Oradea.
Ethnic tensions sometimes ran high in the area in the past but the different ethnic groups now generally live together in harmony, thriving on each other's contributions to modern culture. There are many mixed Romanian-Hungarian families in Oradea, with children assimilating into both of their parents' cultures and learning to speak both languages.
After December 1989, Oradea aims to achieve greater prosperity along with other towns in Central Europe. Both culturally and economically, Oradea's prospects are inevitably tied to the general aspiration of Romanian society to freedom, democracy
and a free market economy
, with varied initiatives in all fields of endeavor. Due to its specific character, Oradea is one of the most important economic and cultural centers of Western Romania and of the country in general, and one of the great academic centers, with a unique bilingual dynamic.
The chevra kadisha
("holy society") was founded in 1735, the first synagogue
in 1803, and the first communal school in 1839. Not until the beginning of the 19th century were Jews permitted to do business in any other part of the city, and even then they were required to return at nightfall to their own quarter. In 1835 permission was granted to live in any part of the city.
The Jewish community of Oradea became divided into Orthodox
and Reform
congregations. While the members of the Reform congregation still retained their membership in the chevra kadisha, they started to use a cemetery of their own in 1899. In the early 20th century, the Jews of Oradea had won prominence in the public life of the city. There were Jewish manufacturers, merchants, lawyers, physicians and farmers; the chief of police (1902) was a Jew; and in the municipal council, the Jewish element was proportionately represented. The community possessed, in addition to the hospital and chevra kadisha, a Jewish women's association, a grammar school
, a trade school for boys and girls, a yeshiva
, a soup kitchen
etc.
According to the Center for Jewish Art:
Descendants of the pre-Holocaust hasidic rabbinate in Oradea established a synagogue in the Willowbrook
area of Staten Island
, New York
. The synagogue maintains both a traditional hasidic Nusach Sefard
and a Nusach Ashkenaz
service, the latter of which operates under the name Bais Medrash Igud Avreichim of Groisverdain (the Yiddish pronunciation of Grosswardein).
the mayor
is Ilie Gavril Bolojan (National Liberal Party
).
Deputy-mayors are: Gheorghe Carp (National Liberal Party) and Rozália Ibolya Biró (Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania).
The local administration is governed by a coalition formed by the National Liberal Party
and the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania
.
Since June 2008 the party composition of the Municipal Council of Oradea has been the following:
According to the last census, from 2002, there were 206,614 people living within the city of Oradea, making it the 11th largest city in Romania. The ethnic makeup is as follows:
, Villa Latinorum
, Vicus Bolognia
, Vicus Padua
and others refer to the French, Walloons and Italian inhabitants who settled in the 13th century.
Today the city is made up of the following districts called quarters (cartiere in Romanian, negyedek in Hungarian):
The quarter named Vie is also known as Podgoria. "Vie" and "podgorie" mean the same thing in Romanian: vineyard.
border, making it a gateway towards Western Europe
. The per capita GDP of Oradea is approximately 150% of the Romanian average. After 1989, due to its important base of consumers, Oradea enjoyed an economic renewal, not so much in industry but rather in the services sector such as trade and tourism.
Despite this, a survey by Capital Magazine named Oradea as the least dynamic city in Romania with a population over 150,000, falling behind its neighbors Cluj-Napoca
, Arad
and Timişoara
. In particular, the city was criticized for high taxes, poor infrastructure and a lack of a clear development strategy.
Oradea has an unemployment rate of 6.0%, slightly lower than the Romanian average but much higher than Bihor County's average of around 2%. Oradea currently produces around 63% of the industrial production of Bihor County
while accounting for 34.5% of the population of the county. Its main industries are furniture, textiles and clothing, footwear and food processing.
The public transport
network is run by OTL, a municipal agency. It is made up of three tram lines (1R, 1N, 2, 3R, 3N) and ten bus lines (numbered from 10 to 19). The city has four train stations: Central, West, East and Episcopia Bihor (Bihor Abbey). The West Station is located in the quarter of Ioşia, the Central station (called simply Oradea) is located closer to the city center, near the quarter of Vie, while the East station is located in Velenţa.
Oradea is served by Oradea International Airport
, which has flights from major Romanian cities as well as some cities in northern Italy.
, one of the largest and most modern universities in the country. There are also several private universities, one being Agora University
, a modern academic institution founded in 2000. Emanuel University
, a Baptist
school, also exists in the city since 2002.
One of the oldest private universities in Romania is also situated in Oradea. The Sulyok István Reform College was founded in the spring of 1990 by the Királyhágómelléki Reform Church. In 1999 the school became entirely independent from the Protestant Theology College of Cluj-Napoca and changed its name to Partium Christian University. It presently operates with 12 faculties and a student body of 1400; the language of instruction is Hungarian.
).
During the communist years a series of clubs represented the city in the 1st, 2nd and briefly in the 3rd division, under the names Libertatea, IC Oradea, Progresul, Crişul, CS Oradea and Crişana, with varying degrees of success, but winning only one Romanian Cup title, won by Progresul in 1956. The current FC Bihor Oradea
has been playing primarily in Liga II; club colors are red and blue, and the logo includes the year 1902, when the first football match was played in Oradea in Réday Park. The most famous players who wore the white-and-green jersey of earlier teams from Oradea were Francisc Ronnay
, Iuliu Bodola - who played international football for both Hungary and Romania in the 30's - and Elemér Berkessy. Oradea's 18,000 seat football stadium bears Bodola's name today.
