The Targu Mures Cultural Palace Centennial by Claudiu Popa

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Table of Contents

CENTENNIAL • The Cultural Palace • Târgu Mureș • 2013

A Centenary in a Palimpsest

Bethlen Castle

Under the Relentless Sign of Time 5

Teleki Castle in Dumbrăvioara

Centenary. The Palace of Culture from

Teleki Castle from Gorneşti

Tîrgu-Mures: A Masterpiece of the

Bornemisza Castle from Gurghiu

Transylvanian Secession 7

Kornis-Rákoczi-Bethlen 76 Haller Castle

Wooden Churches

Rhédey Castle

Ugron Castle from Zau de Câmpie

The Small Wooden Churches 29 The Wooden Church in Tîrgu-Mureş

The Wooden Church from Abuş:

The Wooden Church from Cuci

Fortresses and Fortified Churches

The Wooden Church from Culpiu

Fortified Churches

The Wooden Church from Lăpuşna

The Medieval Citadel of Sighişoara

The Wooden Church from Nadăşa

The Saxon Church of Reghin

The Wooden Church from Oroiu

The Church of Archita

The Wooden Church from Petea

The Wooden Church from Porumbeni

The Wooden Church from Răstoliţa

The Wooden Church from Reghin

The Wooden Church from Săcalu de Pădure 52 The Wooden Church from Sărmaşu

The Wooden Church from Sărmăşel-Gară

The Wooden Church in Urisiu de Jos

Noble Castles

Bibliotheca Telekiana

Toldalagi Palace 64

The Cultural Palace • Târgu-Mureș • Romania • 2013 ISBN 978-973-0-15371-2

The Cultural Palace • Târgu-Mureș • Romania • 2013

102

The Fortified Church of Cloaşterf,

104

The Church of Daneş

106

The Church of Seleuş

108

The Twofold Fortification of Saschiz

110

The Synagogues and the Jewish Heritage, Restored to the Community The Great Temple 113

Noble Castles

Castle from Brâncoveneşti

The Fortified Church in Băgaciu

The Synagogue in Sighişoara

116

The Armenian Church of Dumbrăveni

118

References

120

Preț

50 lei

C E N T E N N I A L

Table of Contents

CENTENNIAL • The Cultural Palace • Târgu Mureș • 2013

A Centenary in a Palimpsest

Bethlen Castle

Under the Relentless Sign of Time 5

Teleki Castle in Dumbrăvioara

Centenary. The Palace of Culture from

Teleki Castle from Gorneşti

Tîrgu-Mures: A Masterpiece of the

Bornemisza Castle from Gurghiu

Transylvanian Secession 7

Kornis-Rákoczi-Bethlen 76 Haller Castle

Wooden Churches

Rhédey Castle

Ugron Castle from Zau de Câmpie

The Small Wooden Churches 29 The Wooden Church in Tîrgu-Mureş

The Wooden Church from Abuş:

The Wooden Church from Cuci

Fortresses and Fortified Churches

The Wooden Church from Culpiu

Fortified Churches

The Wooden Church from Lăpuşna

The Medieval Citadel of Sighişoara

The Wooden Church from Nadăşa

The Saxon Church of Reghin

The Wooden Church from Oroiu

The Church of Archita

The Wooden Church from Petea

The Wooden Church from Porumbeni

The Wooden Church from Răstoliţa

The Wooden Church from Reghin

The Wooden Church from Săcalu de Pădure 52 The Wooden Church from Sărmaşu

The Wooden Church from Sărmăşel-Gară

The Wooden Church in Urisiu de Jos

Noble Castles

Bibliotheca Telekiana

Toldalagi Palace 64

The Cultural Palace • Târgu-Mureș • Romania • 2013 ISBN 978-973-0-15371-2

The Cultural Palace • Târgu-Mureș • Romania • 2013

102

The Fortified Church of Cloaşterf,

104

The Church of Daneş

106

The Church of Seleuş

108

The Twofold Fortification of Saschiz

110

The Synagogues and the Jewish Heritage, Restored to the Community The Great Temple 113

Noble Castles

Castle from Brâncoveneşti

The Fortified Church in Băgaciu

The Synagogue in Sighişoara

116

The Armenian Church of Dumbrăveni

118

References

120

Centenary The Palace of Culture from Târgu Mureș: A Masterpiece of the Transylvanian Secession by SidoniaGrama

he inside of the Palace reflects also the ambition of “total art”. It is expressed el-

egantly, in eclectic fashion, with a fastidiousness carried to saturation in valuable decorative elements, such as frescoes, stained glass windows, mirrors, and Secession-style furniture. The refined decorations create a sense of of vacuity. Green and red shades dominate the chromatic of the interior spaces, sometimes in pastel combinations, which may be warm, pleasant and surprising or cold and intimidating. The vividly colored stained glass filters

lipire bloc interior

overwhelming excess and betray a certain fear

light in a chiaroscuro manner, like in the Far Eastern temples. Extravagance, excess and exclusivism therefore define the atmosphere of the Palace.

Published by Transilvania Grup Business Cluj Napoca, Romania, 18/6 Eftimie Murgu Street; Târgu-Mureș, România, 1 Primăriei Street (Chamber of Commerce building) Phone/Fax: +40 265 215 613 culturalpalace@transilvaniabusiness.ro www.transilvaniabusiness.ro Orders on difuzare@transilvaniabusiness.ro ISBN 978-973-0-15371-2

Collection Maecena. Cultural patronage fostered by Transilvania Business Printed by Nova Print Târgu Mureș All rights reserved. © Transilvania Grup Business 2013 Any reproduction of this content without the publisher’s agreement is strictly prohibited.

