Arhitecti care si-au lasat amprenta asupra istoriei arhitecturii din Timisoara

Inceput de secol 20 a fost moment de cotitura in istoria arhitecturala a Timisoarei. Ma refer la istoria cladirilor istorice din perioada Art Nouveau. Timisoara a avut mai multi arhitectii ilustrii, care si-au pus amprenta asupra multor cladiri, considerate atunci dar si acum adevarate "giuvaiere".

Aici fac referire la o serie de arhitecti geniali si care au scris  istoria arhitecturii timisorene: László Székely, Martin Gemeinhardt, Leopold (Lipót) Baumhorn, Arnold Merbl, Mathias Hubert, Ferdinand Fellner si Hermann Helmer erau asociati, Eugen Reiter (a creat intreg complex de cladiri a Ordinului calugaritelor de Notre Dame).

In cele ce urmeaza am sa ma opresc la figura marcanta a lui László Székely.

László Székely s-a nascut la Salonta pe 3 august 1877 si a murit la o varsta fecunda la numai 56 de ani pe 23 ianuarie 1934.

In 1900 Székely a absolvit Facultatea de Arhitectură la Budapesta.El a fost discipolul marelui arhitect Alajos Hauszmann, cel care a proiectat Palatul Regal din Buda. A beneficiat de o bursa de studii in Italia, unde s-a cizelat.

La intoarcerea din Italia a lucrat pentru maistrul arhitect Czigler Győzőunui, din Budapesta. Acesta l-a recomandat pentru postul de arhitect-șef al Timișoarei. Postul era nou înființat de primarul, Karol Telbisz.

La doar 33 de ani devine primul arhitect-șef al Timisoarei. In perioada 1902- 1922 a  fost arhitect-sef al orasului.

Stilurile arhitecturale uzitate de Székely sunt Art Nouveau (sau Secession)  si eclectic. De numele lui se leaga un numar mare de cladiri civice si private din orasul nostru, majoritatea cladirilor din centrul istoric, cum ar fi:

- Statuia Sfânta Maria din Piața Maria

- Palatul Dauerbach

- Palatul Hilt & Vogel

- Palatul Neuhaus

- Palatul Weiss

- Palatul Széchenyi

- Camera de Comerț și Industrie

- Casa Brück

- Hotel Timișoara.

Apoi avem alte cladiri proiectate de el in interes public si privat, inclusiv casa lui privata numita Baia Publica Neptun

- Abatorul Comunal

- Liceul Piarist

- Liceul Silvic.

In memoria lui avem azi in Parcul Carmen Sylva un bust al lui László Székely: creatorul Timisoarei Moderne.

The Traian Bridge

The Traian Bridge is located on the street 16 Decembrie 1989. The Traian Bridge is also called the Huniade Bridge and the Bridge from Mary among locals. 

The Traian Bridge was originally made of wood and made by Peter Ward and Josefstadt and was built in 1871.

In the 19th century the bridge had worn out and had to be replaced by a more resistant one. Thus, a steel structure was made between 1870 and 1871.

In 1899, the steel structure was expanded due to the fact that of introduction of the electric tram. The Tram Temesvári Villamos Városi Vasút Részvénytársaság, supported a quarter of the cost of the work. Also two other big companies, contributes to this bridge rehabilitation: Austro-Hungarian Railway Company and the Resita Bridge Factory.

The steel structure was replaced by a concrete in the 1910s.

The nowadays face of the bridge was designed in 1911 by the engineer Károly Lád and the architect Elemér Wachtel and finished the construction only after five years due to the Second World War.

The steel structure of the bridge was dismantled and moved downstream between the streets of Muresanu and Any Endre, being called “the Iron Bridge” today is a pedestrian bridge.

The Traian Bridge is the widest of the old bridges and has an opening of 32.80 meters and a length of 40 meters and the road is seven meters wide.

The Traian Bridge is situated in the west part of the city and it connects Josefin and Elisabetin district with Cetate district.

The architecture of the Traian Bridge is Art Déco style.

The architecture of the uppers part of the bridge, especially the simple forms of the curtain railings correspond to the last phase of the 1900s style, which announces the beginnings of the Art Déco style.

The Statue “Lupa Capitolina”

The Statue of “She-Wolf” in Timisoara is also called the Statue of “Lupoaicei” or “Lupa Capitolina”.

The statue is depicting the legendary founders of Rome, the Romulus and Remus brothers, breast-fed by a she-wolf.

The statue reads the legend of Rome’s founding fathers according to which the two brothers who founded the city were cared for by a she-wolf.

The “Lupa Capitolina” Statue is located in Victoria Square between the Metropolitan Cathedral and National Theatre and Opera House.

The “She-Wolf” Statue is the tallest statue in the city center due to the fact that it stands on a column 4.96 meters high.

It is the copy of the famous statue “Lupa Capitolina” in Rome. This statue is a symbol of Latinity, linking the Romanian people with the Italian ones.

The monument is a gift made to Timisoara by the municipality of Rome.

The Monument of “She-Wolf” was inaugurated on April 23rd, 1926 on the day of Saint George. This event was attended by delegates of Mussolini, but also by Romanian officials such as the Major of Timisoara Samuil Sagivici, the Minister of Religious Affairs Vasile Goldis and the Minister of Labour Grigore Trancu-Iasi. The Italian consul in Timisoara of that time was Codecca, he handed over the statue in the presence of around ten thousand people.

The statue was destroyed during the Second World War after Romania turned its weapons against the Powers of the Axis (Germany, Italy, Japan, Bulgaria, Finland), with which it started at war.

The Romanians in Timisoara decided to protest against the fascist Italy led by Mussolini, who helped Hungary to obtain the Northern Transylvania. People were screaming slogans in the Banat language: “Duke, Duke, take off your She-dog beach and f++k it” alluding to the surnames of Benito Mussolini: “The Duke”.

Today “the She-Wolf” Statue is an object of interest for the tourists who visit Timisoara. The statue completes the scenery in the center of Timisoara. It is imposed by its height, but also by the fact that at night the statue is illuminated.