The heart of Transilvanya

Targu Mures, well I can write novels about this city or just give you the perfect answear of why this small but cool city is my favourite from others in Romania.

The mix of nationalities, romanian and hungarian, the flavoured transilvanian cuisine, the surroundings of the Carphathian Mountains is what makes this city my hometown.

I am born and raised in Targu Mures and lived almost my entire life there until the age of 19 when I started to travel the world and experience independence. The city is situated in the center of Romania in the Transilvania region, close to a major touristic city, Cluj Napoca.

Mures how we call it, is a medium city with around 150 thousand people, half romanian and half hungarian, and a small minority of germans, jews and roms. Is the city with the most hungarians in the country.

The name of Targu Mures it means something actually. Mures is the river passing the city and Targu is like 'market' so something like the river market or the new market. In hungarian the name is Marrosvasarhely.

I think for me growing up into a mixt culture it has been a blast and a curse, even though in other cities in Romania hungarians are not so much liked, I guess in Mures there is place for everybody and in schools they have speacial classes for hungarians as well.

Now the funny thing is when you go to the supermarket and first thing they will ask you in hungarian and after romanian. I mean I get some hungarians they still claim that Transilvania is theirs but slow down your hourses and obey the rules and law. But all this talking is from another chapter which im not entitled to speak about. In fact in this post I will try to show you from my eyes and words what this city has to offer and why it makes this the best city in my opinion.

Eventhough I have not been home in a while I know what I left behind. A small city with amazing platform for tourism, entertainment, sights and social activities.

Arhitectures and buildings

The architectures are by far one of the most rich in the country with a lot of influences. Medieval and baroque buildings makes the sights unique and impressive. Lot of orthodox cathedrals and churches, synagogues, catholic churches, ethnographics museums, an old historical citadel and many more.

I guess one of the most predominant buildings are in the city center, one is the big orthodox cathedral, situated exactly in the city center which for sure will catch your eye. And next to it is the jewish synagogue.

Picture taken in the main bus station in the center, sightseeing the Big Cathedral and the Jewish Synagogues.

Same cathedral and the horse statue of Avram Iancu, an important figure in Romanian history.

The statues with horses of romanian heroes are pretty common in Romania, you may find a lot of them in all cities.

The second cathedral is also situated in the city center facing the big cathedral from the opposite side. Is not so big but interior is amazing, painted walls and iconic glas windows.

Second Orthodox Cathedral

The city center has a lot to offear eventhough is not that big. I always say about Mures that is a small but clean city. From side to another plenty of restaurants, coffees, fast foods and entertainment choices. Plus a shopping mall as well called the Mures Mall with stores like New Yorker, Mustang, Carrefous, Kfc, Chinesse Place, and many more clothing places.

Alongside the center you may find again that diversity I was speaking from beginning, plenty of turkish shaorma places, greek restaurants, chinese restaurant and my favourite Piaf Restaurant where whenever I am in town I always get by just to enjoy my fave french onion cream soup.

China Blue Restaurant in the city center.

Piaf Cafe and Restaurant.

What is great about the city center as well is that you always can enjoy a nice walk day or night and you'll still not get bored. During the summer there is in the middle of the center a nice huge clock made by flowers, and plenty of amazing flowers all over.

The Cultural Palace

The most emblematic building in the city center it must be the Palace of Culture by far.

It is Art Nouveau style and one of the most representive buildings in Transilvania. Outside is decorated with bas-reliefs and flower motives, and inside is extremely luxury with a lot of big rooms and a spectaculat big hall.

The most famous room is the mirror room, with crystal mirrors and all stained glasses.

Inside the palace there is a huge Concert Hall where occasionally there are filarmonic concerts and all types of events. Also the art museum is found inside and a local library.

Next to the Cultural Palace is situated the Mayor's house, which is also a nice architectural building.

The Mayor's House during the winter is the most amazing building to look at, decorated all with christmas lights.

This building is housting the enthographic museum, but for me is the most amazing elegant building on the center where i always wanted to get an apartment in.

The rents are pretty expensive in Romania and more if is in the city centers. Around 300-400 euros a 3 bedroom apartment here, maybe more.

The Weekend

Weekend or official name the Leisure Complex of Mures is a sport and entertainment complex open during the summer season and where we all spend our summer holidays swimming or getting tan. Inside are plenty of restaurants and terraces with more than 5 big swimming pools and one olimpic pool.

The Mures river is also passing the complex, and there is a nice place where you can rent a boat. The ticket price in the complex is 6 lei for young people I guess 5 lei with student card and there is also a 20 lei fee for the entire family. The fee for a boat is around 8 lei I guess for 1 hour.

I used to work at the weekend, like 2 years ago, I guess is the best job for summer season in Mures. You can get very easily a job in the restaurants around there, and the salary and tips can be pretty nice for a small city like Mures.

Education

In Targu Mures there is 3 main universities, one is of course my main university Dimitrie Cantemir, which is a private university, super nice university, with 4 departments, Geography, Economics, Law and Pshychology.

Second university Petru Maior University is a public university bigger than mine and many more departments.

The most important and famous university in Targu Mures is The Umf, Medicine and Pharmacy University, is number one in the country for the medical department. Is also a state university with both romanian and hungarian sections.

All three universities have erasmus students from abroad, in my university the most are coming from Turkey, but in medicine they have students from Asia, Middle East all around the world. They provide high education with low costs which is a success so far.

Few tips:

1. Just so you can make an idea of the currency, 100 euros is around 450 Ron, which is our romanian currency.
2. There is plenty of hipermarkets and supermarkets all over the city, from Auchan to Metro, Kaufland and Lidl.
3. There are a lot of clubs and places to hang out in the night. Mures people they have a reputation for being clubbers and enjoying parties.
4. Mures has a important 1st League footbal team, so for the sport lovers they can go to a footbal game.
5. Also basketball is a famous sport in Mures with a good team which always has american or other players from abroad. They call it the Muresean Jungle because going to a ball game is pretty impressive with a lot of supporters.
6. Just if you get bored which I dont think you can, Cluj Napoca is 2 hours aways.
7. Cinema City is a big cinema spot where I always hang out once in Romania.
8. There is a second mall called Promenada Mall which is almost outside the city, but with amazing stores like H&M and many more.
9. The city of Dracula is close to Mures one hour away.

Mures is the place where food and culinary didn't taste better, our dishes have all hungarian and russian influences so that makes the food in Transilvania the best one in the country. From traditional sarmale to boueuf salad, and the famous egg bread I cannot count the days when I'm returning back to my hometown.

Until then enjoy a nice sunset from my apartment in Targu Mures!

Photo gallery