Collection Maecena. Cultural patronage fostered by Transilvania Business

C E N T E N N I A L

The Cultural Palace • Târgu Mureș • Romania • 2013

Mureș County • Ethno-Histories & Cultures

Collection Maecena. Cultural patronage fostered by Transylvania Business CENTENNIAL

The Cultural Palace Târgu Mureș • Romania 2013

Mureș County Ethno-Histories & Cultures Editorial team: Ligia Voro Sidonia Grama Translation: Carmen-Veronica Borbély Graphic design: Claudiu Popa Photos by Eliodor Moldovan Publisher: Aurelian Grama Publishing house: Transilvania Grup Business Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 2013

ISBN 978-973-0-15371-2

A Centenary in a Palimpsest The sheer excitement ... A time of Christianization ... At the entrance, after buying the tickets and the audio guide, we passed through a door overlooking a lake into which a rivulet was flowing. At the end of the road. And there was a canoe ... An Indian. Walking by the lake shore, we headed towards the exit. Beyond. On a huge screen, dozens of monitors showing faces of all races, ages and human archetypes. Alive and from beyond this life. Among them, I with my own family. And a text running like, You too could have been an Indian! What a change of mentality. If for centuries on end, the only good Indian was a dead Indian, now we were confronted with another paradigm. Another road’s beginning ... The Native American Art Museum in Washington. We were actually there for the Holy Baptism service at the church where Father Calciu Dumitreasa officiated. The sheer joy ... A time of learning ... Somewhere, sometimes, on the River Nile, when Mubarak’s regime was still accepted by the leaders of the democratic world, we were heading, left and right of the river, toward the ancient wonders of Egypt, and yet we were accompanied by special tanks and troops, at a time when the prisons were filled with activists of the Muslim Brotherhoods. I could hardly convince our guide that we knew most of what he was telling us - we had reread the bibliography of this civilization, as we did before every trip we went on, this time focusing on the course Professor Alexandru Diaconescu, from Cluj, had taught us about the History of the Ancient Orient - and that we wanted him to give us more thorough explanations about the pharaohs, the pyramids, Ra and Isis, Ramses and Tutankhamun. Abandoning the official discourse and leaving aside politically correct speech, the Egyptian, who was conversant with the Egyptian Copts and with Antony, Caesar and Cleopatra, but also with the followers of Mohammed, told us the story of a gift. Besides Champollion’s deciphering the hieroglyphs, at some diplomatic anniversary, France and Egypt offered each other a gift. A public clock produced by a well-known manufacturer versus an obelisk. Concord Square. The two gifts were meant to temper the dispute over the ownership of

the antiquities in the Cairo Museum versus the Louvre. The clock broke down a few years later. The obelisk is still in Paris today…, the Arab guide told us. The sheer amount of difference between what I had imagined about the discovery of Troy by the famous German Heinrich Schlimman when I had read Irving Stone’s The Greek Treasure and Isarlâk Hill in Asia Minor, which now belongs to Turkey. The sheer power of imagination to picture the Trojan War and the many museums to be seen. On the other hand, come to think how well preserved the ancient city of Ephesus is and still, at the entrance to the prestigious British Museum, you can see the exhibition of Helen and Cassandra’s garments, the weapons and armor of Paris, Achilles, Hector, Priam, Odysseus, according to the blockbuster Helen of Troy... What an experiment, overcharged with the emotion of reconciliation. Teams of Transilvania Business - the editor of this album - travelled for one week, following in the footsteps of the Saxons who left from the Reghin and Sighişoara areas, for Germany as well as for Israel. We have commemorated and celebrated the anniversary at home, in Târgu Mureş, and we have written our magazine. Not once have we been to nourish our spirit to Vienna and Budapest, and we have also taken the entire collection of art history to our fellow Romanians in Nisporeni, to the town library on the road to Chişinău. These are different steps to fully reveal this wonderful palimpsest - step by step... The first big project undertaken by the small Austrian nation after the end of World War II was financing the restoration of the Vienna Opera. It reopened in 1954. A genuine brand today, positioned, in a global hierarchy, much higher than the trio Erste Bank, OMV, Vienna Insurance – Omniasig - Asirom. Even if the three spearheads of the Austrian economy weigh heavily in the Central and Eastern European business environment, many of those holding the destinies of European and global affairs in their hands attend the traditional New Year concert in the Viennese Opera House. For 20 years, the manager of the Opera was the Banatian Ioan Holender. The performance Faust mounted by the “Radu Stanca” Theater in Sibiu, directed by Silviu Purcărete, has delighted theater audiences around the world for seven years

CENTENNIAL • THE CULTURAL PALACE • TÂRGU MUREȘ • ROMANIA

now. In Brussels, at the invitation of the highest Romanian diplomat at NATO, Sorin Ducaru, the front row seats were occupied by the ambassadors of the North Atlantic Alliance member states, next to the European Commission head, Barroso, and the European Parliament President, van Rompuy. Constantin Chiriac - the magician of the International Theater Festival in Sibiu - obviously savored the moment. Art leading the way to renaissance. Too few can see this. At a show in Sibiu, at FITS, I was pleasantly surprised to see that many milieus do value the classical idea that those who went to Brussels should have been the prime minister and the economic ministers, the business leaders of Romania. Just like the future performance of Faust in Moscow from 2015 - which is already planned out - should be attended by a strong government delegation and Romanian businessmen, the premier and the new president. Thus, they will be able to discuss, after Purcărete’s ravishing Faust, in an elegant setting, about the future of the Romanian-Russian relations. ... The Palace of Culture in Târgu Mureş is celebrating a century. And it has not been one of solitude. A celebration in September. How important would this - allegorical but real - dream be: the first aircraft on Transilvania Airport filled with business people from the whole world, friends of the high caliber entrepreneurs in Mureş County, at the invitation of the organizers and with the endorsement of the partners, coming to honor the performances staged in the Palace of Culture. If every man in Mureş County who is in the top 300, whether he be Romanian, Hungarian, Saxon, Jewish, Gypsy, or Armenian, is convinced that his partners will come to see the Călimani Mountains too, to go hunting, to visit Sighişoara, the noble castles, the small wooden churches, the Saxon fortresses and so on, then they can also hope that a few seeds will be planted. Of foreign investments. Or more. Of ideas of how one can turn a museum into a venue for political-administrative evenings, a space for seeing, alas, too few performances, a space that is alive. But truly alive. The Centenary will have reached its anniversary purpose, as well as the barely perceptible purpose of the Vienna Opera or the International Theatre Festival in Sibiu, of the Arab gift, of the Native American - Indian, of the Transylvanian School, of Emanoil Gojdu’s unfinished testament, of Mayors Bernády and Dandea... The arts need their Maecenas... Here I am inviting you to listen to Bela Bartok’s Hungarian

