Romania

Oradea is the entrance gate to Romania, on the Western border, and the capital of the Bihor County.

Oradea, situated 8 km from the Hungarian border (and a whopping 650 km by train from the capital of Romania, Bucharest), can even serve as a starting point for a Romanian journey, as it is served by trains coming in from Budapest and other parts of Europe.

Oradea is located in the county of Bihor (BH), in Transylvania. The city proper has a population of 206,527 (according to the 2002 census); this does not include areas in the metropolitan area which bring the total urban area population to approximately 220,000. Oradea is one of the most prosperous cities of Romania. The city is on the Crişul Repede river, and has a sizeable Hungarian minority. It is also home to many renowned shoe factories.

Oradea is one the few undiscovered gems of Romania's tourism. Despite the city being one of the largest and most important in Transylvania, with a high degree of administrative, economic and commercial importance, it is often overlooked by tourists in favor of other Transylvanian cities such as Brasov, Sighisoara or Cluj-Napoca. The city can also act as a pleasant stopover if you are leaving the country.

The city combines a good location and climate with romantic baroque architecture from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, with a lovely jumble of Romanian and Hungarian cultures. The city was passed back many times between Hungary and Romania, with both these cultures are apparent in the city giving it a special charm and pleasant mix of architecture.

The beautiful city centre is worth visiting, as are the Băile Felix health spas, accessible by train or bus and located outside the city.

Between 1464 and 1667, the fortress of Oradea used to be the site for the first Prime Meridian in the world. It also housed the first astronomical observatory in Europe.

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2007-03-09 22:23:54 created by admin