. In addition to many Baroque
buildings, Oradea is remarkable for its particularly rich collection of Art Nouveau
architecture.
During the Communist
period and in the first years of Romania's post-Communist transition, many of the historical buildings became derelict or were deteriorating. After 2002, when Romania entered into an economic boom, many historical buildings in the city were restored to their previous state and currently the city gives off a very historic and well-maintained feel.
health spas
, accessible by bus and located just outside the city.
Other sites worth visiting are:
with:
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
| Ceyrat
, France
Coslada
, Spain
Debrecen
, Hungary
Givatayim, Israel
|| Ivano-Frankivs'k, Ukraine
Košice
, Slovakia
Linköping
, Sweden
Mantova, Italy
Diamantina
, Brazil
Bihor County
Bihor is a county of Romania, in Crişana, with capital city at Oradea. Together with Hajdú-Bihar County in Hungary it constitutes the Biharia Euroregion.-Demographics:...
, in the Crișana
Crisana
Crișana is a geographical and historical region divided today between Romania and Hungary, named after the Criș River and its three tributaries: the Crișul Alb, Crișul Negru and Crișul Repede....
region of north-western Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. The city has a population of 204,477, according to the 2009 estimates. The wider Oradea metropolitan area
Oradea metropolitan area
Oradea metropolitan area is a metropolitan area located in Western Romania, in the County of Bihor, Crişana, Transylvania, Romania and was founded on 9 May 2005....
has a total population of 245,832.
Geography
The city lies at the meeting point of the Crișana plain and the Crișul RepedeCrisul Repede
Crişul Repede is a river in Bihor county, Crişana, Romania and in southeastern Hungary . Together with the rivers Crişul Alb and Crişul Negru , it makes up the Three Criş rivers . These are considered the main rivers in the Crişana region of Romania...
's basin. It is situated 126 meters above sea level, surrounded on the north-eastern part by the hills of Oradea, part of the Șes hills. The main part of the settlement is situated on the floodplain and on the terraces situated down the river Crișul Repede. Oradea is famous for its thermal springs. The river Crişul Repede crosses the city right in the center, providing it with a picturesque beauty. Its output depends on the season; the dykes near Tileagd
Tileagd
Tileagd is a large commune located in Bihor County, western Romania. It is composed of six villages: Bălaia, Călătani, Poşoloaca, Tileagd, Tilecuş and Uileacu de Criş.-Geography:...
have partly controlled it ever since they were built in the early 1980s.
History
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
was founded during the 11th century by King Ladislaus I of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
. The first documented mention of its name was in 1113 under the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
name Varadinum ("vár" means fortress in Hungarian). The city flourished during the 13th century. The Citadel
Citadel
A citadel is a fortress for protecting a town, sometimes incorporating a castle. The term derives from the same Latin root as the word "city", civis, meaning citizen....
of Oradea, the ruins of which remain today, was first mentioned in 1241 during the Mongol invasion
Mongol invasion of Europe
The resumption of the Mongol invasion of Europe, during which the Mongols attacked medieval Rus' principalities and the powers of Poland and Hungary, was marked by the Mongol invasion of Rus starting in 21 December 1237...
. The 14th century was one of the most prosperous periods in the city's life. Statues of St. Stephen, Emeric and Ladislaus (before 1372) and the equestrian sculpture
Equestrian sculpture
An equestrian statue is a statue of a rider mounted on a horse, from the Latin "eques", meaning "knight", deriving from "equus", meaning "horse". A statue of a riderless horse is strictly an "equine statue"...
of St. Ladislaus (1390) were erected in Oradea. St. Ladislaus' fabled statue was the first proto-renaissance public square equestrian in Europe. Bishop Andreas Báthori (1329–1345) rebuilt the cathedral in Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
style. From that epoch
Epoch (reference date)
In the fields of chronology and periodization, an epoch is an instance in time chosen as the origin of a particular era. The "epoch" then serves as a reference point from which time is measured...
dates also the Hermes, now preserved at Györ, which contains the skull of King Ladislaus, and which is a masterpiece of the Hungarian goldsmith's art.
Georg von Peuerbach worked at the Observatory of Varadinum, using it as the reference or prime meridian of Earth in his Tabula Varadiensis, published posthumously in 1464.
In 1474 the city was devastated by the Turks. It was not until the 16th century that Oradea started growing as an urban area. The Peace of Várad was concluded between Ferdinand I
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
and János Szapolyai here on February 4, 1538, in which they mutually recognized each other to be king. In the 18th century, the Viennese
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
engineer Franz Anton Hillebrandt planned the city in the Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
style and, starting from 1752, many landmarks were constructed such as the Roman Catholic Cathedral and the Bishop's Palace, presently the Muzeul Țării Crișurilor ("The Museum of the Crișland").