Folk Dance and to George Enescu’s Romanian Rhapsody! On our 20-year anniversary since graduating from Babeş-Bolyai University, my Dean from the Faculty of History, Professor Nicolae Bocşan, suggested, in June 2013, that I should take on editing a journal issue celebrating the Centenary of World War I. Rector Andrei Marga’s right hand, who re-established the idea of a Transylvanian University at Cluj on solid foundations, said that our historians would mark this moment scientifically only in 2016, when 100 years would have lapsed since Romania’s joining the war ... One must join in the European hora ... It’s yet another road to be taken ... With the idea of the Centenary in mind, you can set off on this road. From small Romanian wooden churches, Hungarian noble castles, Saxon fortresses and churches, fortified or not, to Jewish synagogues and Armenian churches, all of these as a periegesis through Mureş County, ending by relishing the wonderful Palace of Culture in Târgu Mureş and the entire center of the city upon the Mureş River. As Sidonia says, we cannot write just about the Palace, be it the jewel we, the people of Mureş, pride ourselves on, for it is not alone, isolated, with nothing around. We are talking here about a Palimpsest ... One cannot become a supporter of culture and a Maecena of the arts overnight. This is something that can be learned! And so is learning to decipher the palimpsest. Together, not separately! All at once, not in turns! I have edited the Centenary edition. You have it in your hands ... With passion and excitement, as made possible by the skill and strength of a regional magazine and a local newspaper ... With the goodwill of those who believe in us and in the value of writing about magical places that deserve being rediscovered ... The Palace of Culture in Târgu Mureş. Aurelian GRAMA P.S. What a young country ... How will we celebrate the Centenary? Romania’s Centenary, in 2018?!

MUREȘ COUNTY • ETHNO-HISTORIES & CULTURES

Under the Relentless Sign of Time “The twentieth century has witnessed some strange aberrations of the human spirit, but few can measure up to the activity of certain leaders boasting about their patriotism, but systematically destroying the cultural heritage of their people. Romania’s extraordinary cultural diversity is not just a natural part of its wealth, but it is also invaluable for all humanity. Whether you believe me or not, I have a small personal interest in this tragedy, because the tomb of my great-great-great-great grandmother, Claudia, Countess of Rhedey - who was the grandmother of my great-grandmother Mary - who was Magyar, born in Sângeorgiu de Pădure, is now threatened with demolition. Imagine the horror of seeing, with your own eyes, your old community leveled out, including monuments from the Middle Ages - or the Romanians’ horror at seeing the destruction of historic centers, of cities, religious monuments and all, with their vital symbolic significance.” This was the speech Charles, Prince of Wales, gave at the opening of the Exhibition “Building a Better Britain”, which took place in London on 27 April 1989. Written and delivered 24 years ago, at a time when, in Romania, the Communist Party was the sole political authority and state leadership was provided by President Nicolae Ceauşescu, the dictator, as he was most often referred to in the period after the Revolution of 1989, the speech given by the heir to the British throne is as topical now as it was then. I must insist on this, without fear of being mistaken and without any feeling that I should try to soften the tone of my writing. Traveling, for days on end, under the scorching August sun, together with Doru (our note, Eliodor Moldovan), I tried to enrich myself with the history, culture and civilization of the historical monuments I had visited. Our beautiful intentions - Doru’s wish to capture, as accurately as possible, the architectural details of the small wooden churches, the fortresses, the fortified churches and the noble castles, and my desire to express, as faithfully as possible, their history in words, aided also by the rich bibliography I was to consult - were heading towards an undesirable collision, given that I (to speak only for myself) had not been prepared to cope with the painful

reality in the field. Painful is a harsh word, but it is close to what I felt, finding myself powerless and at a loss in the face of dozens of architectural vestiges that display their majestic beauty with pride even nowadays, while having been abandoned to the relentless force of time. You too may understand my qualms and torments, faced, as I was, on the one hand, with a sense of pride that I belong to a multicultural civilization, which has created, developed and perpetuated, from one generation to another, a historical and cultural heritage that is no lesser than those abroad, for which we are willing to pay good money to see, and, on the other hand, with a strong feeling of abandonment, indifference and the estrangement of the communities or the owners from the treasures they own, since what we saw on our journeys were ruins after ruins after ruins. We set off from Oroiu, in the commune of Band. The Transylvanian wooden church had lost some of its paintings of yore, after the place of worship was left in no one’s care, in 1948. When the people returned to their ancestral church, the harm had already been done, and restoration efforts were strenuous, since the initial outlines of the paintings was hardly visible anymore. As I was to discover, this was not the only church affected by carelessness and the effects of bad weather. I could not, however, help noticing the positive examples too. Lăpuşna and Abuş were two of them. I experienced the same disappointment as regards the noble castles, left derelict, abandoned and emptied of their valuable objects. I felt this mostly in Cuci or at Iernut, and yet, the former grandeur of the old manors had not vanished altogether. By contrast, I was to discover that Haller Castle had been restored by an entirely private investment, and that Bornemisza, for instance, had been renovated through a project undertaken by the County Council. Both examples show that if there is a will, the necessary funds can be found. The Saxon fortified churches and the medieval fortresses have experienced the same divided fate. Some are reliving a rich and proud history, marked by a disciplined and serious culture and civilization, while others endure the burden of the years and of oblivion. In some cases, in one and the same space, as is the case of the fortress of Saschiz, there is a, perhaps incomprehensible, cohabitation of restored monuments and derelict ruins. The peasant fortress scouring the horizons reminded me of the Italian Lucca, with its sycamore trees growing on the roof of a tower. In

