Huniade Castle

Hunyadi (Romanian Castelul Huniade or Castelul Huniazilor ) Castle is the oldest monument in the western city of Timisoara Piata Victoriei, between the and the Piata Huniade. It has a tower and a façade of burnt brick. The architecture has Romanesque and Gothic features.

History

The castle was built in 1307-1315 as the headquarters for the Hungarian king Charles I, who reigned from here for nearly eight years. The acting for Hungary statesman, military leader and namesake of the castle, the Romanian John Hunyadi, had the building after an earthquake in 1442-1447 by the Italian architect Paolo Santini de Duccio expand and secure. During the occupation by the Ottoman Empire 1552-1716 the castle was the residence of the Pasha. During this time the walls were repaired and modernized the attachment. At the siege of the city by Prince Eugene of Savoy, the castle was damaged in 1716, but was later rebuilt. During the Revolution of 1848, the castle was destroyed by the Hungarian army, but in 1856 re-established, and it received its current appearance. By the end of the Second World War it was used as a barracks and camps for military purposes.

Banat Museum

Since 1948 it is the seat of the " Banat Museum " ( Department of History and Natural History ), the exhibits from the times of the Dacians, the Romans, the Wallachian voivode and the Romanian kings Ferdinand I, Charles I and Michael I and their communist successor shows.

Pictures

Tower, detail, 2006

Side View, 2006