My Visit To Cluj-Napoca

Cluj

If you are visiting Bucharest for an extended period or merely fancy stretching your legs and exploring more of the surrounding country you could do a lot worse than plan a visit to Cluj. Situated some 426 km from the capital in north west Transylvania this rather grand city has plenty to offer both the avid historian and casual visitor alike.

Cluj is the fourth largest city in Romania and with its grand central square and mix of Gothic and Baroque architecture it proudly promotes its importance today as a key city in not just the region of Transylvania but in Romania as a whole.

It could be argued that Cluj, or to give it its full name, Cluj-Napoca, feels slightly foreign, there is a sense of wide open space and a calm, relaxed atmosphere in the centre of the city quite unlike the hustle of downtown Bucharest.

The town as is stands today was founded by the Germans in the twelfth century for the Hungarian King. It remained an important provincial capital for Hungary right up until 1920 when a treaty was signed uniting Cluj with the Kingdom of Romania. The name, ‘Napoca’ was added to ‘Cluj’ by Ceausescu in 1974 in a show of national pride and in recognition of the fact that the earliest settlers, some 1850 years ago, were from the Dacian Empire and not Hungarian.

Cluj-Napoca still reflects its Hungarian background, there are Hungarian speaking schools and colleges, theatres and even an opera house. To say the Hungarian and Romanian population live side by side happily may be simplifying matters slightly, under communism Cluj, like many other major cities, was industrialised, its inhabitants grew and it became the largest city in Transylvania, but it managed to maintain an air of grace and dignity with its centres for learning and the arts, its café culture and of course its grand architecture.

I visited Cluj just after Easter having been invited by Romanian colleagues who were enthusiastic that I should not miss out on this cultural landmark . Cluj has an airport with the flying time a little under one hour from Bucharest but we chose to drive so that we could take in the surrounding countryside. There was also an ulterior motive for our choice of transport; driving would allow us to stop off roughly half way through our journey and eat what was promised to be some of the best ‘mici’ the region has to offer. The car journey is long and after the first 4 hours we were all glad to pick up the scent of grilled meat as we pulled up outside the restaurant.

Having filled up with the obligatory ‘mici’ bread and mustard, we were able to finish our journey in high spirits. The whole party agreed that the ‘mici’ were by no means amazing, but having them grilled in front of you whilst sitting on rough wooden benches waiting in anticipation and savouring the sights and sounds of the countryside was truly delightful.

On arrival we checked in to our Villa which offered en suite apartments with a communal breakfast room. Glad of a warm shower and change of clothes and feeling almost human again after the gruelling car journey we ordered taxis and promptly headed for the town centre in search of a meal.

The first thing you notice, apart from the ultra modern shopping mall, are the two churches that dominate the centre of the city. Sitting in the centre of the main square (Piata Unirii) is Saint Michael’s Church, a colossal gothic building which dates back to the 14th century. In the 19th Century a neo-gothic tower was added and it remains the tallest church tower in Romania. In front of the church is a statue of Matthias Corvinus on horseback, he was King of Hungary in the 15th century and something of a hero to the Hungarians and Romanians for his deeds as a Christian warrior and for his diplomacy in building strong ties with the surrounding heads of power. Less than 1 km away is the Dormition of the Theotokos Cathedral, an equally grand structure and the Orthodox equivalent to Saint Michael’s. It was built in a mix of renaissance and Byzantine styles between 1923 and 1933. The main dome of the Cathedral was inspired by Hagia Sophia in Istanbul which is often considered to be the epitome of Byzantine architecture and was the largest Cathedral in the world for almost 1000 years.

We ate in a typical Transylvanian restaurant decorated to look and feel like a stone and timber banqueting hall. On arrival we were offered a glass of Tuica, the plum liquor that historically is taken as a aperitif, before working our way through a platter of the regions cheeses and meats. There were also bread and olives, pickled and fresh tomatoes, sweet peppers and what I still claim to be the finest vinette salad I’ve ever eaten. The main course was however the highlight of the evening. We had been urged to order the steak by our Cluj hosts who were definitely in-the-know and so we all eagerly obliged. The waiter proceeded to attach a bib to each of us before bringing out the steaks. They were served on a sizzling stone slab set upon a wooden platter that also contained roasted potatoes and pickled cabbage. The meat was initially cooked very rare and then continued cooking on the stone in front of you. The quality and taste of the meat paired with the theatrical presentation made this a dish that I’ll remember for many years to come. The meal was finished with a platter of tempting desserts, again typical of the region; there were sweet plum and potato dumplings, pancakes with jam and papanasi smothered in whipped cream, all were magnificent.

Our next day was spent exploring the city and café-hopping, we had chosen to steer clear of the shopping malls and instead opted for a somewhat vigorous walk to the top of the hill which flanks the city to the south east. Cetatuia Hill is approximately 500 metres above the city and offers marvellous views of Cluj and the surrounding country. This is also a favourite place for couples and families to take a stroll or simply relax in the various parks and terrace cafes that occupy the area.

With the sheer bliss and tranquillity of the hillside it is easy to forget that many have claimed Cluj to be Romania’s technopolis. During the 1990s the city’s reputation suffered a decline due to the over nationalistic policies of its then Mayor Gheorge Funar, but today, having embraced its multi national heritage, it thrives. It plays host to the largest University in the country, Babes-Boylai University and is also the home of many well known Romanian and international brands such as Banca Transylvania, Ursus Breweries and Jolidon, the manufacturer of lingerie and swim wear which boasts outlets in Budapest, Milan and Paris. Nokia recently invested 200 million euros in a factory and state of the art research facility in the city and the planning and development of two more fashion malls are well under way with the first to be completed by October 2010.

We’ve made plans to visit the area again soon, we didn’t get to see the Botanical Gardens which is one of the largest in south-eastern Europe and contains some 10,000 plant species. We also plan travel approximately 50 km outside of Cluj to the Apuseni Mountains and Scarisoara Caves. Here limestone underlies most of the Apuseni Nature Park and is responsible for the areas impressive landforms and upwards of 400 caves, many of which can be explored.

Cluj Napoca is an ideal place to find tranquillity and to experience the warmth of Transylvanian hospitality. It manages to somehow preserve the rich history of its Hungarian patronage whilst also showcasing its vibrancy and attractiveness as a University town and cultural centre.