Oradea, Romania, does this border city suck?

We left Hungary after having a great time there and got back to Romania, yeeiii!!! Romania is a country we like a lot. We have had the chance of exploring different cities already and the good news is that it is a big country, so we can visit new places or revisit our favorites.

This time, we decided to explore a new city (for us), Oradea. It looked close to our last stop in Hungary (Debrecen) so why not? We did not have big expectations. The reason? It is a border city. After traveling on different continents, now we know that the concept of a “border city” is not the same worldwide. At least in America and Asia, many “border cities” or towns suck! They are places literally just to pass through. Most of the time, such places lack tourist value, some look like ghost towns and sometimes, they are dangerous so the best decision is to skip them or to leave them as fast as possible! That poor concept has stuck deeply in our brains due to multiple experiences that have confirmed it. Anyway, we packed while thinking about what to visit in Oradea, Romania. Does this border city suck? 

Where is Oradea?

Oradea is located in the northwest part of Romania, in between the hills of the Crișana plain, and it is nicely divided by the Crișul Repede river. Did you already find it on the map? Well, Oradea is very close to Borș (13 km), a well-known Romania crossing point to Hungary. We exactly crossed from Hungary to Romania through Borș.

What is the meaning of Oradea?

The name Oradea came from the Hungarian name this city used to have in the past. We will talk more about this in Oradea’s history point. In Hungarian, it was called Nagyvárad.

Nagy means large or great.

Vár, citadel, or castle.

-ad, is a suffix used for settlement names.

In regular use, people seemed to refer to the city only as Várad and this word marked the origin of the Romanian name, Oradea.

History of Oradea

Talking about history, you know we can dig deeply but let’s try to review only some highlights. It is particularly interesting how Oradea has been a Hungarian and Romanian territory through time. We will head there. You will see it is useful.

It seems signs of humans in this area have been traced to the 4th century BC, and some Dacian settlements were there in the 1st century BC. Celts and Romans were around too in ancient times.

The area housed different settlements after the Mongol invasion (1241-1242) that through time, made possible the origin of Oradea. It is said that exactly the unification of these settlements, gave shape to the city.

But let’s jump far to the Middle Ages when Oradea belonged to Hungary. At that time, the Hungarian king Ladislaus I the Holy built a monastery to honor the Virgin Mary who had a diocese, meaning followers. This event is considered the beginning of the development of the place. Ladislaus was even sanctified (1192) and named the spiritual patron saint of Oradea. Later, things got even better during the reign of King Charles Robert of Anjou, 1308-1342, and his son Louis I of Hungary. Both, inspired by the Renaissance period, wanted to make Oradea more refined, following the Italian style.

Then, another event set Oradea on the cultural map of Europe. John the Brave of Sredna, a Hungarian bishop with Croatian roots, created the first astronomical observatory on the continent.

Oradea was ruled by the Habsburg monarchy. After, World War I came and Austria-Hungary was one of the Central powers together with Germany, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria. They were defeated and the Treaty of Trianon (1920) gave Oradea to Romania as an award due to its participation in the war on the Allies side. The population at that time was 90% Hungarian.

World War II started in 1939 and in 1940, the Second Vienna Award was brokered between Germany and Italy, as a result of territorial disputes. Oradea, northern Transylvania, Maramures, and part of Crisana territory were taken from Romania and assigned to Hungary. The war kept going and a the end, since Hungary was part of the defeated side again, it lost again this territory and it got back to Romania. This was established in the Treaty of Paris signed in 1947. So again, the Trianon frontiers were restored.

This part of Oradea’s history is very interesting because it explains a lot about the influences and the strong presence of Hungarian people, food, and traditions there. When we just arrived in Oradea, we saw some local shops so we stopped there to buy something to eat and drink. We found a chimney cake shop and we said something like “hey, let’s buy one not to miss Hungary” (remember we were just coming from there). One lady there heard us and fast replied “chimney cake is from here, not Hungarian”. And the same happened a little bit later when we bought a lángos. So, to know some history of Oradea is good not to feel completely disorientated.

