One of Romania’s largest and oldest cities, Cluj Napoca is situated in a very picturesque area much appreciated by tourists: there are stern peaks, gorges and canyons, salt lakes and mineral water springs. Moreover, the city of Cluj offers leisure activities and lots of entertainment in the vicinity of many historical places.
Situated at the heart of the Romanian province of Transylvania, Cluj is a historical and cultural site representative for the co-existence of three nationalities, Romanian, Hungarian and German over the centuries. The monuments and the historic sights in general show the mixture of civilization in a unique way, and charm the tourist that doesn’t expect to find such a richness of culture.
Tourists entering Cluj are welcomed by the fortress of a former Benedictine abbey. The archaeological findings have revealed that its beginnings go back to the 9th century. The successive invasions by the Tatars led to the destruction of the city and the abbey itself. The monastery tourists admire today are the remains of the monastery erected later, in the 15th century, when it was rebuilt in present Gothic style.
Most of the old churches in Cluj were created around large squares, that functioned as gathering places in the life of the community. This is the case of St Michael’s Church, one of the most beautiful Gothic churches in all of Transylvania. The altar is the oldest part of the building and dates back to the 14th century. The whole establishment emanates grandeur and beauty. Enjoy the stained-glass windows, the star-shaped vault and the sculptures!
There are plenty of other worship places you can discover on your own if you take a walking tour in the Old City. Next stop: Matei Corvin House, residence to a former prince of Transylvania, this is the best preserved building from the 15th century, with a Renaissance facade and a mixture of the original Gothic style in which it was built. This is also one of Cluj’s most valuable heritage items.
Tourists are usually interested to learn more on the country and the local customs of a place they visit. Good news! Many of your culture-related curiosities will be satisfied by a visit to the Ethnographic Museum of Transylvania; the largest of the kind in the country, rigorously depicting the traditional folk material and spiritual culture through its more then 65,000 exhibits.
One other touristic place that can’t pass unnoticed is the Botanical Gardens, beautifully designed to charm us by scientific precision and artistic refinement at the same time. Plants from every corner of the world grow within a huge hilly perimeter. Among the most appreciated items I would recommend the Japanese Garden, with its unique gyo-no-niwa design, and a recreation of a Roman garden, presided by a statue of the crops goddess Ceres.
A tour outside the city walls is a must when you visit Cluj. The area is famous for its natural spas and mineral spring waters such as those at the Baita, take a few hours and get the benefit of the amazing gifts of nature. Then move on to The Cheile Turzii Gorges that offer breath-taking scenery of vertical walls on both sides of a sinuous river. You’ll definitely feel the crushing majesty of the mountain.
As for fun, you don’t need to worry about that! There are plenty of festivals all summer long with artistic manifestations both modern and traditional. The most appreciated are the Beer and the Folk Art Festivals, which offer a great opportunity for tourists to feel the Transylvanian atmosphere.