Three Squares in Timisoara
Union Square (Piata Unirii)
Union Square also known as Dome Square is the oldest square in Timișoara. It was named in honor of the Romanian troops that entered Timișoara on 3 August 1919 and established the Romanian administration, thus finalizing the union of Banat with Romania. Initially, it was called Losonczy Square, after Count István Losonczy who was killed by the Turks in 1552, when the fortress was conquered.
Union Square is the most important reserve of Baroque architecture in the city. It houses some of the most valuable monuments of Timișoara: the two cathedrals, one Roman Catholic and one Serbian Orthodox, the Baroque Palace, the Plague Column, etc.
Victory Square
The Victory Square known until 1990 as the Opera Square is the central square of Timisoara. It is the place where Timișoara was proclaimed on 20 December 1989 the first city free of communism in Romania. It was a main boulevard, transformed into a square after the closure of the southern side by the construction of the Metropolitan Cathedral. The opposite poles of the square consist of the Opera to the north and the Metropolitan Cathedral to the south. From the Opera to the Cathedral the promenade on the right is called Corso, and the one on the left is called Surogat. Both have protected architectural ensembles of local historical importance.
The square hosts the buildings of some important institutions such as the National Theater and Opera, the Orthodox Cathedral, Timiș, Capitol and Studio cinemas, the Museum of Banat, several art galleries as well as many shops and sidewalk cafés. Some of the most important cultural events take place in Victory Square: JazzTM, Timfloralis, FEST-FDR, Opera and Operetta Festival, Easter and Christmas fairs, New Year’s concerts, etc.
Liberty Square
Liberty Square formerly known as Parade Square or Prince Eugene Square is an urban square in Timișoara. It is the second-oldest square of the former fortress of Timișoara. It got its current name during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848–1849 when Timișoara withstood a siege by Hungarian revolutionaries. Liberty Square houses some of the oldest buildings in Timișoara: the Garrison Command, the former Chancellery of War, the Old City Hall and the Military Casino.