From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Timișoara
Timișoara
Timișoara Population (est. 2010)[1]
• City 311,586
— City —
• Density 2,411.7/km2 (6,246.3/sq mi)
• Metro 367,347
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
DST)
• Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)
Mailbox code 300030
Tel. code 02 56
Vehicle registration TM
Website www.primariatm.ro
Victory Square
Timișoara (Romanian pronunciation: [timiˈʃo̯ara] ( listen);
German: Temeswar, also formerly Temeschburg or
Temeschwar, Hungarian: Temesvár, Serbian:
Темишвар/Temišvar, Turkish: Temeşvar) is the capital city
of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest
Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586
inhabitants (2010),[1] and considered the informal capital
city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the
main social, economic and cultural center in the western
Coat of arms part of the country.
Nickname(s): Little Vienna
Geography
Timișoara lies at an altitude of 95 m on the southeast
edge of the Banat plain, part of the great Panonia plain.
The rich black soil and relatively low water table make
this a fertile agricultural region.
Due to the hydrography projects undertaken in the
18th century, the city no longer lies on the Timiș River,
but on the Bega canal. This is a relatively active seismic
area, and earthquakes up to 6 on the Richter scale have
been recorded.
Timișoara
Location of Timișoara
Coordinates: 45°45′35″N 21°13′48″E / 45.75972°N 21.23°E /
History
45.75972; 21.23Coordinates: 45°45′35″N 21°13′48″E / Timișoara was first mentioned as a place in either 1212 or
45.75972°N 21.23°E / 45.75972; 21.23 1266. The territory later to be known as Banat was con-
Country quered and annexed by the Kingdom of Hungary in 1030.
Romania
Timișoara grew considerably during the reign of Charles
County Timiș County
I, who, upon his visit here in 1307, ordered the construc-
Status County Capital
tion of a royal palace. Timișoara’s importance also grew
Government thanks to its strategic location, which facilitated control
• Mayor Gheorghe Ciuhandu (CDNPP) over the Banat plain. John Hunyadi established a perma-
Area nent military encampment here, and moved here togeth-
• City 129.2 km2 (49.9 sq mi) er with his family. In 1552, Ahmed Pasha conquered the
• Metro 1,070.4 km2 (413.3 sq mi) city with a 16,000 Ottomans and transformed it into a
Elevation 90 m (295 ft) capital city in the region. The local military commander,
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Timișoara
Stefan Losonczy, was captured and beheaded on July 27, During World War II, Timișoara suffered damage
1552 after resisting the Ottoman invasion with just over from both Allied and Axis bombing raids, especially dur-
2,300 men.[citation needed] ing the second half of 1944. On August 23, 1944, Romania,
which until then was a member of the Axis, declared war
on Nazi Germany and joined the Allies. Surprised, the lo-
cal Wehrmacht garrison surrendered without a fight,[ci-
tation needed] and German and Hungarian troops attempted
to take the city by force throughout September, without
success.
After the war, the People’s Republic of Romania was
proclaimed, and Timișoara underwent Sovietization and
later, systematization. The city’s population tripled be-
tween 1948 and 1992. In December 1989, Timișoara wit-
nessed a series of mass street protests by Romanians,
Hungarians and Serbs, in what was to become the Ro-
manian Revolution of 1989.
Timișoara 1656 Nicolas Sanson map
Timișoara remained under Ottoman rule for nearly
Demographics
160 years, controlled directly by the Sultan and enjoying
a special status, similar to other cities in the region such
as Budapest and Belgrade. During this period, Timișoara
was home to a large Islamic community and produced fa-
mous historical figures such as Osman Aga of Temesvar,
until Prince Eugene of Savoy conquered it in 1716. Sub-
sequently, the city came under Austrian rule, and it re-
mained so until the early 20th century except Ottoman
occupation between 1788-1789 during Ottoman-Haps-
burg war.[citation needed] During this time, Timișoara
evolved from a strategic fortress to an economic and in-
dustrial center: numerous factories were built, electric
illumination and public transport were introduced, and Center of Timișoara
railroad connections were established. The city was de-
fortified, and several major road arteries were built to According to the last Romanian census, from 2002,
connect the suburbs with the city center, paving the way there were 317,660 people living within the city of Tim-
for further expansion of the city limits.[citation needed] ișoara, making it the fourth most populous city in Roma-
It was the first mainland European city to be lit by nia.
