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Municipality in Arad County, Romania
Photo: Sorin Nechita, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Arad is an industrial city of some 160,000 population (2011) at the western edge of Romania, close to the border with Hungary. It is a regional transportation hub and a convenient place to stop over on a journey between those countries.
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Catedrala Ortodoxă "Sfânta Treime"
Built in 1992-2006, the interior was re-plastered & repainted in 2018, with wooden scaffolding filling the northern part near the iconostasis. The murals at the southern part, by the entrance, look very fresh.
Biserica Roșie, "Red church"
Built in 1906 from red bricks (hence the nickname), Gothic Revival style.
Palatul Administrativ
Impressive city hall, built in 1876 in Renaissance Revival style.
Palatul Neumann
Representative building created for a very rich industrialist in 1891–92, eclectic style. Today it houses a number of shops as well as the private Vasile Goldiș University. The former ballroom was converted into an auditorium for 200 students.
Palatul Cultural & Complexul Muzeal
Imposing cultural complex, dating from 1911-13, in an eclectic style mix of neoclassical, Gothic and Renaissance elements. The museum has three divisions: fine arts, natural sciences, and archaeology/history. The philharmonic orchestra (filarmonia) has regular concerts: the box office is in the Ioan Slavici Theatre.
Colegiul Național "Moise Nicoară"
Stately school building, built from 1869–1873 with Renaissance and Baroque elements. It was thoroughly refurbished after 2010 and made one of Romania's best equipped schools.
Biserica Sf. Anton de Padova
Roman Catholic cathedral built in 1904 in neo-Renaissance style.
Teatrul Clasic „Ioan Slavici”
Elegant neoclassical theatre building, completed in 1874.
Piața Avram Iancu
The city's main square, with a central green space and monument to the Unknown Soldier. Surrounding buildings include the theatre to the north and the Art-Nouveau Nádasdy House to the west.
Casa cu lacăt
One of the oldest secular buildings in the city, built for a Viennese merchant in 1815. The building's distinctive mark, a brass-coated log, was modeled after the famous "Stock-im-Eisen" in central Vienna and used by travelling journeymen to leave a mark of their guild. After being stolen (and recovered) in 1994, the log was moved to the Museum of Art, to protect it from other thieves.
Reformed synagogue, built from 1828–1834, neoclassical style with Greek and Tuscan elements.
Biserica Sârbească
Baroque church, built around 1700 (the city's oldest church that has survived in its original form), with a high steeple.
Catedrala „Nașterea Sf. Ioan Botezătorul”
Old Romanian Orthodox cathedral, built from 1862–65 in Baroque revival style.
Statuia Libertății
Reconciliation Park (Parcul Reconcilierii) with this monument to the "13 Martyrs of Arad", rebel generals who were executed by Austrian forces after the failed Hungarian Revolution of 1849.
Podul Traian
Iron bridge over the Mureș river, dating from 1910–13, carrying road and tramway. Rehabilitated in 2010 for the bridge's 100th anniversary.
An 18th-century Vauban-style fortification on the site of an earlier Ottoman fort. But it is a military base and closed to the public; you can't even see much of the exterior among the tangled shrubs.
Biserica Franciscană
Cannot be visited regularly, as it is in the citadel and therefore part of the restricted military area.
Cetatea Șoimoș
Mănăstirea Bezdin
Dating from 1539, is one of the few Serbian Orthodox monasteries in Romania which is still preserved.
Mănăstirea Hodoș-Bodrog
Dating from 1177.
A little guesthouse with some flowers outside.
Central, with restaurant, cleaning variable.
Nice old building, needs a makeover.
Good value for 2-star.
Small clean place.
3-star, reliable chain choice. The building is set back from the street so it's quiet although central. Big comfy rooms, good breakfast. Mezzanine lift so you always need to go half a flight of stairs to get in, same again to get out.
3-star.
Central, with adjacent restaurant.
Central, near railway station, clean, has own restaurant.
Edge of town, handy if travelling by car.
With nightclub, spa & bowling.
On central grid 1 km from riverfront.
By bus
Arad is on the main highway E68 between Budapest and Bucharest. There are buses every hour or two to Timisoara (60-90 min); change there for Bucharest.
By plane
The nearest international airport is Timisoara (Traian Vuia, TSR) 40 km south, with 6 or 7 flights a day to Bucharest, and other European destinations.
Most sights, eating and accommodation are a short walk from City Hall. Buses and trams run along the main strip here, Bulevard Revolutiei.
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Arad · Regional · ARW
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Articles and travel topics about Arad (Romania) and Romania.
Culture & historyThe Roman Empire was the greatest ancient empire of Europe. At the height of its power in 117 AD, it ruled over considerable parts of Europe, as well as much of North Africa and the Middle East.
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Culture & historyFrom the end of World War II in 1945 until the Eastern European revolutions of 1989, Europe was divided between two political blocs: east and west. The border was figuratively called the Iron Curtain.
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Travel tipsThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) (Russian: Союз Советских Социалистических Республик (СССР)), or Soviet Union, emerged as the successor state to the Russian Empire in 1917, and was dissolved in 1991.
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ItinerariesThe Danube is the second-longest river in Europe, with a length of 2,850 km (1,770 mi). It begins in the Black Forest in Germany and flows east to the Black Sea, forming the Danube Delta on its western coast.
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