Târgu Mureş
This ornate secessionist-style building, ostentatiously tiled on the outside and colourfully furnished within, is unlike anything else in Transylvania…
Getty Images
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.
Attractions
Must-see attractions for your itinerary
Târgu Mureş
Ethnographic exhibitions can be humdrum, so Târgu Mureş’ hay-strewn and vividly soundtracked museum is a welcome surprise. A voiceover (in Romanian),…
Târgu Mureş
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…
Târgu Mureş
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…
Târgu Mureş
The dominating Orthodox Cathedral (1925–34) was designed to impress, with Byzantine-style paintings and gold-haloed icons of saints – plus a politically…
Târgu Mureş
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…
Târgu Mureş
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…
Târgu Mureş
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…
Guidebooks
Purchase our award-winning guidebooks
Get to the heart of Târgu Mureş with one of our in-depth, award-winning guidebooks, covering maps, itineraries, and expert guidance.