After the Ottoman invasion of Hungary
Ottoman wars in Europe
The wars of the Ottoman Empire in Europe are also sometimes referred to as the Ottoman Wars or as Turkish Wars, particularly in older, European texts.- Rise :...
in the 16th century, the city was administered at various times by the Principality of Transylvania, the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, and the Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
. In 1598, the fortress was besieged and, on August 27, 1660, Oradea fell to the Turks
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
and became the capital of Varat Province
Varad Province, Ottoman Empire
Varat Eyalet was an administrative unit of the Ottoman Empire formed in 1660...
. This eyalet
Eyalet
Eyalets were a former primary administrative division of the Ottoman Empire. The term is sometimes translated province or government. Depending on the rank of their commander, they are also sometimes known as pashaliks, beylerbeyliks, and kapudanliks.From 1453 to the beginning of the nineteenth...
had Varat (Oradea), Salanta
Salonta
Salonta is a city in Bihor County, Transylvania, Romania, near the Hungarian border.-Population:According to the last Romanian census from 2002, the city has a population of 18,074, made up of Hungarians , Romanians , Roma , and others .In terms of religion, 51.12% are Reformed , 36.46% Romanian...
, Debreçin
Debrecen
Debrecen , is the second largest city in Hungary after Budapest. Debrecen is the regional centre of the Northern Great Plain region and the seat of Hajdú-Bihar county.- Name :...
(formerly part of Budin and Eğri Eyalets), Halmaș
Nagyhalász
Nagyhalász is a town in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county, in the Northern Great Plain region of eastern Hungary.-Geography:It covers an area of and has a population of 5897 people ....
, Sengevi
Sacueni
Săcueni is a town in Romania. It administers five villages: Cadea, Ciocaia, Cubulcut, Olosig and Sânnicolau de Munte.-Geography:It is located around 42 km north-east of Oradea, in the proximity of the Hungarian border in Bihor County, western Transylvania, Romania.-History:The first written...
and Yapıșmaz
Balmazújváros
Balmazújváros is a town in Hajdú-Bihar county, in the Northern Great Plain region of eastern Hungary.-Geography:It covers an area of balls and has a population of 18,149 people .-Twin towns - Sister cities:...
sanjaks. The siege is described in detail by Szalárdy János in his contemporary chronicle. The city was seized by the Habsburg-led German-Hungarian-Croatian forces in September 1692. The Hungarian Revolution of 1848
Hungarian Revolution of 1848
The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 was one of many of the European Revolutions of 1848 and closely linked to other revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas...
played an important role in the city's history. It was the home of largest Hungarian arms factory while Debrecen was the temporary seat of the Hungarian government
National Assembly of Hungary
The National Assembly or Diet is the parliament of Hungary. The unicameral body consists of 386 members elected to 4-year terms. Election of members is based on a complex system involving both area and list election; parties must win at least 5% of the popular vote in order to enter list members...
.
In the second half of the 19th century literary nicknames for the town included "Hungarian Compostela", "Felix civitas", "Paris on the River Pece", "the City of Tomorrow", "Athens on the Körös", and "the City of Yesterday". These nicknames are not widely used today, although "Paris on the River Pece" is still utilized sometimes.
As a consequence of Hungary's role in World War I, the Treaty of Trianon
Treaty of Trianon
The Treaty of Trianon was the peace agreement signed in 1920, at the end of World War I, between the Allies of World War I and Hungary . The treaty greatly redefined and reduced Hungary's borders. From its borders before World War I, it lost 72% of its territory, which was reduced from to...
awarded Oradea to the Kingdom of Romania
Kingdom of Romania
The Kingdom of Romania was the Romanian state based on a form of parliamentary monarchy between 13 March 1881 and 30 December 1947, specified by the first three Constitutions of Romania...
. Under the Second Vienna Award
Second Vienna Award
The Second Vienna Award was the second of two Vienna Awards arbitrated by the Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Rendered on August 30, 1940, it re-assigned the territory of Northern Transylvania from Romania to Hungary.-Prelude and historical background :After the World War I, the multi-ethnic...
brokered by Hitler and Mussolini in 1940, Hungary reoccupied North Transylvania, including Oradea, but, being on the losing side again, had to relinquish claims to it under the Treaty of Paris
Paris Peace Treaties, 1947
The Paris Peace Conference resulted in the Paris Peace Treaties signed on February 10, 1947. The victorious wartime Allied powers negotiated the details of treaties with Italy, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Finland .The...
concluded on February 10, 1947.
In 1925 the status of municipality
Municipalities of Romania
A municipiu is a level of administrative subdivision in Romania, roughly equivalent to city in some English-speaking countries. This status is given to towns that are quite large and urbanized...
was given to Oradea dissolving its former civic autonomy. Under the same ordinance its name was changed from Oradea Mare ("Great" Oradea) to simply Oradea.
Ethnic tensions sometimes ran high in the area in the past but the different ethnic groups now generally live together in harmony, thriving on each other's contributions to modern culture. There are many mixed Romanian-Hungarian families in Oradea, with children assimilating into both of their parents' cultures and learning to speak both languages.
After December 1989, Oradea aims to achieve greater prosperity along with other towns in Central Europe. Both culturally and economically, Oradea's prospects are inevitably tied to the general aspiration of Romanian society to freedom, democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
and a free market economy
Market economy
A market economy is an economy in which the prices of goods and services are determined in a free price system. This is often contrasted with a state-directed or planned economy. Market economies can range from hypothetically pure laissez-faire variants to an assortment of real-world mixed...
