Romanian National Opera, Timișoara, Timisoara, Guida per visitatori e cosa fare nei dintorni

The Romanian National Opera in Timișoara is the home of the city's opera company and one of the grandest buildings on Victory Square. It is also a place of national memory: from its balcony, protesters addressed the crowd in December 1989 and declared Timișoara free of dictatorship.

The story behind it

The building is often called the Palace of Culture, because it shelters several companies under one roof. Besides the Romanian National Opera, it houses the Mihai Eminescu National Theatre, the Csiky Gergely Hungarian State Theatre and the German State Theatre. Romanian, Hungarian and German are all heard on its stages, which fits a city long shaped by all three communities.

Its place in history comes from the revolution. In December 1989, citizens took the microphone on the grand balcony above the steps and proclaimed Timișoara the first city in Romania free of the communist regime. The square below, with the building as its backdrop, remains the place where that moment is remembered.

What to look for

• Look up at the central balcony above the entrance, the spot where speakers addressed the crowd in December 1989.
• Stand on Victory Square and take in the full facade, which is built to be seen from across the open space in front of it.
• Read the posters near the entrance, which show how the different companies share the building and which language each performs in.
• Turn around on the steps and look along the square, a wide promenade lined with grand buildings and a view toward the cathedral at the far end.

Tips for your visit

• Plan about 15 to 20 minutes for the exterior and the square, longer if you stop for a coffee nearby.
• Evening light and the lit facade make the building especially atmospheric, and the square is livelier after dark.
• Going inside normally means attending a performance, so check the current programme and opening hours before you go.
• The Metropolitan Cathedral and the pedestrian stretch of the square are close by, so it combines easily with a wider walk through the centre.

See it on a quest

In Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Timisoara, the Opera is one stop on a longer walking route through the centre. The app tells you about each place as you arrive and sets a puzzle based on what is in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group.

Secrets of Little Vienna: The Guilds & Palaces Mystery in Timisoara takes you past the Opera as part of a themed walk through the grand architecture of the old city. You reach each stop on foot, hear its story on the spot and solve a puzzle there. One ticket covers the whole group, and you can start whenever you like.