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6/13/2006 12:26:34 PM
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Hello to All of you my dear Friends!
It is a great honor for me to have the chance to introduce you my home and birth place Oradea
I live in Oradea since I was born. I only left my city while I was completing my studies at the Polytechnic Institute in Timisoara. As many of you already know, there I met my husband, even thou he was from Oradea, too, both of us studying to become chemical engineers. Now the only use of it is that we ended up together being very happy with our children ready to fly out of the nest. After the Revolution we both had to change our professional profile and now we are related with finances!
Now, because more of you are found of learning things about places they haven’t seen yet, let me introduce Oradea from more perspectives.
Oradea is situated in the North West of Romania and stretches on the both banks of the Crisul Repede river. This geographical position stimulated the evolution of the town because along the valley of the Crisul Repede River a link between Western and South Eastern Europe developed, even towards the Near East, Oradea having become an important commercial town. By its position within our country, being situated at 12 km from the west border, Oradea is the main gate at the western frontier of Romania.
The systematical archaeological research developed in the town area pointed out the existence of some settlements belonging to the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages. The rich archaeological discoveries enrich today the collections of several prestigious museums from our country or abroad. Those who lived here were the “Free Dacians” and the Roman withdrawal did not disturb the life of the Dacian communities in the area of Oradea. According to the archaeological evidence, the Dacian population remained stable in the old places, having more or less intense connections with the migratory population, which successively passed from the Asian continent towards central parts of Europe. Toponymically certified since 1113 (Varadinum), in documents, Oradea was recorded as town (civitas Varadiensis) in 1374 .The Tartar invasion in 1241, described by Rogerius monk who witnessed the events, devastated the region, being thus the moment of a new beginning. Being an important junction of commercial roads, the town was protected by a circular stone fortress (at the end of the XVII century), and later, by a bulwark building in Italian style (XIV-XVII centuries), which was built by the contribution of Transylvanian craftsmen and funds. The cultural dimension of the burg is reflected especially by the influence of the Italian humanism, “the golden age” of the XIV-XVth centuries being dominated by the late gothic and Renascence, which are present especially in the architecture of the old cathedral and of the bishopric palace inside the fortress. The fortress was rebuilt beginning with 1567, becoming a reference military mark for the region.
Between 1660-1692 Oradea was a Turkish pashalic, but the Ottoman occupation is short termed because in June 1692, the Austrian army entered the biggest town in the region. New historical views were opening then. There appeared guilds for several trades, public and private libraries, printing houses; churches, cathedrals, seigniorial palaces and cultural settlements were being built. We mention some of them: Sf. Ladislau Roman Catholic Church, (1723-1742); ”Adormirea Maicii Domnului” Orthodox Cathedral, named the Moon Church (1784. In the church tower we find an original spherical mechanism indicating the Moon phases in its rotation, manufactured by the watchmaker Georg Rueppe in 1793.),The Roman-Catholic Bishopric Palace (1762-1777), The Roman-Catholic Cathedral (built between 1752-1780 in Baroque style.It is the largest church in this style in Romania. Pope John Paul the Second turned it into basilica in 1991), The Baroque Palace (built following the plans of the Viennesse architect Franz Anton Hillebrandt in Late Baroque style. It is a copy of the Belvedere Palace of Vienna, a building with 120 rooms and 365 windows.) where nowadays the “Tarii Crisurilor Museum is functioning having 4 sections: History, Etnography, Natural sciences and Art, the ”Sf. Nicolae” Greek- Catholic Cathedral (1806), the Orthodox Synagogue, the Chamber of Commerce Palace (1893-1894), Law Court Palace (1898) and the State Theatre (1899-1900). The cultural character of the town was completed with the existence, since 1780, of a Law Academy which is the basis of the nowadays Oradea university center. The XIXth century also indicates the beginning of modernity by the conceiving of the first systematization and administrative union plans of different districts of the town. Towards the end of the century, alongside with an important industrial development, some of the great cultural institutions of the country, such as the museum, the theatre, the libraries, the lecture societies etc, were founded and they were developed during inter-war period. Also, during that period the center of the town was rebuilt, reflecting the Secession style prevailing in Europe.
On October 12, 1918, the leaders of the Romanians form Transylvania adopted the Autodetermination Declaration from Oradea, which became the main document read with the occasion of the first of December 1918, when the nowadays Romania National State was created. After the Romanian administration was introduced at December 25-1925, Oradea was pronounced Town. The town, inhabited by a majority of Romanian population, became one of most prosperous towns from economical and cultural point of view. There were developed industrial branches, Romanian banks and important cultural societies. At present, the town has more than 220.000 inhabitants, which places it among the biggest towns in the country having a diversified industry in fields such as electricity, chemical industry, aluminum industry mechanics, processing industry, food industry, tourism etc. Oradea is also a commercial and cultural center with a great potentiality. Oradea, the biggest town of Bihor County, is remarked due to the Secession architectonic style and due to its cultural settlements (the Public Theatre having Romanian and Hungarian sections, the Puppet-theatre, local radio and TV stations, show halls and sport grounds, swimming pools with geothermal water etc.). The free practice of religious belief is reflected in the existence of different churches belonging to the following cults: Orthodox, Greek-Catholic, Catholic, Pentecostal etc.
After December 1989, Oradea aims to prosperity and wealth specific to towns with European tradition. Both culturally and economically, the perspectives of Oradea are inevitably related to the general aspiration of the Romanian society to freedom, democracy and free market economy with varied initiatives in all fields of activity. Due to its specific character, Oradea is one of the most important economic and cultural centers of Western Romania and of the country in general, and one of the great academic centers with a special development dynamics.
Other nearby atractions:
* Băile Felix and Băile 1 Mai Spas
* Stâna de Vale (mountain resort)
* Pestera Ursilor - Chiscău (Bears Cave - Chiscău)
It would be a great pleasure for me to have the chance to show you in person some of these wonderful places and the people, who live here, who are very friendly and hospitable.
Who knows, one day we could meet!
More things about Oradea and Romania you may read in my dedicated Forum: Romania
For some funny moments and entertainment please visit:
Do You think this bikini make me fat!?
And
IMU Club Entertainment of UVACA
A place for some Inspirational moments:
Wisdom of Love
Other places I’d like to invite you:
Weekly Spotlight of Friends
Weekly Business Highlight Gazette
WOSAT is the only business I decided to be involved with here online.
DIPETANE is a great product in accordance with my "Organization Culture" :-D being an environmental protective product – you know I’m a tree hugger, after all! LOL
In case you think you could use some great team to work with than you can join us here !
In case you still want to know more about me than you’re welcome to read:
About me and my two bios at
The Spotlight of Friend’s and here in
John’s Forum!
In case you’re already tired about so much words and links, but you’d love better watch some pics I invite you to click the links that follow:
Photo Album – Romania
Photo Gallery – Oradea
Oh, my! This ended to be a rather looooong post! Though, I hope you enjoyed the reading!
Thank you all for your time to come and read all these things crossing my mind in this very moment.
Hope you had a great time joining me in this imaginary trip to my home! :-)
Thank you LaNell, for choosing me as your guide today! 8)
With friendship,
Anamaria :-)
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