CENTENNIAL • THE CULTURAL PALACE • TÂRGU MUREȘ • ROMANIA

Saschiz, fir trees rise to meet the sky on top of the fortress walls. In one place it is marked as a tourist attraction, in another it appears to us, tourists, at most, as a curiosity. The synagogues in Mureş County, which have survived the centuries, seem to be the only ones that fare better today because of the Jewish community, which is highly interested in the endurance of its values. The middle-size synagogue in Sighişoara has been restored thanks to the efforts of a lawyer, who is not necessarily connected to Romania, and at the Great Temple in Târgu-Mureş, the Jewish Communities Federation has raised the necessary funds for a monument with an impressive eclectic architecture, so that it may accommodate its small community, but also serve as a cultural space for its conationals. I could not say the same about the Armenian Church in Dumbrăveni, the creation of a people that is just as proud and ancient, a monument by which we stopped in memory of the vibrant community that once thrived in Mureş County. Still, I was struck by the shriveled, cracked walls and the colorful posters glued onto the Romanesque-style columns inside the church. Every year, on 15 August, the Armenian church is enlivened by the descendants of the Armenians who, in the past, obtained privileges from one of the most feared sovereigns, Empress Maria Theresa. Their descendants, however, have so far not managed to restore the legacy that - as it is written at the entrance to the place of worship - they were bestowed with by their predecessors. These are just snippets of observations. Some that delight your soul, others that cause you grief, seeing that this legacy is truly valorized only in the volumes, studies or monographs of those who have embraced our cultural heritage with love, reverence, and respect. Those who have written the books that I have been inspired by, through which I have been able to understand the richness that surrounds us. In the future, perhaps, all these monuments - which are a part of what we were but can just as well be a part of what we could be - may regain their charm of yesteryear through the efforts of the communities, the local authorities, the various religious denominations, the providential investors. Perhaps, as suggested by other visitors, fond of rediscovering the cultural and historical gems of Mureş County, what is essential is a national strategy on heritage

that is not just an empty watchword and that will restore the previous splendor of these monuments. Perhaps this strategy should be integrated in a vaster one, which should contain a tourist component: the routes we followed could become consistent tourist circuits, we could develop entire networks of hostels and hotels, etc., and we could also benefit educationally - we learn about the Renaissance through Italian examples, about the Baroque and the Gothic by relating to France and Germany and we do not take note of the monument-buildings we have around us, as an expression of the same architectural styles. There would be much more to write, but given editorial restrictions, I should point out, finally, that for me this has been a month of learning within a challenging project that I believe in. One could certainly write - about each monument - much more, differently, and perhaps more interestingly, more vividly, with a more disciplined attention to architectural details, more scientifically, or more comprehensively. I do hope, however, to have written sufficiently well and enough to generate a response from the institutional authorities responsible for this valuable heritage, from the potential Maecenas who can add their names to their biography, from the communities that are the owners of a treasure of the past and can decide on its future, from the people of Mureş County and the Romanians seeking shorter or longer, unbeaten trails, from foreigners who are willing and eager to explore Romania beyond the negative clichés. We have 26 Hungarian castles and noble manors, about 65 Romanian small wooden churches, over 50 Saxon and Hungarian (un)fortified churches and several medieval fortresses. 1,000 tourist attractions are included on the list of historical monuments in Mureş County. An impressive number. We have not included here even the tenth part of that heritage, but others, who are more intrepid, may manage to capture it in its entirety and reconstitute our history thereby. And I would like them to approach this project as we chose to do it, from a multicultural standpoint, without separating the cultures and civilizations that have found their expression in the Mureş area. Especially since we talk so much and do much less about our multicultural county. Ligia VORO

MUREȘ COUNTY • ETHNO-HISTORIES & CULTURES

Centenary The Palace of Culture from Târgu-Mureș: A Masterpiece of the Transylvanian Secession by Sidonia Grama

Jubilee: 100 Years of Cultural History

he centennial anniversary of the Palace of Culture in Târgu-Mureş is an arch

over time. This memorable jubilee offers both the occasions of celebrating the past and imagining the future. A venerable witness of the political, cultural and artistic imaginary of the early twentieth century, the Palace is also a place of memory. As a remarkable architectural monument, it represents a masterpiece of the Transylvanian Secession style. An example of “total art”, it is defined by extravagance, excess, and exclusivism. It is also distinguished by an exquisite beauty. Moreover, the Palace of Culture is a prestigious and vibrant cultural space designed to rally, under its dome, the most representative arts and the cultural life of the city and the area. At the anniversary of 100 years of cultural history, the Palace is living a second youth and trying to re-invent itself. This is an invaluable opportunity for us to look more closely at it and instil life in it once again.

CENTENNIAL • THE CULTURAL PALACE • TÂRGU MUREȘ • ROMANIA

Situating the Palace: Historical and Artistic Contexts

intense, groundbreaking, prolific search for

The Palace of Culture in Târgu-Mureş is an

political and cultural construction of nation-

outstanding monument of urban architecture in the High Transylvanian Secession style. It belonged to the great and distinguished stylistic family of 1900 Art, a broad cultural move-

fresh forms of artistic expression. This artistic quest for specificity and authenticity bore the seal of the cultural and political imagination - full of promises - of the prewar 20th century. The national spirit and the concern for the al identity animated entire Europe, especially Central and Eastern Europe. Therefore, 1900 Art found its inspiration in local, vernacular sources, in the rural world, in folklore, in the

ment whose innovative breath swept across

folk traditions and arts.

Europe at the end of the 19th century and the

It invoked references that were as removed

beginning of the 20th. Known as Art Nouveau in France and as the Secession in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it inspired all the arts and manifested itself in extremely diverse local forms. 1900 Art developed over the span of four decades as a reaction against the historicism of the previous century in Western civilization. It was an

from the Western spirit as possible, either in time, through archaic themes from the mythical past, or in space, through Far Eastern motifs. 1900 Art aesthetically exploited these rich sources by making use of the generous technical possibilities of the time and of multifarious materials that were inventively used.