, with varied initiatives in all fields of endeavor. Due to its specific character, Oradea is one of the most important economic and cultural centers of Western Romania and of the country in general, and one of the great academic centers, with a unique bilingual dynamic.
Jewish community
- This section incorporates text from the 1901–1906 Jewish EncyclopediaJewish EncyclopediaThe Jewish Encyclopedia is an encyclopedia originally published in New York between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls. It contained over 15,000 articles in 12 volumes on the history and then-current state of Judaism and the Jews as of 1901...
, a publication now in the public domainPublic domainWorks are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
.
The chevra kadisha
Chevra Kadisha
A chevra kadisha is a loosely structured but generally closed organization of Jewish men and women who see to it that the bodies of Jews are prepared for burial according to Halacha and are protected from desecration, willful or not, until burial...
("holy society") was founded in 1735, the first synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
in 1803, and the first communal school in 1839. Not until the beginning of the 19th century were Jews permitted to do business in any other part of the city, and even then they were required to return at nightfall to their own quarter. In 1835 permission was granted to live in any part of the city.
The Jewish community of Oradea became divided into Orthodox
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
and Reform
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
congregations. While the members of the Reform congregation still retained their membership in the chevra kadisha, they started to use a cemetery of their own in 1899. In the early 20th century, the Jews of Oradea had won prominence in the public life of the city. There were Jewish manufacturers, merchants, lawyers, physicians and farmers; the chief of police (1902) was a Jew; and in the municipal council, the Jewish element was proportionately represented. The community possessed, in addition to the hospital and chevra kadisha, a Jewish women's association, a grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
, a trade school for boys and girls, a yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
, a soup kitchen
Soup kitchen
A soup kitchen, a bread line, or a meal center is a place where food is offered to the hungry for free or at a reasonably low price. Frequently located in lower-income neighborhoods, they are often staffed by volunteer organizations, such as church groups or community groups...
etc.
According to the Center for Jewish Art:
The Oradea Jewish community was once the most active both commercially and culturally in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 1944, twenty-five thousand Oradean Jews were deported to concentration camps by the NazisNazi GermanyNazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, thus decimating this vital community. Only three hundred Jews reside in Oradea today. In the center of the city, on the river bank and towering over other buildings in the area, is the large Neolog Temple Synagogue built in 1878. The unusual cube-shaped synagogue with its large cupola is one of the largest in Romania. Inside there is a large organ and stucco decorations. In 1891, the Orthodox community also built a complex of buildings including two synagogues and a community center.
Descendants of the pre-Holocaust hasidic rabbinate in Oradea established a synagogue in the Willowbrook
Willowbrook, Staten Island
Willowbrook is a neighborhood in Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City. It is located in the region of the island usually referred to as Mid-Island, immediately to the south of Port Richmond, to the west of Meiers Corners and Westerleigh, to the north of New Springville, and to...
area of Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The synagogue maintains both a traditional hasidic Nusach Sefard
Nusach Sefard
Nusach Sefard is the name for various forms of the Jewish siddur, designed to reconcile Ashkenazi customs with the kabbalistic customs of the Ari. To this end it has incorporated the wording of Nusach Edot Mizrach, the prayer book of Sefardi Jews, into certain prayers...
and a Nusach Ashkenaz
Nusach Ashkenaz
Nusach Ashkenaz is a style of Jewish religious service conducted by Ashkenazi Jews, originating from Central and Western Europe.It is primarily a way to order and include prayers, and differs from Nusach Sefard , and still more from the Sephardic rite proper, in the placement and presence of...
service, the latter of which operates under the name Bais Medrash Igud Avreichim of Groisverdain (the Yiddish pronunciation of Grosswardein).
Kings buried
- 1096 Ladislaus I of Hungary
- 1131 Stephen II of HungaryStephen II of HungaryStephen II , King of Hungary and Croatia, ruled from 1116 until 1131. He was crowned as a child during his father's lifetime who wanted to ensure Stephen's succession against his brother, Duke Álmos. Stephen's reign was characterized by frequent struggles with neighbouring countries...
- 1235 Andrew II of HungaryAndrew II of HungaryAndrew II the Jerosolimitan was King of Hungary and Croatia . He was the younger son of King Béla III of Hungary, who invested him with the government of the Principality of Halych...
- 1295 Fenenna, wife of Andrew III of Hungary
- 1319 Beatrix of Luxemburg, wife of Charles I of HungaryCharles I of HungaryCharles I , also known as Charles Robert , was the first King of Hungary and Croatia of the House of Anjou. He was also descended from the old Hungarian Árpád dynasty. His claim to the throne of Hungary was contested by several pretenders...
- 1367 Elisabeth, daughter of Basarab I of WallachiaBasarab I of WallachiaBasarab I the Founder was voivode or prince of Wallachia . His rise seems to have taken place in the context of the war between the Kingdom of Hungary and the Orthodox states in the north of the Balkan Peninsula...
- 1395 Mary of HungaryMary of HungaryMary of Anjou was queen regnant of Hungary from 1382 until her death in 1395.-Childhood:...
