The palace served as the venue of numerous shows and balls at the beginning of the century only to be sold in 1923. The new owner changed the destination of the hall and added one floor of apartments, built between 1925 and 1927. The facade was also remodeled at that time in an eclectic style specific to the early 20th century. Between 1969 and 1996 the Student’s Club functioned in the building, while today the building is home to the local Art School.

The former seat of the Prefecture has been in use since 1711. After its owner was condemned for treason, the house was confiscated and became the property of the Mures County. Construction works to expand the building started in 1744 under the supervision of judge Dóza Mihai. The neighboring plots of land were bought during the 19th century so that the construction could be further expanded. The lateral wings were erected between 1824 and 1838, and the back wing between 1842 and 1843. The ground floor served throughout the years as a prison and on the top floor as an assembly hall. Currently, these spaces are used as workshops by the artists of Targu Mures.

The first representations of Baroque architecture appeared in Targu Mures in the second half of the 17th century. The Pálffy House, built around 1640, reflects an evolutionary stage that surpasses typical Renaissance architectural elements such as those of the oldest buildings of Targu Mures, the Köpeczi and Nagy Szabó houses.

The building was erected between 1907 and 1908 under the supervision of architects Komor Marcel and Jakob Dezsö. They were the founders of a specific Art Nouveau trend in Transylvania. The impressive entrance hall- in the style of the Knights’ Hall at the Castle of Hunedoara – is decorated with huge stained glass windows.

The oldest Orthodox Church in Targu Mures harmoniously combines Romanian rural traditions with Baroque influences. The church was built between 1793 and 1794 with the help of trader Hagi Stoian Constandin, who bought the land, proceeded to obtain all the necessary building approvals from the City Council and personally financed the works. Orthodox and Greek-Catholics found themselves in need of building separate places of worship. Thus, two churches were built in the same period, right next to each other.

The Teleki Library, founded at the end of the 18th century by Sámuel Teleki, chancellor of Transylvania, contains a large collection of first editions and important manuscripts documenting Transylvanian history, as well as mathematical and scientific works.

In 1492 Prince Stefan Bathory ordered for a castle-fortress to be erected around the Franciscan monastery and church. A few of the original elements have been preserved, among them wall fragments on the Southern and Western sides, the tower on the Southern wing, attached to the furriers’ bastion, and ruins of the South-Western tower, included nowadays in the tanners’ bastion. The structure of these towers and the fact that they are square-shaped are indicative of a medieval type military architecture.

Description:
Time: Half day
Places visited:

• Apollo Palace
• Old Prefecture Building
• Palffy House
• Prefecture Building
• St. Michael Wooden Church
• Teleki Library
• Targu Mures Fortress