Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral

The Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral dominates the southern end of Victory Square — at 83 metres the tallest church in Romania and the most distinctive building in Timisoara's skyline. The 11 spires are clad in glazed ceramic tiles in patterned greens and yellows, and the form combines Byzantine, Moldavian and Wallachian elements into a distinctly national interpretation of an Orthodox cathedral.

Inside, the cathedral is high and richly decorated, with extensive icon painting and a crypt containing the relics of Saint Joseph the New. The cathedral also houses one of the most important collections of old Banat icons. The steps in front, which face up the length of Victory Square, were the focal point of the December 1989 protests — a memorial plaque and small floral display continue to mark the casualties.

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A story
The cathedral was completed in 1941, designed by Ion Trajanescu in a synthesis of Byzantine, Moldavian and Wallachian church architecture. Its 11 spires and the patterned glazed-tile roof are an explicit attempt to claim a Romanian national style. The Communist regime closed and partly damaged the cathedral after 1948, and it was a focus of protest in 1989 — the steps where mourners were shot still mark the connection between the cathedral and the revolution that began outside it.