- 1437 Sigismund, Holy Roman EmperorSigismund, Holy Roman EmperorSigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
, King of Hungary
Politics
After the 2008 local government electionsRomanian local election, 2008
Local elections were held in Romania on June 1, 2008, with a runoff for mayors on June 15, 2008.On June 1 where elected:* all the villages, communes, cities, and municipal cluncils , and the Sectors Local Councils of Bucharest...
the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
is Ilie Gavril Bolojan (National Liberal Party
National Liberal Party (Romania)
The National Liberal Party , abbreviated to PNL, is a centre-right liberal party in Romania. It is the third-largest party in the Romanian Parliament, with 53 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 22 in the Senate: behind the centre-right Democratic Liberal Party and the centre-left Social...
).
Deputy-mayors are: Gheorghe Carp (National Liberal Party) and Rozália Ibolya Biró (Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania).
The local administration is governed by a coalition formed by the National Liberal Party
National Liberal Party (Romania)
The National Liberal Party , abbreviated to PNL, is a centre-right liberal party in Romania. It is the third-largest party in the Romanian Parliament, with 53 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 22 in the Senate: behind the centre-right Democratic Liberal Party and the centre-left Social...
and the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania
Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania
The Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania, is the main political organisation representing the ethnic Hungarians of Romania....
.
Since June 2008 the party composition of the Municipal Council of Oradea has been the following:
| Party | Seats | Succeeding Council | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Liberal Party National Liberal Party (Romania) The National Liberal Party , abbreviated to PNL, is a centre-right liberal party in Romania. It is the third-largest party in the Romanian Parliament, with 53 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 22 in the Senate: behind the centre-right Democratic Liberal Party and the centre-left Social... |
10 | |||||||||||
| Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania The Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania, is the main political organisation representing the ethnic Hungarians of Romania.... |
7 | |||||||||||
| Democratic-Liberal Party | 7 | |||||||||||
| Social Democratic Party Social Democratic Party (Romania) The Social Democratic Party is the major social-democratic political party in Romania. It was formed in 1992, after the post-communist National Salvation Front broke apart. It adopted its present name after a merger with a minor social-democratic party in 2001. Since its formation, it has always... |
3 | |||||||||||
Demographics
| Historical population of Oradea | |||||||||||||
| Year | Population | %± | Romanian | Hungarian | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1787 | 9,790 | — | n/a | n/a | |||||||||
| 1830 | 19,091 | 95% | n/a | n/a | |||||||||
| 1857 | 22,443 | 17.5% | n/a | n/a | |||||||||
| 1880 | 31,324 | 39.5% | 6.5% | 86.8% | |||||||||
| 1900 | 47,018 | 50.1% | n/a | n/a | |||||||||
| 1912 census | 64,169 | 36.4% | 5.6% | 91% | |||||||||
| 1930 census | 82,687 | 28.8% | 27.1% | 51.5% | |||||||||
| 1948 census | 82,282 | −0.4% | 32.8% | 63.8% | |||||||||
| 1956 census | 98,950 | 20.2% | 35.9% | 59% | |||||||||
| 1966 census | 122,534 | 23.8% | 46% | 51.3% | |||||||||
| 1977 census | 170,531 | 39.1% | 53.9% | 44% | |||||||||
| 1992 census | 222,741 | 30.6% | 64.7% | 33.3% | |||||||||
| 2002 census | 206,614 | −7.2% | 70.3% | 27.5% | |||||||||
| 2010 estimate | 204,882 | −0.8% | n/a | n/a | |||||||||
According to the last census, from 2002, there were 206,614 people living within the city of Oradea, making it the 11th largest city in Romania. The ethnic makeup is as follows:
- RomaniansRomaniansThe Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
: 145,284 (70.31%) - Hungarians: 56,985 (27.58%)
- Roma: 2,449 (1.18%)
- Other: 0.93%
Quarters
Before 1848, Oradea was made up of 4 separate towns: Várad-Újváros (Villa Nova, former Vicus Szombathely), Várad-Olaszi (Villa Latinorum Varadiensium, "olasz" meaning Italian), Várad-Velence (Vicus Venetia), Várad-Váralja (Civitas Waradiensis). The names Vicus VenetiaVenice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, Villa Latinorum
Latium
Lazio is one of the 20 administrative regions of Italy, situated in the central peninsular section of the country. With about 5.7 million residents and a GDP of more than 170 billion euros, Lazio is the third most populated and the second richest region of Italy...
, Vicus Bolognia
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
, Vicus Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
and others refer to the French, Walloons and Italian inhabitants who settled in the 13th century.
Today the city is made up of the following districts called quarters (cartiere in Romanian, negyedek in Hungarian):
|
Seleuš Seleuš or Seleuş is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Alibunar municipality, in the South Banat District, Vojvodina province... ; |
Vie Vie , is a district , of Oradea, a city in Bihor, Romania. The name means vine in Romanian.-Geography:Vie is situated in the hills overlooking Oradea, in the northern part of the town. It spans quite a large area, from a part just north of the hillow but the centre extending quite far into the... ; |
Tokai Tōkai in Japanese may refer to:* Tōkai region, a subregion of Chūbu* Tōkai, Ibaraki, a village, also nown as "Tokaimura" * Tōkai, Aichi, a city* Tōkai University, a private university in Tokyo... ; |
The quarter named Vie is also known as Podgoria. "Vie" and "podgorie" mean the same thing in Romanian: vineyard.
