Most importants things to do in Cluj-Napoca

There is no way come to Romania and its historical province of Transilvania (Erdelyi, or Siebenbuergen) and not paying a visit to the wonderful city of Cluj-Napoca (Koloszvar, or Klausenburg). No way, no chance, no possibility to avoid and to escape, this city is really charming and has a spell on it, making it so attractive to people.

I must warn you, you will fall in Cluj-Napoca with its boulevard, its Bohemian, aristocratic and cosmopolitan flair from the multicultural downtown. Any visit in Cluj-Napoca is an event and you can discover different faces of this fantastic city. Nowadays Cluj-Napoca proudly counts 330 000 inhabitants (30 % are Hungarians, I love and esteem them very much, like to say them Koeszoenem szepen for the beauties of this city) and even proudlier looks back to a multimilennial history, leading to the happy times of the antique castrum Napoca. Later during Middle Age the Romanian local ruler Gelu fought against the ennemies, but was defeated and payed with his life.

Downtown of Cluj-Napoca, with the Church of St. Mihail

Then came the Hungarian occupation, with the birth in Cluj-Napoca of Matias Corvin, one of the most important kings of Hungary. He loved and protected the city so much, giving it a lot of privileges, thus contributing to its quick development. In the XIXth century Cluj-Napoca became a residence of Intellighentsia, both Romanian or Hungarian, and its downtown started to look wonderful, like today, remembering to Budapest or Vienna. The fantastic beauty of the city has been preserved even during the industrialization policy of the communist years, as the factories have been erected outside the city. Briefly speaking, it is important for you as a visitor only to know that Cluj-Napoca has been one of the most important cities of Romania, and has a lot to show to any visitor.

Cluj-Napoca by night: the magnificent fountain before the statue of Avram Iancu

Start the visit from the downtown. Pay a look and a visit to the Church of St. Michael, a landmark of Cluj-Napoca with the riding statue of Matyas Corvin. Watch carefully all the buildings around with their flamboyant architecture, and notice the Bannfy Palace, today hosting the Art Museum. It is really too nice to be real, but try nevertheless to walk further reaching the huge statue of Avram Iancu and the Orthodox Cathedral, or the local theater, playing both in Romanian and Hungarian.

If you are rather the plein air type, try to go in the forest Hoia-Baciu, but I have to warn you again: there are strange phenomena happening there regularly. It is most probable that you will feel a sort of nausea (sometimes the visitors reported even burns), observing here and there places with burnt grass. Researchers have tried to explain these interesting developments occuring since more decades, but failed. It is one of those things escaping to a reasonable explanation, a mystery. And here started the speculations, e.g. UFO etc. Impossible to infirm or confirm any theory, I simply would like only to report about it.

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