electric street lamps in 1884.[2] It was also the second Of this population, 85.52% are ethnic Romanians,
European and the first city in what is now Romania with while 7.64% are Hungarians, 2.25% Germans, 1.98% Serbs,
horse drawn trams in 1867. Gustave Eiffel, the creator of 0.96% ethnic Roma, 0.38% Bulgarians, 0.23% Ukrainians,
the Eiffel Tower in Paris, drew the projects of one of Tim- 0.17% Slovaks, 0.11% Jews and 0.76% others.[5]
ișoara’s footbridges over the Bega. As of 2010, Timișoara has an estimated population of
On October 31, 1918, local military and political elites 311,428.[1] 14.2% of the population are under 15 years of
establish the "Banat National Council", together with age, 4.0% are over 75. The Timișoara metropolitan area
representatives of the region’s main ethnic groups: Hun- has a population of 365,545.
garians, Romanians, Serbs and Germans. In the aftermath The Ukrainian community is currently growing, part-
of World War I, the Banat region was divided between the ly due to the presence of Ukrainian language educational
Kingdom of Romania and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats facilities. In recent years, local investment by Italian
and Slovenes, and Timișoara came under Romanian ad- companies has spurred the creation of an Italian commu-
ministration after Serbian occupation between nity,[6] even leading to calls for an Italian Cultural Cen-
1918-1919. In 1920, King Ferdinand I awarded Timișoara ter.[7]
the status of a University Center, and the interwar years Since 1990, Timișoara saw a slight population decline
saw continuous economic and cultural development. A owing to migration and a drop in birthrates. Notably, the
number of anti-fascist and anti-revisionist demonstra- Hungarian and German communities experienced signif-
tions also took place during this time.
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Timișoara
Historical population of Timișoara
Year Population %±
1787 9,479 —
1847 18,103 91%
1869 32,725 80.7%
1900 53,033[3] 62%
1912 census 72,555 36.8%
1930 census 91,451 26%
1948 census 111,987 22.4%
1956 census 142,257 27%
1966 census 174,243 22.4%
1977 census 266,353 52.8%
1992 census 334,115 25.4%
2002 census 317,660 −4.9%
2007 estimate 307,347[4] −3.2%
icant decline, with the latter being reduced by half be-
tween 1992 and 2002.[8]
Economy
Timișoara has been an important economic center since
the 18th century when the Habsburg administration was
installed. Due to Austrian colonization, ethnic and reli-
gious diversity and innovative laws, the economy began
to develop. The technicians and craftsmen that settled in
the city established guilds and helped develop the city’s
economy. Notably, in 1717, Timișoara became host to the
region’s first beer factory.[citation needed]
CBC Timișoara
During the Industrial Revolution, numerous modern
innovations were introduced. It was the first city in the
monarchy with street illumination, and the first city on
mainland Europe illuminated by electric light. The Bega
river was also channelled during this time. It was the first
navigable canal on current Romanian territory. This way,
Timișoara had contact with Europe, and even with the
rest of the world through the Black Sea, leading to the lo-
cal development of commercialism.[9][10][11]
In the 19th century, the railway system of the Hungarian
Kingdom reached Temesvár. Timișoara was the first city
in the country with international routes economic boom
as the amount of foreign investment, especially in high-
tech sectors, has risen.[12] In terms of living standards,
Timișoara ranks fourth nationwide.[13] In an article in
late 2005, French magazine L’Expansion called Timișoara
Iulius Mall Timișoara
Romania’s economic showcase,[14] and referred to the in-
creased number of foreign investments as a "second rev-
produced tires since opening a plant in 2000.[15] The
olution".
Linde Group produces technical gases, and a part of the
Apart from domestic local investment, there has been
wiring moulds for BMW and Audi vehicles are produced
significant foreign investment from the European Union,
by the company Dräxlmaier Group locally. Also, Swiss
particularly from Germany and Italy. Continental AG has
3
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Timișoara
company FM Logistic, already present in Timiș County
for Nestlé, P&G and in Bucharest for Cora, L’Oréal, Sanofi
Cityscape
Aventis and Yves Rocher, and for companies like PROFI The tallest building, when completed, will be the Tender
Rom Foods, BIC, Kraft Foods or SCA Packaging - offering Financial Center, at 180 meters tall. The tallest building
them domestic transport services and international currently is the Fructus Tower, at 65 meters. Another
transport services for Bricostore, Arctic, Danone, proposed building, the Timișoara High Tower, when
Unilever or Contitech, the growth of FM Logistic in Ro- completed, will have a height of 138 meters, but it is not
mania and in Dudești through its 1st own warehouse in scheduled to open until 2012.
Romania (Dudeștii Noi gives FM the opportunity). Nestlé
produces waffles here.
The USA company Flextronics maintains a workplace
Climate
in the west of the city for the production of mobile tele- Main article: Climate of Romania
phony and government inspection department devices.
