Heritage of Timișoara

Cetate 1 Gheorghe Lazăr str.

Miksa Steiner Apartment Building

Alternative names:

The Discount Bank Palace

Completion date:

August 13, 1909

  • Architect: Marczell Komor Dezső Jakab
  • Former Owner: Max (Miksa) Steiner
  • Construction authorization: September 12, 1908
  • Property type: Private property
  • Protection type: Historical Site
    "Cetatea Timişoara" Neighborhood
    TM-II-s-A-06095
  • Main arch. style Art Nouveau/Secession
  • Current condition Other
  • Planimetry Rectangular Complex
  • No. of levels 3
  • Current functions Restaurant
    Bar/Coffee shop
    Apartment Tower




One of the most beloved buildings in the city, Miksa Steiner Apartment Building is known to the inhabitants of Timișoara as “The Discount Bank” or “The Gingerbread House”. A masterpiece of the architects Dezső Jakab and Marcell Komor, the building amazes viewers with its organic shape typical of the architecture of the 1900s.

The playfulness of the roof’s volumes, the Zsolnay glazed ceramic tiles and the decorative motifs of traditional Hungarian inspiration qualify the building as Hungarian Secession. The ornaments on the building also indicate its initial function through the symbols displayed: two bee hives can be seen above the entrance on Vasile Alecsandri Street and on the pediment on the same facade.

The building, which is currently under restoration works, bears the name of its owner, the whealthy businessman Miksa Steiner, who built a spectacular apartment building in the Fabric distric too. 

Authors of this file:

Research & text: Mihai-Claudiu Moldovan

Field research & mapping: Vlad Pată, Alexandra Palconi-Sitov

Translation into English: Cristina Chira

Photographer: Sorin Silaghi

Last modified: 4 years ago

Published on: 21 September 2020

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