Timișoara Orthodox Cathedral
The Timișoara Orthodox Cathedral (Romanian: Catedrala Mitropolitană din Timișoara) is a Romanian Orthodox church in Timișoara, in the historical Banat region, in western Romania. The cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Timișoara and Metropolis of Banat. It is dedicated to the Three Holy Hierarchs, Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom.
Timișoara Orthodox Cathedral Catedrala Mitropolitană din Timișoara | |
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The church in the city center | |
Religion | |
Affiliation | Romanian Orthodox Church |
Rite | Eastern Orthodox Church |
Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Metropolis of Banat |
Year consecrated | 6 October 1946 |
Status | Metropolitan cathedral |
Location | |
Location | Timișoara |
State | Romania |
Location in Timișoara | |
Geographic coordinates | 45°45′02″N 21°13′27″E |
Architecture | |
Architect(s) | Ioan D. Traianescu |
Type | Cathedral |
Style | Moldavian/Byzantine |
Groundbreaking | 14 September 1936 |
Completed | 8 September 1941 |
Specifications | |
Length | 63 metres (207 ft) |
Width | 32 metres (105 ft) |
Height (max) | 90.5 metres (297 ft) |
Built on an area of 1,542 m2 (16,600 sq ft), it has 11 towers, of which the central and the highest has a height of 90.5 meters.[1] The Metropolitan Cathedral is listed in the National Register of Historic Monuments.[2]
Architecture
The cathedral was raised between 1936 and 1941. The building's style (architect Ioan Traianescu) is Neo-Moldavian style, based on Romanian Orthodox, late Renaissance, Ottoman, and Byzantine architecture elements, such as niches under the eaves, ribbed star vaulting in the interior, and lacquered discs in a variety of colors.[3]
The church's interior and exterior paintings were created by the painter Anastase Demian.[3] The difficult period that followed the structure's completion, that of Romania during World War II, prevented the paintings from being finished with the building. Demian's work went on for many years after World War II.[4][5]
Art
Timișoara Orthodox Cathedral is home to many historic and artistic religious objects, including many vintage Romanian icon paintings.
There is also a collection of early writings in Romanian. Examples include the 1648 Noul Testament de la Bălgrad ("The New Testament of Bălgrad") and the 1643 Cazania lui Varlaam ("The Homiliary of Varlaam").
Gallery
References
- Cum s-a construit unul dintre simbolurile Timişoarei, Catedrala Mitropolitană (in Romanian)
- (in Romanian) Catedrala Mitropolitană at dccpcnjtimis.ro
- Catedrala din Timișoara, stil şi eleganţă at ziarullumina.ro (in Romanian)
- Catedrala Mitropolitană Ortodoxă Română Timişoara (in Romanian) at primariatm.ro
- Catedrala Mitropolitană at timisoara-info.ro (in Romanian)
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Timișoara Orthodox Cathedral. |
- Timișoara Metropolitan Cathedral at Metropolis of Banat website
- Timisoara.org: Timișoara Orthodox Cathedral website