What to visit in Oradea?

Union Square or Unirii Square (Piața Uniiri)

We arrived directly at the center of Oradea and it could not be better! The first impression was awesome. Massive and colorful buildings welcome you there. Art Nouveau shines all around producing love at first sight!

The architecture is impressive and there are many buildings you can admire and visit there. Just to have a reference, it is said that Oradea houses 89 Art Nouveau buildings, 26 of which are officially considered historical monuments. Be sure that some of them are waiting for you here, in the center.

A good first answer to what to visit in Oradea is Unirii Square! You can walk a lot here. Too much to see! We did not know clearly where to start but our eyes were so excited with the variety we had in front of us! We knew from this moment that our first day in Oradea would be great and full of stuff just by exploring this beautiful center.

We are not art or architecture experts but you don’t need to be to admire the beauty of these buildings. And they are massive! A challenge for photographers hahaha There is a lot to fit into every photo you take. Decisions about the right angle to fit completely a nice building or a group of them are hard and fun! Different styles merge here, classicist, baroque, historicist, eclectic, modernist, and secessionist. That was like an “expert” comment, right? Well, we learned that here hahaha We can’t recognize every style by ourselves but that is why we love to travel. It is an amazing way to learn from locals and people who know. Union Square is the result of a lot of work of architects, builders, and painters to say the least, in different moments of its history.

The Moon Church, Saint Nicholas Church, Saint Ladislaus Church, the Black Eagle Palace, the Town Hall (its tower is a good spot to get a panoramic view), the Moskovits Adolf and Sons Palace, the Greek-Catholic Bishop’s Palace, the banks of the Crișul Repede river, its green areas, and much more, are worth a visit. If you are a history or architecture lover, every building in this area can become an adventure for you and take hours of exploration.

Still thinking about what to visit in Oradea? Well, besides all the icons (buildings and monuments), while walking in this square, you will find a wide variety of souvenir shops, cool restaurants, and cafes to enjoy. We spent a complete day here and we felt it safe, quiet, very interesting, and charming! It can be a great beginning for staying a weekend or several days in Oradea. If you are in a hurry, this can be a great full-day trip. We are sure you will feel like getting back to explore more.

The Crișul Repede river

What to visit in Oradea? The Crișul Repede river! It adds a great touch to Oradea’s landscape. It is a nice reference to explore the city. You can walk simply following the banks of the river. It is full of nice green areas, Austro-Hungarian empire traces, cool bridges with historical value, great views (be sure you check the Podul Intelectualilor or Intellectual’s bridge), restaurants, bars, cafés, and nice vibes. You can make the walking as long as you want. We started exactly at Union Square and we stopped at different times to take pictures, enjoy multiple views, get a coffee, and have lunch, and it took us several hours. We are just in the second recommendation and you already have many options for what to visit in Oradea!

Oradea Fortress (Cetatea Medievală Oradea)

This important medieval icon of Oradea was built by King Ladislaus. It is a very old building and it has suffered changes and renovations over time. It has been used for different purposes too. It includes twelve buildings and five bastions, the Red Bastion, the Crăișoru Bastion, the Ciunt Bastion, the Bethlen, and the Golden Bastions. Originally, it had a moat, four meters deep and fifty meters wide, which was key for security. Fed by the Crișul Repede river and the Peța, the moat received a stream of thermal water that kept the water running without getting frozen even during the harsh Winter. That meant, the fortress was not easily reachable by men. Currently, the space of that moat houses a park.