Economy
Oradea has long been one of the more prosperous cities in Romania, due mainly to its location on the HungarianHungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
border, making it a gateway towards Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
. The per capita GDP of Oradea is approximately 150% of the Romanian average. After 1989, due to its important base of consumers, Oradea enjoyed an economic renewal, not so much in industry but rather in the services sector such as trade and tourism.
Despite this, a survey by Capital Magazine named Oradea as the least dynamic city in Romania with a population over 150,000, falling behind its neighbors Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca , commonly known as Cluj, is the fourth most populous city in Romania and the seat of Cluj County in the northwestern part of the country. Geographically, it is roughly equidistant from Bucharest , Budapest and Belgrade...
, Arad
Arad, Romania
Arad is the capital city of Arad County, in western Romania, in the Crişana region, on the river Mureş.An important industrial center and transportation hub, Arad is also the seat of a Romanian Orthodox archbishop and features two universities, a Romanian Orthodox theological seminary, a training...
and Timişoara
Timisoara
Timișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
. In particular, the city was criticized for high taxes, poor infrastructure and a lack of a clear development strategy.
Oradea has an unemployment rate of 6.0%, slightly lower than the Romanian average but much higher than Bihor County's average of around 2%. Oradea currently produces around 63% of the industrial production of Bihor County
Bihor County
Bihor is a county of Romania, in Crişana, with capital city at Oradea. Together with Hajdú-Bihar County in Hungary it constitutes the Biharia Euroregion.-Demographics:...
while accounting for 34.5% of the population of the county. Its main industries are furniture, textiles and clothing, footwear and food processing.
Transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
network is run by OTL, a municipal agency. It is made up of three tram lines (1R, 1N, 2, 3R, 3N) and ten bus lines (numbered from 10 to 19). The city has four train stations: Central, West, East and Episcopia Bihor (Bihor Abbey). The West Station is located in the quarter of Ioşia, the Central station (called simply Oradea) is located closer to the city center, near the quarter of Vie, while the East station is located in Velenţa.
Oradea is served by Oradea International Airport
Oradea International Airport
-Accidents and incidents:On 4 February 1970, an Antonov 24B operated by TAROM crashed into the mountains near Oradea while inbound from Bucharest Otopeni InternationalOn 27 May 1971, an Ilyushin 14 operated by TAROM was hijacked after departure from Oradea...
, which has flights from major Romanian cities as well as some cities in northern Italy.
Education
Oradea is one of the main education centers of Romania. The city is home to the University of OradeaUniversity of Oradea
The University of Oradea is a public University, located in Oradea, in North-Western Romania.With its four colleges and 18 faculties, has a total of 123 fields of study for undergraduates and 151 post-graduate specialisation degrees...
, one of the largest and most modern universities in the country. There are also several private universities, one being Agora University
Agora University
The Agora University is a private high education and research institution in Romania, developed inside the Agora Foundation.Its high standards of teaching and research had already created a name in the education sector...
, a modern academic institution founded in 2000. Emanuel University
Emanuel University
- History :The roots of Emanuel University were planted in 1986, when Emanuel Baptist Church of Oradea, formerly known as the Second Baptist Church of Oradea, initiated an underground Bible institute to train the upcoming pastors and missionaries of the Communist Romania.Today, Emanuel University...
, a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
school, also exists in the city since 2002.
One of the oldest private universities in Romania is also situated in Oradea. The Sulyok István Reform College was founded in the spring of 1990 by the Királyhágómelléki Reform Church. In 1999 the school became entirely independent from the Protestant Theology College of Cluj-Napoca and changed its name to Partium Christian University. It presently operates with 12 faculties and a student body of 1400; the language of instruction is Hungarian.
Sports
FC Bihor, founded in 1958, is the city's representative in the Romanian football system, currently playing in Liga II. It is, indirectly, the successor to the historic Clubul Atletic Oradea (CA Oradea), founded in 1910. Famously, after the annexation of Northern Transylvania by Hungary during WW II, the football club played in the Hungarian Championship under the Hungarian translation Nagyváradi Atlétikai Club (NAC), and won the championship at the end of the 1943-1944 season. CA Oradea is one of only two football clubs who played and won national championships in two countries (the other one is SK Rapid WienSK Rapid Wien
The Sportklub Rapid Wien is an Austrian football club playing in the country's capital city of Vienna. Rapid is the most popular club in Austria and also record title holder having won the Austrian national football title 32 times...
).
During the communist years a series of clubs represented the city in the 1st, 2nd and briefly in the 3rd division, under the names Libertatea, IC Oradea, Progresul, Crişul, CS Oradea and Crişana, with varying degrees of success, but winning only one Romanian Cup title, won by Progresul in 1956. The current FC Bihor Oradea
FC Bihor Oradea
Fotbal Club Bihor Oradea is a Romanian football club based in Oradea, founded in 1958, currently playing in the Liga II.-Current squad:-Famous players:...
has been playing primarily in Liga II; club colors are red and blue, and the logo includes the year 1902, when the first football match was played in Oradea in Réday Park. The most famous players who wore the white-and-green jersey of earlier teams from Oradea were Francisc Ronnay
Francisc Ronnay
Ferenc Rónay or Francisc Rónay was a Romanian footballer and manager....