MUREČ&#x2DC; COUNTY â&#x20AC;˘ ETHNO-HISTORIES & CULTURES

Beyond its abundant diversity, there are several defining characteristics that contributed to the unique traits of the 1900 Art style in architecture and the fine arts. Most poignant were the plant and animal motifs, the arabesques, the preference for curves, spirals and volutes suggesting a particular rhythmicity. Its chromatics was cold, assonant or iridescent, with faded, stained-glass transparencies. Experts can detect in Art Nouveau productions the search for musical rhythms with wavy, sinuous trajectories and the intention of communicating, by way of empathy, an impression of agility, flexibility, nimbleness, youth and optimism (Giulio Carlo Argan, Modern Art 17701970). The evolution of this artistic movement exhibited two trends: a floral, organic period, with sinuous lines and vegetal explosions, as in the works of Victor Horta and Antonio Gaudi, and a geometric period, favoring straight lines and

CENTENNIAL • THE CULTURAL PALACE • TÂRGU MUREȘ • ROMANIA

functionality, as in Scottish architecture and the Viennese Secession. Irrespective of these trends, either Dionysian or Apollonian, the architecture and design of 1900 Art bore the same seal: the aspiration towards “total art”. Like the Palace of Culture in Târgu-Mureş, such creations convened all the fine arts in a whole - remarkable through the monumentality of the construction and the finesse of the decorative details - to unequivocally express their artistic message. From this point of view, the Palace of Culture in Târgu-Mureş, an example of late Secession art in Transylvania, can claim its artistic kinship, in varying degrees of closeness, with the most beautiful Art Nouveau urban creations across Europe. The sleek, playful lines of the Parisian metro station entries-lined with glass cornices, designed in Art Nouveau style by Hector Guimart; the fabulous, unmistakable constructions of Antonio Gaudi in Barce-

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MUREȘ COUNTY • ETHNO-HISTORIES & CULTURES

29 29

The Small Wooden Churches or the Authenticity of Folk Art by Ligia Voro Translator: Carmen-Veronica Borbély Photo: Alin Zaharie (Lăpuşna), Eliodor Moldovan

he small wooden churches, true monu-

emerged new elements of architecture, such

ments of folk art, represent an expres-

as porches or verandahs, as an expression of

sion of the Transylvanian Romanians’ need

the need to protect the building material, sub-

for spirituality and faith, against the back-

ject to weather erosion.

ground of their status as tolerated subjects, which perpetuated an older prohibition im-

In terms of their spatiality, most of the wood-

posed by the Apostolic Hungarian Kingdom

en churches were built on hills, sometimes on

against their erecting places of worship made

the highest elevation around the settlements,

of stone. This is the most plausible argument

even though - as in the case of the church from

that explains the development of ecclesiastical

Culpiu, in the commune Ceuaşu de Câmpie

architecture based on wood as a raw material

- they may have been relocated to the village

in, among others, the Mureş County area.

center for salvaging reasons.

Similar in structure (the typology of their

Unfortunately, according to a census pub-

shape is rooted in that of wooden peasant cot-

lished by those who have studied the small

tages), they are not necessarily standardized

wooden churches in Mureş County, many of

because, albeit unitary, their construction

them have disappeared. The statistics say that

techniques and paintings, their spectacular

in 1985-1986, out of the 154 of these church-

and valuable decorative items, are nonetheless

es, only 70 still existed. Today, their number

highly individualized, evincing the personal

is even lower. The others lost the test of time,

mark of those who built and adorned them.

on the one hand, due to the people’s indolence

In fact, in a comprehensive study dedicated

or the disappearance of the Romanians from

to these architectural gems, creations of a fer-

certain areas, and on the other hand, because

vent Romanian spirituality, entitled Wooden

of the perishable materials of which they had

Churches of Mureş County, Ioan Eugen Man,

been built.

a passionate researcher in this field, identifies no fewer than 15 distinct types of places of worship. It should also be noted that the small wooden churches followed closely the development of wooden peasant cottages. From simple dwellings with a rectangular ground plan, there

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The Wooden Church in Târgu-Mureş Preserves the Memory of Mihai Eminescu’s Footsteps “This place for a church was bought by their

the hyparkos Vasi(l)e Pantea, the painter

and his wife, Siriana, who raised the foun-

This is how the history of the wooden church

lordships Zupan Stoian Hagi Costandin dation of the church and painted the altar and the frontispiece with all the icons and

the founders include Gherog Laslo, Stoian

Ienachie, Sabo Radu, Moldovean Ianuş, Bucură Demeter, Sabo Demeter, Cadar Dem-

eter being the parish priest and protopope,

Nicolae Popa, Ban Vasilie, in the year 1814”.

in Târgu-Mureş, dedicated to “the Holy Archangel Michael”, began in 1793, according to the inscription in the naos on the right side of the iconostasis, which mentions the year in which it was painted by representative artists of the School of Feisa (Alba County). In fact, the tombstones of the merchant Stoian Hagi Costandin and his wife are still found in the church cemetery. The small wooden church from Târgu-Mureş is constructed on a rectangular ground plan, with a polygonal, five-sided, undetached apse, with an asymmetrical shingle roof, which is shorter at the level of the altar apse. The interior was separated into three areas - the narthex, the naos and the altar - in the first phase of the construction. Then, like in other places of worship of this kind, a porch was added in the second phase, which was enclosed to create more space for the believers. Above the porch the belfry was built, which may be reached by a wooden staircase. The prism-shaped tower, closing with a truncated pyramid roof, on which are seated two bulbs and the sphere with an arrow and a cross, represents a less common architectural solution for places of worship made of wood. The justification appears to have been, according to Ioan Eugen Man, the author of Wooden Churches in Mureş County, a competition in terms of grandeur with the Greek Catholic Church built nearby. The interior has changed, the wall between the naos and the narthex being more or less

