Cetatea Oradea is a five-pointed star fortress on the east bank of the Crișul Repede, just across the river from the centre. The original wooden castle on this site dated back to the 11th century, but what you see today is the 16th-century Italian bastion design — five corner bastions, broad earthen ramparts faced with brick, and a parade ground in the middle.
The complex has been under restoration for years and now houses workshops, a small archaeological museum, several cafes, and seasonal craft fairs. The Princely Palace inside the walls — once the seat of the Princes of Transylvania — is gradually being returned to something like its original state. Climb one of the bastions for a clear view back across the river to the spires of the old town.