The Oradea City Hall (Primăria Oradea) is an imposing historical building and a major landmark of the city of Oradea, Bihor County. The building is located on the central Union Square on the south bank of the Crișul Repede.
History Of The Oradea City Hall
Before the current City Hall was constructed, a house with two rooms and a small tower was located in this location, which housed the Roman Catholic Diocese. When the Baroque Palace was built around 1770, the Roman Catholic Diocese moved there and the building became a school.
In 1860, the two parts of the city that had so far been separated by the river, Olosig and Orașul Nou, were unified with which the need for a new town hall arose. The city’s chief architect of that time, Dávid Busch, decided its location on the south bank of the river, where the former diocese building was located.
The architect Kálmán Rimanóczy Jr. won the competition for both the design and the execution of the project. The old building was demolished in 1901 and between 1902 and 1903 the new Oradea City Hall was constructed by the firm of Ferenc Sztarill. In January 1904, the building was inaugurated by Károly Rimler, the longest-serving mayor (1901-1919) in the history of Oradea.
Design Of The Oradea City Hall
The Oradea City Hall has a neo-Classical design and is built on an asymmetrical plan around three inner courtyards. The building has a floor area of 5,508 square meters and features a 50-meter-high clock tower, which initially functioned as a watchtower for firemen. On the facade above the main entrance of the building, you can observe four alegorical figures and the city’s coat of arms. The main monumental staircase inside is decorated with fresco paintings.
Climbing The City Hall Tower
The tower of the Oradea City Hall is now a tourist attraction you can visit. On the way up you can learn more about the history of firefighting in the city in a tiny museum and watch the clock mechanism. At the top of the tower you can enter the observation deck which offers breathtaking views over the city.