MUREȘ COUNTY • ETHNO-HISTORIES & CULTURES

symbolical nowadays. The choir was built above the narthex. The semi-cylindrical vault of the naos, slightly withdrawn inwards, is little decorated, the altar being covered with a semi-dome consisting of curved strips. The interior painting belongs to the two painters mentioned above, who “prove a thorough knowledge of the craft and a skill that is full of verve”, as Nicolae Sabău wrote, cited by Ioan Eugen Man. Baroque influences are evident in the painting of the church. Ioan Eugen Man mentions four royal icons that adorn the iconostasis and that each has a frame made of columns with composite capitals, which rest on pedestals marked by flower buttons. The four icons represent Saint Nicholas, the Mother of God, Jesus Christ and Archangel Michael, the patron saint of the church. Of the scenes painted on the royal doors, those that stand out are those from the life of Jesus Christ, the Annunciation and the Holy Great Sovereigns Constantine and Helen. The altar apse, painted in its entirety, also encompasses a great diversity of religious themes - the Holy Trinity, St. Thomas Sunday, Jesus Descended into Hell, the Prudes’ Sunday, the Resurrection of Lazarus, the Ascension of Jesus, the Supper of Emmaus and others. The historical value of the church is strengthened by the fact that on his way to Blaj, the poet Mihai Eminescu apparently stopped by its porch one night, being hosted by the protopope Partenie Trombiţaş. The porch has been transformed into an exhibition hall, where today visitors can learn about the history of the place of worship, as well as find out information about Mihai Eminescu. The church is registered on the list of historical monuments, due to its historical, religious and artistic value.

Mureș County

Article by courtesy of Mihaela and Liviu Cojoc

CENTENNIAL • THE CULTURAL PALACE • TÂRGU MUREȘ • ROMANIA

MUREȘ COUNTY • ETHNO-HISTORIES & CULTURES

Noble Castles, the Architectural Jewels of Yore by Ligia Voro Translator: Carmen-Veronica Borbély Photo: Alin Zaharie (Ugron Castle – Zau de Câmpie), Eliodor Moldovan

he noble castles in Mureş County are part of the cultural heritage of Transyl-

vania, Romania and the world. Although they do not exhibit the typological unity that is an architectural characteristic of the wooden churches or the fortified churches, the noble castles represent historical proofs of a period with a propensity towards refinement and beauty, coupled with a marked interest in education and the dissemination of the written word. With its chain of noble castles - 26 in all in the county, illustrating various architectural stages “in vogue” in Transylvania, the Mureş Valley could rival the much more publicized and visited Loire Valley in France. Architectural jewels in the Baroque, Renaissance, Rococo, or Secession styles, adapted to the local spirituality, culture and traditions, the noble castles of Mureş County, a precious heritage, could feature at all times in Romania’s tourism offer. Unfortunately, these splendid edifices are facing the drama of oblivion, especially after they were nationalized in 1948, and the restitution processes were carried out with difficulty. Their being restored to their former owners has not automatically led to their revitalization and restoration, the necessary funds exceeding, in many cases, the financial strength of the Hungarian noble families’ descendants.

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CENTENNIAL • THE CULTURAL PALACE • TÂRGU MUREȘ • ROMANIA

Bibliotheca Telekiana By Sidonia Grama

he city of Târgu-Mureş boasts the first public library

cause of his passion for education and culture, and for his

in Transylvania and one of the most valuable in the

role as a Maecena. The descendant of a Calvinist family

country: Teleki Library. A quintessence of the Enlighten-

belonging to the high nobility in the Principality of Tran-

ment spirit, it brings together the most significant scientif-

sylvania, Samuel Teleki inherited, on the one hand, the

ic and humanistic editorial productions since the inven-

title of nobility and a considerable wealth, the largest in

tion of printing and the richest treasure of publications

the principality, acquired by his grandfather, and, on the

contemporary with the Enlightenment and the French

other hand, he carried on the preoccupations of his father

Revolution. Rare books, bibliophile editions of classical

for supporting school education. He was an erudite schol-

world literature, incunabula, valuable manuscripts, luxu-

ar, received a distinguished humanistic and scientific ed-

ry editions of the Bible translated into various languages,

ucation at the best universities in Europe, where he was

they are all housed in the superb high edifice built in the

inspired by the encyclopedic and rationalistic spirit of the

18th century with the specific purpose of a library.

time, and above all, he had a great passion that animat-

Its founder, Count Samuel Teleki (b.1739 - d.1822), was

ed him his entire life. Samuel Teleki was a great lover of

essentially a man of the Enlightenment. A memorable his-

books. A refined, elevated bibliophile, with strong ties at

torical figure, he had a political career the apogee of which

the Court of Vienna, the Transylvanian count became,

was the position of Chancellor of Transylvania, which he

early in his youth, a collector of books who was intellec-

filled from the death of Emperor Joseph II, whose personal

tually competent and financially potent. For 60 years he

adviser he had been, until the end of his life. However, it

systematically acquired - from leading publishers and

was not so much his political career that ensured his fame,

booksellers in 25 European cities - the most significant

even though, remarkably, Count Teleki was the first Prot-

works published since the establishment of printing, in the

estant nobleman who held such a high Aulic rank in the

most elegant editions, which attest today the exquisite art

Habsburg Empire, which was prevalently Catholic. His

involved in creating the masterpieces of older European

face is immortalized on the frontispiece of the Palace of

books. In the cultural history of Transylvania, his under-

Culture, along with other Hungarian cultural figures, be-

taking can be compared, in terms of its magnitude, with

MUREȘ COUNTY • ETHNO-HISTORIES & CULTURES

the collections of Governor Samuel Brukenthal, housed in the museum that bears his name in Sibiu. Count Teleki’s bibliophile passion was shared by his wife, an aristocrat who had an impressive library which today is fully preserved in the Teleki Library funds. The bibliophile affinities of the couple attest to the immense value that books had in the past centuries and to the symbolic capital of private libraries. For the 18th-19th century aristocracy, personal libraries represented the hallmark of their elitist social status. However, more than a cultural crest or an aristocratic hobby, Count Teleki’s love of books was a vocation. Biblio-philia meant then not only erudition and intellectual delight, but also clear vision, social responsibility for the cultural destiny of the nation, generosity, and even sacrifice. In the history of the Transylvanian Philobiblon, Timotei Cipariu, the Romanian Greek-Catholic scholar, the coryphaeus of the Transylvanian School, was the one who possibly outdid him in terms of his self-sacrifice for such a foundational vocation. The creator of the most important Romanian bibliophile collections in Transylvania, Cipariu had the vision of a national library that could serve as an arsenal in the Romanians’ struggle to assert their political and cultural identity. He assumed these huge responsibilities, often facing insurmountable difficulties. For Count Teleki too, his library was a treasure: “I have nothing more dear than my life, wife and children”, he confessed. (Jakó Zsigmond, Philobiblon Transilvan). Teleki catalogued the books himself, and the systematic inventory of his collection, published between 1796-1819,