, Iuliu Bodola - who played international football for both Hungary and Romania in the 30's - and Elemér Berkessy. Oradea's 18,000 seat football stadium bears Bodola's name today.
Architecture
Oradea's architecture is a mix of Communist-era apartment buildings, mainly in the outer quarters, and beautiful historical buildings that are remnants of the era when the city was part of Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
. In addition to many Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
buildings, Oradea is remarkable for its particularly rich collection of Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
architecture.
During the Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
period and in the first years of Romania's post-Communist transition, many of the historical buildings became derelict or were deteriorating. After 2002, when Romania entered into an economic boom, many historical buildings in the city were restored to their previous state and currently the city gives off a very historic and well-maintained feel.
Attractions
The beautiful city center is worth visiting, as are the Băile FelixBaile Felix
Băile Felix is a thermal spa resort near the commune of Sânmartin in Bihor County, Transylvania, Romania. They are among the best known and most quality thermal spas in the country...
health spas
Destination spa
A destination spa is a short term residential/lodging facility with the primary purpose of providing individual services for spa-goers to develop healthy habits. Historically many such spas were developed at the location of natural hot springs or sources of mineral waters...
, accessible by bus and located just outside the city.
Other sites worth visiting are:
- Baroque Palace of OradeaBaroque Palace of OradeaThe Episcopal palace of the city of Oradea in Bihor county, Romania dates to the Baroque times.- History :It was founded in 1762 by the Baron Bishop Adam Patachich, as bishopric palace of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Magnovaradimum...
– today Muzeul Ţării Crişurilor, a wonderful Baroque museum with 365 famous windows. It was the Roman Catholic bishop's palace until 1945, when the Communist regime took the building into public ownership. It was returned to the Roman Catholic Church in 2003. Its collection includes many fossils of dinosaurDinosaurDinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
s and birds from the bauxiteBauxiteBauxite is an aluminium ore and is the main source of aluminium. This form of rock consists mostly of the minerals gibbsite Al3, boehmite γ-AlO, and diaspore α-AlO, in a mixture with the two iron oxides goethite and hematite, the clay mineral kaolinite, and small amounts of anatase TiO2...
mines at Cornet-BrusturiBrusturi, BihorBrusturi is a commune in Bihor County, northwestern Romania with a population of 4,238 people. It is composed of eight villages: Brusturi, Cuieşd, Loranta, Orvişele, Păuleşti, Picleu, Ţigăneştii de Criş and Varasău....
. - Catedrala barocă – the biggest Baroque cathedral in Romania,
- Cetatea Oradea - Oradea's Fortress, with a pentagonal shape, is a fortification with walls of rock on some portions and wood towers situated at the gate and at the corners.
- Biserica cu Lună – a church unique in Europe, with an astronomical clockAstronomical clockAn astronomical clock is a clock with special mechanisms and dials to display astronomical information, such as the relative positions of the sun, moon, zodiacal constellations, and sometimes major planets.-Definition:...
depicting the phases of the moon, - Pasajul Vulturul Negru – the "Black Eagle Palace" (or "Eagle Palace") shopping galleria, named after its famous stained glass eagle in the ceiling
- Ady Endre Museum - a museum dedicated to one of the greatest Hungarian poets and a native son,
- Teatrul de Stat – the State Theater in the heart of the city, plans for which were designed by two Austrian architects who had built around 100 theaters and opera houses in Europe by the end of the 19th century,
- Str. Republicii – one of the most beautiful streets of TransylvaniaTransylvaniaTransylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
, displaying a great number of Art NouveauArt NouveauArt Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
buildings, - There are also some 100 religious sites of different denominations in Oradea, including three synagogues (only one still in use) and the biggest BaptistBaptistBaptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
church in Eastern Europe.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Oradea is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
| Ceyrat
Ceyrat
Ceyrat is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France.-References:*...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Coslada
Coslada
Coslada is a city in the autonomous community of Madrid. , the mayor of Coslada is Raul Lopez Vaquero .The Dry Port of the Community of Madrid is located in Coslada, which turns the city into a strategic point. The majority of the companies which transport important commodities that operate in...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Debrecen
Debrecen
Debrecen , is the second largest city in Hungary after Budapest. Debrecen is the regional centre of the Northern Great Plain region and the seat of Hajdú-Bihar county.- Name :...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
Givatayim, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
|| Ivano-Frankivs'k, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
Košice
Košice
Košice is a city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
Linköping
Linköping
Linköping is a city in southern middle Sweden, with 104 232 inhabitants in 2010. It is the seat of Linköping Municipality with 146 736 inhabitants and the capital of Östergötland County...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
Mantova, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Diamantina
Diamantina
Diamantina is a Brazilian city in the state of Minas Gerais. Its estimated population in 2006 was 44,746 in a total area of 3,870 km²....
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
Famous people
- Endre AdyEndre AdyEndre Ady was a Hungarian poet.-Biography:Ady was born in Érmindszent, Szilágy county . He belonged to an impoverished Calvinist noble family...
- one of the greatest Hungarian poets - Yehuda AmitalYehuda AmitalYehuda Amital was an Orthodox rabbi, the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion and a former member of the Israeli cabinet.-Biography:Amital was born in Oradea in Romania. When Germany occupied the area in 1944, the Nazis sent his entire family to Auschwitz where they were killed. Amital was sent to...