In 2009, the company laid off 640 workers.[16] The Amer- • Highest Recorded Temperature: 41.0 °C (106 °F)
ican company Procter & Gamble manufactures washing • Lowest Recorded Temperature: −35.3 °C (−32 °F)
and cleaning agents in Timișoara. Smithfield Foods - the • Snow stays on the grounds 50 days a year on average
world’s largest pork processor and hog producer - has • Warmest Month: July
two subsidiaries in Timișoara and Timiș County: Smith- • Coolest Month: January
field Ferme and Smithfield Prod. • Highest Precipitation: June: 91.0 mm(3.189 in)
Like most of Romania, Timișoara experienced eco- • Lowest Precipitation: February: 44.5 mm(1.437 in)
nomic slowdown in 2009, due to the global economic The climate which defines Timișoara city is the temper-
downturn.[17] ate continental moderate climate which characterizes
the Southern-Eastern part of The Pannonian Basin. The
temperate continental climate has some submediter-
Transport anean characteristics as well of the Adriatic climate.
Climatic general features consist of various and ir-
regular weather conditions. The dominating temperate
air masses during spring and summer are of oceanic ori-
gin and come with great precipitations. Frequently, even
during winter period, the Atlantic humid air masses
bring rainy and snowy weather, rarely cold weather.
From September until February, frequent continental
polar air masses coming from East invade the area. In
spite of all that, the Banat climate is also influenced by
the presence of cyclones and warm air masses which
come from the Adriatic Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.
Their characteristic feature is that of complete snow
thaw during the winter period and stifling heat during
the summer period.
Tramway and trolleybus routes
Neighborhoods
Timișoara’s public transport network consists of 10 tram • Aradului vest • Complex • Mehala I, II
lines, 8 trolleybus lines and 20 bus lines, of which 5 are • Badea Cârțan studențesc • Mircea cel
metropolitan lines and 6 are express lines. It is operated • Banat I • Complex Batran
by Regia Autonomă de Transport Timișoara (RATT), an au- • Blașcovici • Crisan • Modern
tonomous corporation of the City Hall. The city is served • Braytim • Dacia • Noua
by Romania’s third busiest airport, Traian Vuia Interna- • Bucovina • Dâmbovița Timișoară
tional Airport, which is the hub of the Romania’s second- • Calea Aradului • Elisabetin • Olimpia
largest airline, Carpatair. The city is connected to a series • Calea Girocului • Fabric • Padurea
of major European and domestic destinations. Timișoara • Calea Lipovei • Fratelia Verde
is a major railway centre and is connected to all other • Calea Șagului • Freidorf • Plăvăț
major Romanian cities, as well as local destinations, • Cetate • Ghiroda • Plopi
through the national CFR network. • Chișoda • Ion • Ronaț
• Ciarda Roșie Ionescu de • Soarelui
la Brad • Stadion
4
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Timișoara
• Circumvalațiunii • Iosefin • Steaua • Mihai Eminescu University[32]
I, II, III, IV • Kuncz • Tipografilor • Ioan Slavici University[33]
• Lunei • Torontalului
• Matei
Basarab
•
•
Traian
Zona
Sport
Odobescu
Association football
• FC Politehnica Timișoara
Culture • CFR Timișoara
The city center largely consists of buildings from the Historic
Austro-Hungarian era. The old city consists of several • Chinezul Timișoara - 6 titles
historic areas. These are: Cetate (Belváros in Hungarian, • Ripensia Timișoara - 4 titles
Innere Stadt in German), Iosefin (Józsefváros, Joseph- • UM Timișoara
stadt), Elisabetin (Erzsébetváros, Elisabethstadt), Fabric
(Gyárváros, Fabrikstadt). Numerous bars, clubs and Basketball
restaurants have opened in the old Baroque square M
• BC Elba Timișoara (M)
(Unirii Square). • CSȘ Bega Timișoara ()
Landmarks include:
• Timișoara Orthodox Cathedral Rugby union
• St. George’s Cathedral (The Dome) • RCM Universitatea de Vest Timișoara
• Millennium Church
• Huniade Castle Handball
Performing arts • CSU Politehnica Timișoara
• Banatul Philharmonic of Timișoara (Filarmonica
Banatul Timișoara) Twin towns — sister cities
• Romanian Opera House (Opera Română Timișoara)[19] Timișoara has 15 twin towns and sister cities, as listed be-
• National Theatre (Teatrul Național) low:
• German State Theatre (Teatrul German de Stat)
• Hungarian State Theatre (Teatrul Maghiar de Stat) • Shenzhen, • Palermo, Italy
• Puppet Theatre (Teatrul pentru copii și tineret "Merlin") China • Sassari, Italy