What you see today, was built between the 16th and 17th centuries (1570-1618). During this period, the fortification got transformed into an Italian bastion-type with wedge-shaped bastions. At that time, it was the only of its type in Eastern Europe. The fortress has been a cultural and religious center (the Oradea’s Roman Catholic Bishop was here, 1570-1557), an astronomical observatory, a library, a school, a printing house, etc. Its catholic church and cemetery hosted the human remains of seven crowned people: Ladisla I, Andrei II, Alexander II, Ladisla IV, queen Beatrix, queen Mary, and king Sigismund of Luxembourg.

It was a well-designed, successful, and lucky fortress, meaning it was not easy to be taken over by enemies. Its location, its moat, and the weather were factors that worked in its favor. Besides, its underground connections allowed people to communicate with the exterior so they could fight back different siege attempts. Not even the Turks managed. They besieged it for more than a month without succeeding because the constant rain flooded their camps with water (obviously) and illnesses that killed their men.

Nowadays, it is not the most impressive fortress you can see, that is true, but it is cool to visit a building that worked well for its purpose. It is said that during its long history, it was conquered only three times. So efficiency is not necessarily linked to being impressive.

Oradea Hill (Dealul Ciuperca or Mushroom Hill)

Something very nice is that Oradea is surrounded by nature. When deciding what to visit in Oradea, if you are a nature lover like us, you will appreciate that a lot. To start, you can climb Oradea Hill, another icon of the city. It means a cool walk and on the way, you can enjoy taking breaks on a bench or seating on the grass, you can check the open-air amphitheater where perhaps you can catch a music event, grab a coffee, and simply admire the views of Oradea you can get from this open, green space. Reach the top, it is the best reward! Besides, there you will find a restaurant so you can grab an extra reward for the belly!

The Oradea Hill is accessible by car too, but we recommend you walk!

Ferdinand I square

Let’s say you spend more than a couple of days in Oradea. This means you already visited Union square. So what to visit in Oradea? Well, you should go to Ferdinand square. It is not bigger or better than Union square but it is an extra cool sample of architecture in Oradea.

Give an eye to the State Theatre of Oradea (built in 1900), the Poynar House (1907), the Astoria Hotel and Pannonia Hotel (1903), etc.

Is it worth visiting Oradea, Romania?

Yes, it is worth visiting Oradea, Romania! The city offers enough for tourists to enjoy.

• Historical architecture, a very vast menu.

• Cultural attractions, art galleries, museums, and more.

• Natural beauty. Its location is great to explore green and beautiful surroundings, thermal baths, and lakes.

• Delicious food. We like very much Romanian ciorbe (soups). Besides, here in Oradea, we tried a very tasty “palacinta” in a tiny local shop. It was something like a European type of pancake made of potatoes by a lovely Romanian woman. We have to say that “palacinta” was the most delicious we tried on our complete trip through Romania. If you see this lady, don’t waste the chance to try the best “palacinta” and meet a very nice person.

• Friendly locals.

• Good beer, bars, and good souvenir quality.

Everything blends in a very cool city, Oradea, for you to have a great time! It is a nice destination for all types of travelers, but if you live in nearby countries (Hungary, Slovakia, North Serbia, South East Ukraine), Oradea is a great and easy choice to escape and have a relaxing, cool weekend. You have already a bunch of cool ideas for what to visit in Oradea!

Conclusion

Does this border city suck? No, Oradea, Romania is a border city that does not suck at all! It is a border city that is worth visiting! There are nice choices of what to visit in Oradea. It was awesome to find an exception to that negative concept of “border city” that has been stuck in our brains for a long time. It is very cool to be surprised in such a nice way when your original expectations were low. If you are in or around Romania, treat yourself to coming to Oradea! If you have been in a lousy border so its memories come to you every time you are in a border city or town, don’t worry, this is truly a great exception! Avoid lousy thoughts like “it can be a waste of time", or "maybe there is nothing nice there" because there is a lot to visit and enjoy here.

If you like Romania, you may find interesting:

Timisoara, the progressive city that broke the communist chain

Bigar, the once stunning waterfall that is collapsing!

Orsova, Romania, a beautiful discovery kicked off by an error