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Târgu Mureş

Târgu Mureş is Transylvania’s most underrated town. This spirited place is an ideal starting point to explore Székely Land; its own population is almost an even Romanian-Hungarian split. Târgu Mureş' showpiece is Piaţa Trandafirilor, which preens with statues, two cathedrals, and the unique Culture Palace, the region's most riotously decorated building. Given its location at the heart of Transylvania, there are plenty of ways to whittle a Târgu Mureş detour into your travels – you’ll be very glad you did.

Explore Târgu Mureş

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Culture Palace
This ornate secessionist-style building, ostentatiously tiled on the outside and colourfully furnished within, is unlike anything else in Transylvania…
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Ethnographic Museum
Ethnographic exhibitions can be humdrum, so Târgu Mureş’ hay-strewn and vividly soundtracked museum is a welcome surprise. A voiceover (in Romanian),…
C
County Council Building
Next door to the Culture Palace is the County Council Building (1905–7), also secessionist in style. Its decorative orange and green tiled roof and ornate…
C
Citadel
Visitors can wander freely within the walls of Târgu Mureş' citadel, whose foundations date to 1492. It houses the Fortress Church and City Museum, and…
O
Orthodox Cathedral
The dominating Orthodox Cathedral (1925–34) was designed to impress, with Byzantine-style paintings and gold-haloed icons of saints – plus a politically…
T
Teleki-Bolyai Library
Opened in 1802, this is one of the oldest libraries in Transylvania, named for its founder Count Sámuel Teleki de Szék. Technically still used as a public…
O
Orthodox Synagogue
A block west of the Ethnographic Museum is an ornate and well-preserved synagogue from 1899–1900. Before WWII more than 6000 Jews lived in Târgu Mureş; in…
C
Complexul Weekend
In high summer when the mercury tops 40°C, this swimming complex, 2.5km north of the centre, is a welcome oasis. There's a couple of giant pools, a few…
G
Greco-Catholic Cathedral
Also known as the ‘small cathedral’, this sanctuary at the southern tip of Piaţa Trandafirilor was built in 1934–36 in the style of a scaled-down homage…

C
Culture Palace
This ornate secessionist-style building, ostentatiously tiled on the outside and colourfully furnished within, is unlike anything else in Transylvania…
E
Ethnographic Museum
Ethnographic exhibitions can be humdrum, so Târgu Mureş’ hay-strewn and vividly soundtracked museum is a welcome surprise. A voiceover (in Romanian),…
C
County Council Building
Next door to the Culture Palace is the County Council Building (1905–7), also secessionist in style. Its decorative orange and green tiled roof and ornate…
C
Citadel
Visitors can wander freely within the walls of Târgu Mureş' citadel, whose foundations date to 1492. It houses the Fortress Church and City Museum, and…
O
Orthodox Cathedral
The dominating Orthodox Cathedral (1925–34) was designed to impress, with Byzantine-style paintings and gold-haloed icons of saints – plus a politically…
T
Teleki-Bolyai Library
Opened in 1802, this is one of the oldest libraries in Transylvania, named for its founder Count Sámuel Teleki de Szék. Technically still used as a public…
O
Orthodox Synagogue
A block west of the Ethnographic Museum is an ornate and well-preserved synagogue from 1899–1900. Before WWII more than 6000 Jews lived in Târgu Mureş; in…
C
Complexul Weekend
In high summer when the mercury tops 40°C, this swimming complex, 2.5km north of the centre, is a welcome oasis. There's a couple of giant pools, a few…
G
Greco-Catholic Cathedral
Also known as the ‘small cathedral’, this sanctuary at the southern tip of Piaţa Trandafirilor was built in 1934–36 in the style of a scaled-down homage…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Târgu Mureş.

See
Culture Palace
This ornate secessionist-style building, ostentatiously tiled on the outside and colourfully furnished within, is unlike anything else in Transylvania…
See
Ethnographic Museum
Ethnographic exhibitions can be humdrum, so Târgu Mureş’ hay-strewn and vividly soundtracked museum is a welcome surprise. A voiceover (in Romanian),…
See
County Council Building
Next door to the Culture Palace is the County Council Building (1905–7), also secessionist in style. Its decorative orange and green tiled roof and ornate…
See
Citadel
Visitors can wander freely within the walls of Târgu Mureş' citadel, whose foundations date to 1492. It houses the Fortress Church and City Museum, and…
See
Orthodox Cathedral
The dominating Orthodox Cathedral (1925–34) was designed to impress, with Byzantine-style paintings and gold-haloed icons of saints – plus a politically…
See
Teleki-Bolyai Library
Opened in 1802, this is one of the oldest libraries in Transylvania, named for its founder Count Sámuel Teleki de Szék. Technically still used as a public…
See
Orthodox Synagogue
A block west of the Ethnographic Museum is an ornate and well-preserved synagogue from 1899–1900. Before WWII more than 6000 Jews lived in Târgu Mureş; in…
See
Complexul Weekend
In high summer when the mercury tops 40°C, this swimming complex, 2.5km north of the centre, is a welcome oasis. There's a couple of giant pools, a few…
See
Greco-Catholic Cathedral
Also known as the ‘small cathedral’, this sanctuary at the southern tip of Piaţa Trandafirilor was built in 1934–36 in the style of a scaled-down homage…

Guidebooks

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