• Festivalul Plai, a world music and jazz festival • Mulhouse, • Treviso, Italy
France • Cancún, Mexico
Festivals and Conferences • Rueil- • Novi Sad, Serbia
• StudentFest, a festival of culture and arts created by Malmaison, France
• Zrenjanin, Serbia
the students[20][21] • Gera, Germany
• Nottingham,
• ISWinT -- The International Students Week in • Karlsruhe, United Kingdom
Timișoara[22] Germany
• TEDxTimișoara, an independent conference • Trujillo, Peru
• Szeged,
organized under license from TED Hungary
Conference[23][24][25] • Faenza, Italy
Education Natives
Timișoara has four public universities and three private
• Iolanda Balaș — athlete; two time Olympic champion
universities:
in the women’s high jump
Public
• Mircea Baniciu — musician and composer,
• West University[26]
Transsylvania Phoenix and Pasărea Colibri
• Polytechnic University[27]
• Ana Blandiana — poet, essayist, and political figure
• "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and
• Horia Colibășanu — the first Romanian mountain
Pharmacy[28]
climber to reach the summit of K2, Manaslu,
• Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences[29]
Dhaulagiri and Annapurna
Private
• Cosmin Contra — footballer, voted 2 times in 1999
• Dimitrie Cantemir University[30]
and 2001 the best right defender in the UEFA Team
• Tibiscus University[31]
of the Year
5
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Timișoara
• Gabriel Torje — well known footballer
• Hanno Höfer — German-Romanian movie director,
producer and musician
• Ioan Holender —Romanian-born Austrian director of
Vienna State Opera
• Hugo Jan Huss — orchestra conductor and music
director
• Vasile Frăteanu - professor
• Francesco Illy — inventor of the first automatic
coffee machine and founder of Illycaffè
• Ion Ivanovici — military band leader and composer,
best remembered today for his waltz "Waves of the
Danube"
• George Lusztig — Romanian American
mathematician and professor at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Zoltán Meskó — a Romanian-born American football
punter for the New England Patriots
• Dan Nicolae Potra — artistic gymnast; Romania’s first
male gymnast to win the European all around title
(2002)
• Cornel Trăilescu — opera composer and conductor
• Dorin Tudoran — poet, essayist, journalist, and
dissident
• Andrei Ujica — screenwriter and director
• Timotei Ursu — film director, television director,
writer and journalist
• Johnny Weissmuller — Romanian born American
swimmer and actor of German descent, famous for
winning 5 Olympic gold medals for the United States
and for portraying Tarzan in films
• Sandra Romain — Famous pornographic actress.
Gallery
• Timisoara was the 1st town in Europe and 2nd in the
world after New York City with streets illuminated
by electric lights
• Victory Square
• Millennium Church
• Lloyd Palace • Huniade Castle
• Hotel Continental, the tallest hotel in the city • West University
• Mid-day • "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy
• Evening rush hour • Polytechnic University
• Orthodox Cathedral • Polytechnic University’s sports ground
• St. George’s Cathedral
6
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Timișoara
• City bus in Timișoara, route 33
• Tram in Timișoara
• Winter in Timișoara, Bega canal
• Iulius Mall Timișoara
• Spring in Timișoara, Bega canal
7
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Timișoara
See also
• Timișoara metropolitan area
• History of Timișoara
8
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Timișoara
recensamant.jsp?regiune_id=1832&judet_id=2057&localitate_id=2
Retrieved April 15, 2011.
[6] "Timișoara, mina de aur pentru investitorii
italieni". 9am.ro. http://www.9am.ro/stiri-revista-
presei/Business/942/Timisoara-mina-de-aur-
pentru-investitorii-italieni.html. Retrieved
2010-06-18.
[7] QCT Connect (1992-08-19). ""Timișoara este floarea
de la butonieră a relațiilor româno-italiene" |
Primaria Timișoara | Secțiuni suplimentare |
Cooperare internațională și dezvoltare economică".
Primariatimisoara.ro.
http://www.primariatimisoara.ro/monitorul/
index.php?meniuId=2&viewCat=23&viewItem=1503.
Retrieved 2010-06-18.
[8] "Centrul de resurse pentru diversitate
etnoculturală". Edrc.ro. 2010-05-30.
http://www.edrc.ro/
recensamant.jsp?regiune_id=1832&judet_id=2057&localitate_id=2
Retrieved 2010-06-18.
[9] "Timișoara, monografie Istorică", dr.Nicolae Ilieșu
[10] "Agenda". Agenda.ro. http://www.agenda.ro/
2002/49-02-c.htm. Retrieved 2010-06-18.
