Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
right is the City Hall, built in 1902 and 1903, and source of the hourly tolling of the
city's bell. On your left, in the distance beyond the statue of Mihai Eminescu, you'll
see the Synagogue. Beyond the City Hall is the Library, built in 1905; opposite is the
newly renovated Secessionist-style “Black Vulture Palace,” or Palatul Vulturul Negru
(1907-09), which conceals a mall-like arcade and namesake hotel; bars, restaurants,
and casinos occupy the warren-like passageway under a wonderful stained-glass ceil-
ing. Just down from the Black Eagle is Oradea's Orthodox Moon Church (Biserica
cu Lun â ); built between 1784 and 1790, it is named for its unique mechanical lunar
phase indicator.
To the east of Pia $ a Unirii—beyond the central park, apartment blocks, and busy
main road intersection—is Oradea's 13th-century Citadel, much expanded in the
18th century, when it took its present five-cornered bastion-enhanced proportions.
Situated just south of the Criul Repede, the crumbling fortress—home the university's
art department—is used for the odd upbeat event. Look out especially for medieval
festivals held here in early July, when the citadel becomes a playground: there's a mix
of folk, contemporary, and hard-core medieval music, and the best archers in the
region compete in a serious test of mettle, dressed in Knights of the Round Table cos-
tumes of varying degrees of authenticity.
Roman Catholic Cathedral Looking more like an administrative building than the
country's largest baroque church, this imposing edifice was built between 1752 and
1780; the attractive interiors are best experienced during Mass or when organ recitals
are held here. Just next-door is the Episcopal Palace (built in 1770) which, until Jan-
uary 2006, housed the regional Museum of the Cri @ ana; the museum will reopen at
Strada Armatei Româna 1/A as soon as the 400,000 artifacts have been relocated.
Str. !irul Canoncilor.
ADVENTURES IN THE APUSENI MOUNTAINS
The Apuseni Mountains (the lowest-lying of the Carpathian range) are one of Roma-
nia's great adventure destinations, with opportunities not only for trekking and caving
(there are some 7,000 caves in the region), but also river-based adventures, cycling,
rock-climbing, bird-watching, cross-country skiing, horse-riding, and even dog-sled-
ding. The best way to experience this region—home to steadily increasingly lynx and
wolf populations, and high-altitude wetlands with carnivorous plants and rare orchid
species—is with Apuseni Experience (no. 8, 1st floor, Pia $ a Decembrie 4-6,
Oradea; & 0259/47-2434; www.apuseniexperience.ro), probably Romania's top
mountain-adventure company. The company employs mostly specialists in their field,
who will lead you on a variety of treks and caving adventures, including a visit to the
country's longest (Vantului) cave and the Ciur Ponor cave system, with preserved pre-
historic human footprints and a 3,500-year-old subterranean glacier. Experienced
cavers can arrange trips to underground waterfalls and lakes (including the Avenul din
Sesuri, 217m/712 ft. below ground); less extreme treks, hikes, and bike trips take you
into the heart of the so-called “Lost World” plateau to try your hand at shepherding,
or tracking wolves and bears. During all of their trips, Apuseni Experience will intro-
duce you to the culture of the local communities, or you can focus entirely on a cul-
tural tour. Apuseni Experience is also involved in various internationally recognized
projects aiming to preserve the region's unique heritage. While you can tailor-make
your adventure, combining activities, there are also predetermined programs, with
costs per head starting at 53
($66) per day, all-inclusive. Accommodations are in
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