- rabbiRabbiIn Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
& former member of IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i cabinet - Iuliu Baratky
- Gabriel Báthory prince of TransylvaniaTransylvaniaTransylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
- Sigismund BáthorySigismund BáthorySigismund Báthory was Prince of Transylvania.-Biography:Hailing from the Báthory family's Somlyó branch, he was the son of Christopher Báthory, Voivod of Transylvania, and nephew of Stephen Báthory, King of Poland...
prince of TransylvaniaTransylvaniaTransylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical... - Ödön BeöthyÖdön BeöthyÖdön Beöthy , Hungarian deputy and orator, was born in Nagyvárad, Hungary , his father being a retired officer and deputy lord-lieutenant of the county of Bihar....
- Lajos BíróLajos BiróLajos Bíró was a Hungarian novelist, playwright, and screenwriter who wrote many films from the early 1920s through the late 1940s. He was born in Nagyvárad, Austria-Hungary and eventually moved to the United Kingdom where he worked as a scenario chief for London Film Productions run by...
- Eliezer BerkovitsEliezer BerkovitsEliezer Berkovits , was a rabbi, theologian, and educator in the tradition of Orthodox Judaism.- Life:...
- Carl Ditters von DittersdorfCarl Ditters von Dittersdorf----August Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf was an Austrian composer, violinist and silvologist.-1739-1764:...
- Bernát FriedmannBernát FriedmannBernhard Friedmann, or Friedmann Bernát was a Hungarian Jewish jurist and criminal lawyer.He studied law at the "Rechtsakademie" there and at the University of Budapest...
- Georg von Peuerbach
- Michael HaydnMichael HaydnJohann Michael Haydn was an Austrian composer of the classical period, the younger brother of Joseph Haydn.-Life:...
- Ladislaus I of Hungary
- Endre KabosEndre KabosEndre Kabos , born in Nagyvárad, Hungary, was a Hungarian sabre fencer.-Fencing career:Kabos began fencing after receiving a fencing outfit as a birthday present. Although he hid the outfit in his wardrobe, a friend found it and teased him. The following day, he enrolled in a fencing club just to...
- Péter PázmányPéter PázmányPéter Pázmány de Panasz was a Hungarian philosopher, theologian, catholic cardinal, pulpit orator and statesman. He was an important figure in the Counter-Reformation in Royal Hungary. He worked to convert Protestants back to Catholicism in Hungary.His most important legacy was his creation of the...
cardinal - Georges PolitzerGeorges PolitzerGeorges Politzer was a French philosopher and Marxist theoretician of Hungarian origin, affectionately referred to by some as the "red-headed philosopher" . He was a native of Oradea, a city in present-day Romania.-Biography:Politzer was already a militant by the time of his involvement in the...
- Ede SzigligetiEde SzigligetiEde Szigligeti was a Hungarian dramatist.He was born József Szathmáry, at Nagyvárad-Olaszi . His parents would have made him a priest; he wanted to be a great doctor; finally he entered the office of an engineer...
- Julia VaradyJulia VaradyJúlia Várady is a German soprano of Hungarian origin born in Nagyvárad, Hungary .At the age of six she began violin lessons at the music conservatory in Cluj-Napoca and then, aged fourteen, voice training with Emilia Popp...
- Nandor WagnerNandor WagnerNandor Wagner ]] , nearby Mashiko, Tochigi) was a Hungarian artist and sculptor. He was the son of a dentist, born in Oradea , now Romania. Wagner studied at Budapest Art Academy before and after the World War II. He had three art periods as living in Hungary , Sweden and Japan respectively...
- Emanoil GojduEmanoil GojduEmanuil Gojdu was a Romanian lawyer in the Austrian Empire....
- Mircea Maliţa
- Emerich JeneiEmerich JeneiEmerich Jenei or Imre Jenei is a Romanian former football player and coach...
- Popa Kinga - the leader of Romania's LearningEnterprises.org
- Ioan Pop de Popa
- Renáta TolvaiRenáta TolvaiRenáta Tímea Tolvai, known professionally as Reni Tolvai is a Romanian singer of Hungarian origin, dancer and model, who won the 5th Megasztár-Hungarian Pop Idol in 2010...
- singer, the winner of the Hungarian Megasztár 2010 and the owner of the Hungarian Voice of the Year in 2010 - dr.Schlauh Lőrinc cardinal rom cat.
- dr.Hosszú László vicarius generalis rom .cat
External links
- University of Oradea Info Website - Made by Medicine Faculty Students
- Oradea Town Hall
- Oradea Online
- Várad cultural magazine
- Nagyvárad.lap.hu - Oradea portal links in Hungarian language
- Nagyvárad.ro
- Pictures of Oradea
- Oradea Flickr Group
- Pictures and maps of the Fortress
- Varadinum, the Fortress of Oradea
- The tram in Oradea
- View from the City Hall Tower with a Webcamera
- University of OradeaUniversity of OradeaThe University of Oradea is a public University, located in Oradea, in North-Western Romania.With its four colleges and 18 faculties, has a total of 123 fields of study for undergraduates and 151 post-graduate specialisation degrees...
- Reasons to invest in Oradea
- Oradea in YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe