Palace of the Serbian Orthodox Episcopate
The story of the Serbian ensemble in Unirii (The Union) Square begins shortly after the Habsburgs conquered the Fortress of Timișoara. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Orthodox Serbian church and the building hosting the Orthodox Bishop both already existed. Initially built in a provincial Baroque style, the Bishop’s Palace displayed a Historicist façade throughout the 19th century, until the entire ensemble was enlarged at the beginning of the 20th century and redesigned according to the aesthetic tendencies of the 1900s.
In 1905 the community obtained a construction permit to modify the ensemble. The project was assigned to László Székely, the chief architect of Timișoara. Apart from raising the height and extending the building, he also proposed a radical change of its aspect. The result was extremely appealing and the building became one ot the architectural jeweles of the city. The building is remarkable because of its main facade, towards the square, and for its chromatic accents: from the lace-like cornice, to the elaborate details decorating the window surrounds, to the entrance with heraldic symbols.
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Illustration by Livia Coloji
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