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The capital city of Timis county,
Timisoara ("Little Vienna"), German names is
Temeswar / Temesvar. The third big city of Romania is an
important historic, economic, financial, cultural and
scientific town and real gate of Romania to West Europe.
There are Romanians (80 %), Magyars (9 %), Germans (3.8
%) Serbians (2.4 %) etc.
Geographical
position: Set amidst a rich plain, crossed by the Bega
River, the city of Timisoara is one of the main economic,
scientific and cultural centers in Romania. It is located
at 45 47'' North latitude and 21 17'' East longitude,
with a surface of 100.2 square Km. and a population of
338.920 (1991).
The climate is
transition continental, with some sub-Mediterranean
influence. The average annual temperature is 10.9 C, the
hottest month being July with an average temperature of
21.6 C and the coldest in January averaging -1.2 C.
The name TIMISOARA
comes from the name of the river crossing the site by the
time the city was founded, named Timisul or Timisel.
Timisoara is an
ancient settlement. Archaeological diggings have provided
evidence of men's presence here since the Neolithic Age.
The former Castrum Temesiensis was mentioned in documents
dating as far back as 1212.
Its strategic
location determined its economical, political and
administrative development, which made it one of the
well-known medieval towns in Europe. Timisoara was the
military-administrative center for the entire county.
In the 14th century
the town development was stimulated by the presence of
King Carol Robert of Anjou's who had his residence here.
During this period begins the building of the oldest
edifice in town, "the Huniade Castle" which was
enlarged and redecorated by Iancu of Hunedoara during the
15th century.
At the beginning of
the 16th century the Turks started threatening the
Romanian territories and central Europe. For a long time
Timisoara was one of the main points of resistance
against Ottoman expansion aimed at central and Western
Europe.
The Turks captured
the city in 1522. The Ottoman rule meant a general decay
of economic life in Banat County. The city gets some
Islamic influences, characterized by random street
network, narrow and sinuous.
The modern
development of the city begins with the liberation from
Ottoman rule in 1716.
The Habsburg
empress encouraged the Germanization of Timisoara by
offering housing for immigrants and by providing
German-language schools for their children. The exterior
districts of the city were beginning to develop in this
period: the German Suburb - Josefin, Fabric, and the
Orthodox Suburb of Mehala.
The end of the 18th
century and the beginning of the 19th marks a new stage
in the town development, politically and economically
underlined by the decline of the military power of the
House of Austria. In 1781 Timisoara rose to the rank of
"Royal free town".
After a short
period in which the city is part of "Serbian
Voivodina and Timis - Banat, the Banat County is annexed
by Hungary.
Towards the end of
the century Timisoara became a developed industrial town
with over 60 factories in various fields of production,
and over 1200 shops reflecting the rapid commercial
progress.
The urban comfort
rises in July 1869 the first horse tramway is
inaugurated. In 1881 the first telephone network is
installed, and on November 12th 1884 the street electric
lighting is introduced thus becoming the first electric
street lighting in Europe. In 1865 the asphalting of
streets begins, and on July 27th 1899 the electrical
tramway opens. The famous French engineer Gustav Eiffel
built a bridge over the Bega River.
At the end of World
War I, the Austrian-Hungarian "Dual Monarchy"
collapsed and on August 10th 1919 the great popular
assembly of the Romanians from Banat votes the eternal
union with the state of Romania.
After the
stagnation due to the war, follows a period of rapid
economical development, particularity characterized by
the progress of industry. In the inter-war period
especially in 1935-36 the capitalistic economy is in full
development.
In spite of many
architectural styles, which have put their stamp on the
city, a harmonious atmosphere greets the newcomer.
In December 1989
Timisoara becomes the first free town in Romania, and the
Opera Square the symbol of the liberation of Romania from
a sick political system that almost bankrupt the country.
Above
Article from:
©
International Federation of Medical Students'
Associations - Romania (IFMSA-Romania):
www.ifmsa.ro/pages/page-menu.php?action=timisoara
Permission granted to republish.
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