him for a long time. In 1799 he had a building erected, specifically designed with the destination of a library, which he endowed with his collection from Vienna, brought home to Târgu-Mureş. From 1802, in keeping with his will, Teleki Library became public, serving the readers in town and elsewhere, who are interested in its valuable collections, even today. Samuel Teleki turned his patronage of the arts into program of life and his bibliophile passion into an institution, Bibliotheca Telekiana, which endures and grows over time. Mureș County

in four volumes, in Vienna, was the first of its kind in our country, a landmark in library science. The thought of donating his precious library “ for the benefit of the homeland, which is suffering from a lack of books”, accompanied

Under the patronage of Benedek Imre and Theodora

CENTENNIAL • THE CULTURAL PALACE • TÂRGU MUREȘ • ROMANIA

MUREȘ COUNTY • ETHNO-HISTORIES & CULTURES

85 85

Fortified Churches, A Haven for Civilians by Ligia Voro Translator: Carmen-Veronica Borbély Photo: Balázs Csaba (The Saxon Church of Reghin), Henn Attila (Archita), Eliodor Moldovan

he chain of fortified churches, many of

(improperly called fortified churches); and

them well preserved, found in the south

churches with mixed defensive features or for-

of Transylvania and, implicitly, of Mureş

tress-churches. On the other hand, the major

County - around 150 at the beginning of the

towns were fortified in their entirety, as was

21st century, according to the surveys - were

the case of Sighişoara. Constructed mainly of

built by the Saxons and the Szeklers who set-

stone and red brick, and covered with red clay

tled here, having been invited by the Hun-

tiles, the fortified churches have either Ro-

garian crown to protect the borders of the

manesque-inspired (the basilica type) or late

kingdom. Dating back to the Middle Ages,

Gothic ground plans. Originally painted with

these fortified churches are part and parcel

a wealth of Biblical motifs and scenes, many

of a rich cultural heritage, produced by the

of the murals that adorned the walls and the

civilizations that have thrived in this area. At

vaults were whitewashed during Martin Lu-

first, most of the Saxon churches erected in

ther’s Reformation, and they have only been

the Transylvanian villages were not fortified,

brought back to light more or less recently.

natural serving a religious purpose. The Tatar

The carved altars have fared much better, be-

and Ottoman invasions forced the Saxons to

ing framed by paintings in vivid, rich, ample

develop a massive, solid, durable fortification

colors.

system, which surrounded and protected both the communities and the places of wor-

An element that is present in almost every for-

ship against such attacks. Thus, the fortified

tified church is the organ, the queen of musi-

churches were transformed into veritable for-

cal instruments.

tresses with a defensive and military purpose. Researchers of these architectural ensembles have identified three types of fortifications in the Transylvanian villages, namely: fortified churches proper, in which the places of worship have defensive elements incorporated in them; churches with fortified enclosure walls, which are surrounded by defensive walls

CENTENNIAL • THE CULTURAL PALACE • TÂRGU MUREȘ • ROMANIA

The Pearl of Transylvania: the Medieval Citadel of Sighişoara

Sighişoara. This is the most charming tourist,

for the crafts, a cornerstone for education and

cultural and historical attraction of Mureş

faith, as well as a distinguished and taciturn

County. No place on the tourist map of Mureş

protector of those whose resting place lies on

fascinates and attracts as much as Medieval

its land.

Citadel of Sighişoara does: it has gained na-

The history of the beautiful citadel began in

tional and international fame, including on

the 12th century, when the city was founded

account of the fact that it is the only inhabited

by the merchants and craftsmen of German

fortress in Central and Eastern Europe. This is

origin who settled by the river Târnava Mare,

how every tourist planning to visit Romania’s

at the invitation of the Hungarian King Geza

medieval jewel, as it is known, can experience

II, who needed industrious men and warriors

it. A fascinating history, built in nearly one

to defend the borders of his kingdom to the

thousand years since it was erected on Citadel

east. Still, its first documentary attestation

Hill. A fortress that has gathered legends and

dates from 1280, when a fortress was raised

myths within its walls, a hotbed for the devel-

here, known as Castrum Sex. Almost two

opment of various architectural styles, a hub

decades later, in 1298, there appeared the

MUREȘ COUNTY • ETHNO-HISTORIES & CULTURES

first record of Sighişoara’s name in German Schespurch. The first mention of Sighişoara as a town was made in the second half of the 14th century. The name in Romanian - Sighişoara was for the first time included in documents in 1435, as an adaptation of the Hungarian version - “Segesvár” (“the city of Segheş”). Like all the fortresses and churches in the area, Sighişoara responded to the Tatar and Ottoman invasions by constructing a system of fortifications meant to protect its inhabitants. This is how, starting in 1350, the city wall was built - 950 m long and 4 m high. Later, the height of the walls was doubled, and in the 16th century, the wall was as high as 15 m tall. The fortification had 14 towers - one for each guild - and four bastions. Of these, nine towers and three bastions are still standing today. The Clock Tower - the most spectacular, one of the architectural jewels of Sighişoara, and the towers of the tanners, the tailors, the blacksmiths, the skinners, the shoemakers, the butchers, the rope makers and the tinkers are those that can still be admired today. The craft guilds received their statutes in 1376, whereby they were protected in relation to the guilds of other cities. At first, the guild members could not be represented in the town council, but the great wealth they acquired propelled them to this body of authority. The guilds lasted for over 500 years, being disbanded only in the late 19th century, when the social order changed. History records the passage of well-known historical characters through the citadel of Sighişoara. The son of Mircea the Old, the Voivode of Wallachia - nicknamed Vlad Dracul - and a member of the Order of the Dragon, lived here between 1431 and 1436, while preparing his return to the throne of the voivodate south of the Carpathians. The famous ruler Vlad Ţepeş was allegedly born in Sighişoara, back when his father had retreated

