Timișoara | ||
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City | ||
Clockwise: Orthodox Cathedral, Romanian National Opera, Stadionul Dan Păltinișanu, St. George's Catholic Cathedral and the Union Square
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Nickname(s): Little Vienna, City of Flowers, Heart of Banat (Romanian: Mica Vienă, Orașul Florilor, Inima Banatului) |
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Location of Timișoara within Romania | ||
Coordinates: 45°45′35″N 21°13′48″E / 45.75972°N 21.23000°ECoordinates: 45°45′35″N 21°13′48″E / 45.75972°N 21.23000°E | ||
Country | Romania | |
County | Timiș | |
Status | County capital | |
First official record | 1212 (as Temesiense) | |
Government | ||
• Mayor | Nicolae Robu (PNL) | |
• Deputy Mayor | Dan Diaconu (PNL) | |
• Deputy Mayor | Imre Farkas (UDMR/RMDSZ) | |
Area | ||
• City | 130.5 km2 (50.4 sq mi) | |
• Metro | 1,570 km2 (610 sq mi) | |
Elevation | 90 m (300 ft) | |
Population (2011 census) | ||
• City | 319,279 | |
• Rank | 3rd (98th in EU) | |
• Density | 2,446.58/km2 (6,336.6/sq mi) | |
• Urban | 347,613 | |
• Metro | 418,415 | |
Demonym(s) |
timișorean, timișoreancă (ro) temesvári (hu) |
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Time zone | EET (UTC+2) | |
• Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) | |
Postal code | 300001-300990 | |
Tel. code | 0256 / 0356 | |
Car Plates | TM | |
Climate | Cfb | |
Website | www |
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xTimișoara metropolitan area is a proposed project. |
Timișoara (Romanian pronunciation: [timiˈʃo̯ara]; German: Temeswar, also formerly Temeschburg or Temeschwar; Hungarian: Temesvár, Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈtɛmɛʃvaːr]; Yiddish: טעמשוואר; Serbian: Темишвар, Temišvar; Banat Bulgarian: Timišvár; Turkish: Temeşvar; Slovak: Temešvár) is the capital city of Timiș County, and the main social, economic and cultural centre in western Romania.
The third most populous city in the country, with 319,279 inhabitants as of the 2011 census, Timișoara is the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat. In September 2016, Timișoara was selected as the European Capital of Culture for 2021.
Timișoara was first mentioned as a place in either 1212 or 1266 as Castrum Temesiense. The territory later to be known as Banat was conquered and annexed by the Kingdom of Hungary in 1030. Timișoara grew considerably during the reign of Charles I, who, upon his visit here in 1307, ordered the construction of a royal palace. Timișoara's importance also grew due to its strategic location, which facilitated control over the Banat plain. By the middle of the 14th century, Timișoara was at the forefront of Western Christendom's battle against the Muslim Ottoman Turks. French and Hungarian crusaders met at the city before engaging in the Battle of Nicopolis in 1396. Beginning in 1443, John Hunyadi used Timișoara as a military stronghold against the Turks, having built a powerful fortress. The city was repeatedly besieged by the Ottomans in 1462, 1476, 1491, and 1522.