[11] "Agenda". Agenda.ro. http://www.agenda.ro/
2003/44-03-a.htm. Retrieved 2010-06-18.
[12] "La Timișoara, e vremea boom-ului economic".
Wall-street.ro. http://www.wall-street.ro/articol/
Economie/6132/La-Timisoara-e-vremea-boom-
ului-economic.html. Retrieved 2010-06-18.
[13] Scris de Lucian Paulescu. "Timișoara, desemnat al
patrulea oraș din România ca standard de viață -
Ziua de Vest". Ziuadevest.ro.
http://www.ziuadevest.ro/actualitate/
6133-timioara-desemnat-al-patrulea-ora-din-
romania-ca-standard-de-via.html. Retrieved
2010-06-18.
[14] "Timișoara Romania’s economic showcase".
Lexpansion.com. http://www.damedelux.com/
info-en-7.htm. Retrieved 2011-09-30.
[15] http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/
uk/en/continental/automobile/themes/
about_continental/history/1997_2006_en.html
[16] http://www.evertiq.com/news/14398
References/Notes [17] "Economie: Economia timiseana a traversat un an
[1] ^ "Largest Romanian cities in 2010" (in Romanian). destul de greu in 2009". Timisoreni.ro.
evz.ro. August 28, 2011. http://www.evz.ro/detalii/ http://www.timisoreni.ro/info/economie/
stiri/iasi-sau-timisoara-care-este-cel-de-al-doilea- economia_timiseana_a_traversat_un_an_destul_de_greu_in_2009
mare-oras-din-romania-dupa- Retrieved 2010-06-18.
bucuresti-943339.html. Retrieved August 28, 2011. [18] "Weatherbase: Weather for Timișoara, Romania".
[2] Ilieșiu 2006, op. cit. p. 330 Weatherbase. 2011. http://www.weatherbase.com/
[3] Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition weather/
[4] Romania in Cifre-2008 (Romanian) weather.php3?s=074251&refer=&units=us.
[5] "Ethno-demographic Structure of Romania". The Retrieved on November 22, 2011.
Ethnocultural Diversity Resource Center. [19] "Romanian Opera House". ort.ro.
http://www.edrc.ro/ http://www.ort.ro/. Retrieved 2010-06-18.
[20] "StudentFest". http://www.studentfest.ro/.
9
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Timișoara
[21] "Article about StudentFest in TION". [30] "The Dimitrie Cantemir University of Timișoara".
http://www.tion.ro/studentfest-se-apropie-de- Ucdctm.ro. http://www.ucdctm.ro/. Retrieved
final-nu-ratati-ultimele-evenimente/914769. 2010-06-18.
[22] "International Students Week in Timișoara". [31] "The Tibiscus University of Timișoara". Tibiscus.ro.
http://www.iswint.ro/. http://www.tibiscus.ro/. Retrieved 2010-06-18.
[23] "TEDxTimisoara". [32] "Mihai Eminescu University of Timișoara".
http://www.tedxtimisoara.com/. Umet.ro. http://www.umet.ro. Retrieved
[24] "TEDxTimisoara events on TED.com". 2011-03-10.
http://www.ted.com/tedx/groups/109. [33] "Ioan Slavici University of Timișoara". Islavici.ro.
[25] "Article about TEDxTimisoara in Ziua de Vest". http://www.islavici.ro. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
http://www.ziuadevest.ro/actualitate/16782-bill-
gates-va-putea-fi-vzut-la-tedx-timioara-.html.
[26] "The West University of Timișoara". Uvt.ro.
External links
http://www.uvt.ro/. Retrieved 2010-06-18. • People from Timișoara
[27] "The Politehnica University of Timișoara". Upt.ro. • An introduction to Timișoara by Prof. Harry W.
http://www.upt.ro/. Retrieved 2010-06-18. Morgan
[28] "Victor Babeș University of Medicine and • Timișoara’s home page, the oldest Romanian page on
Pharmacy, Timișoara". Umft.ro. 2009-08-29. the net
http://www.umft.ro/. Retrieved 2010-06-18. • City of Timișoara Homepage
[29] "The Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences in • Timișoara Tourism
Timișoara". Usab-tm.ro. http://www.usab-tm.ro/. • Tourist Bureau of Romania
Retrieved 2010-06-18. • Updated map of Timișoara
• Info about the TimisBega catchment and the 2005
flood on Google Earth
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Timi%C8%99oara&oldid=471314891"
Categories:
• Cities in Romania
• Populated places in Timiş County
• Timişoara
• Cities of Romania served by tramway systems
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