MUREȘ COUNTY • ETHNO-HISTORIES & CULTURES

Mureș County

Article by courtesy of Ovidiu Butuc and his family

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CENTENNIAL • THE CULTURAL PALACE • TÂRGU MUREȘ • ROMANIA

The Synagogues and the Jewish Heritage, Restored to the Community by Ligia Voro Translator: Carmen-Veronica Borbély Photo: Eliodor Moldovan

he cultural-religious heritage left by

Sighişoara has experienced almost the same

the Jewish community in this area

historical trajectory as that in Târgu-Mureş,

was much richer than it is today. Through-

albeit with much harsher consequences, given

out Mureş County, 16 synagogues have been

that the congregation here has disappeared.

documented, few of which have escaped be-

Notwithstanding all this, it is the merit of the

ing destroyed or converted, their destination

Jewish community from Mureş County, from

being changed arbitrarily. Historians contend

Romania and the world that it has managed -

that the first Jewish community settled along

quite unlike what is happening in other coun-

the river Mureş, in the villages neighboring

ties - to revive the cultural heritage of the Jew-

Târgu-Mureş, in the 17th century, as attested

ish faith in this area, by restoring two places

by the graveyards that have been discovered.

of worship: the Great Temple in Târgu-Mureş

In the next century, Târgu-Mureş housed the

and the Synagogue in Sighişoara.

most consistent Jewish population after that in Alba-Iulia, which explains the building of the first wooden synagogue here. Before World War II, the Jewish community comprised about 6,000 people, so the old, smaller synagogue was replaced with the Great Temple - the Status Quo Ante Synagogue, built in a very short period of time, considering the impressive size of the edifice. In 1944, 7,700 Jews from Târgu-Mureş and the surrounding villages were deported to the death camps of Auschwitz-Birkenau, and most of them never returned to their homes again. Today, the Jewish community in Târgu-Mureş has only a few hundred people, most of the Holocaust survivors choosing to immigrate to Israel. In Târgu-Mureş, the Jews have left their mark on the city’s development in economic, medical, cultural, as well as educational terms. The Jewish community of

MUREȘ COUNTY • ETHNO-HISTORIES & CULTURES

The Great Temple and the Memory of the Holocaust Victims

The “Status Quo” Jewish community took the

Rabbi Dr. Joachim Wilhelm, together with

initiative of building the synagogue on Aurel

President Adalbert Burger and Vice-President

Filimon St. in Târgu-Mureş. This is one of the

Mendel Farkas, the local community leaders.

reasons why the Jewish religious edifice was

Brutal interventions marked the life of this

named Status Quo Ante. Better known, how-

community, which had nearly 8,000 souls in

ever, is the Great Temple. The construction

1944. The Jewish community of Târgu-Mureş

plan was drawn up by the Jewish architect

experienced the ordeal of World War II,

Jakob Gärtner from Vienna, and the actual

when the majority of its members were de-

work lasted two years, from 1899 to 1900. The

ported and asphyxiated in the death camps

short time in which the imposing synagogue

of Auschwitz-Birkenau. The memory of the

was erected shows the large number of be-

Holocaust victims is honored by a white mar-

lievers at that time, as well as their financial

ble monument, located on the eastern side of

strength. Moreover, the principal donors’

the synagogue interior, attached to the wall

names are inscribed on a marble plaque lo-

where the railing of the Ark is. “The number

cated in the lobby. The Status Quo Ante syn-

of saints (martyrs) of our city is 5,943. And the

agogue was inaugurated in 1900 by Prime

stones in the walls and the entire Jewish people

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Centenary The Palace of Culture from Târgu Mureș: A Masterpiece of the Transylvanian Secession by SidoniaGrama

he inside of the Palace reflects also the ambition of “total art”. It is expressed el-

lipire bloc interior

overwhelming excess and betray a certain fear

light in a chiaroscuro manner, like in the Far Eastern temples. Extravagance, excess and exclusivism therefore define the atmosphere of the Palace.

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C E N T E N N I A L

Table of Contents

CENTENNIAL • The Cultural Palace • Târgu Mureș • 2013

A Centenary in a Palimpsest

Bethlen Castle

Under the Relentless Sign of Time 5

Teleki Castle in Dumbrăvioara

Centenary. The Palace of Culture from

Teleki Castle from Gorneşti

Tîrgu-Mures: A Masterpiece of the

Bornemisza Castle from Gurghiu

Transylvanian Secession 7

Kornis-Rákoczi-Bethlen 76 Haller Castle

Wooden Churches

Rhédey Castle

Ugron Castle from Zau de Câmpie

The Small Wooden Churches 29 The Wooden Church in Tîrgu-Mureş

The Wooden Church from Abuş:

The Wooden Church from Cuci

Fortresses and Fortified Churches

The Wooden Church from Culpiu

Fortified Churches

The Wooden Church from Lăpuşna

The Medieval Citadel of Sighişoara

The Wooden Church from Nadăşa

The Saxon Church of Reghin

The Wooden Church from Oroiu

The Church of Archita

The Wooden Church from Petea

The Wooden Church from Porumbeni

The Wooden Church from Răstoliţa

The Wooden Church from Reghin

The Wooden Church from Săcalu de Pădure 52 The Wooden Church from Sărmaşu

The Wooden Church from Sărmăşel-Gară

The Wooden Church in Urisiu de Jos

Noble Castles

Bibliotheca Telekiana

Toldalagi Palace 64

The Cultural Palace • Târgu-Mureș • Romania • 2013 ISBN 978-973-0-15371-2

The Cultural Palace • Târgu-Mureș • Romania • 2013

102

The Fortified Church of Cloaşterf,

104

The Church of Daneş

106

The Church of Seleuş

108

The Twofold Fortification of Saschiz

110

The Synagogues and the Jewish Heritage, Restored to the Community The Great Temple 113

Noble Castles

Castle from Brâncoveneşti

The Fortified Church in Băgaciu

The Synagogue in Sighişoara

116

The Armenian Church of Dumbrăveni

118

References

120