Bistrita Sights and Landmarks Guide, Romania

Bistrita, Sights – Museums and Memorial Houses

Bistrita is a captivating city with a rich history, a great holiday destination for any tourist. It is loacted 66 miles from Baia Mare and 138 miles from Oradea. Some of the most visited Bistrita sights here are the local museums among which we must mention the Bistrita-Nasaud County Museum and the Silversmith’s House Museum. The County Museum houses four captivating collections, trying to create an image of the local people’s history, traditions and continuity on these lands. The Nature Sciences, Archeology-History, Ethnography-Popular Arts and Plastic Arts Collections are visited by tourists and locals all year long and also at special occasions when the museum houses temporary exhibitions, book releases and more.

The Silversmith’s House Museum is a gorgeous architectural monument, the residence of a famous local jeweler who decorated his house with beautiful Renaissance frames dating from the beginning of the sixteenth century.

Another important place to visit is the Andrei Muresanu Memorial House, located on one of the main boulevards in Bistrita. The edifice was reconstructed by the local officials in 1984 and also houses besides the museum a branch of the County Library.

Bistrita, Sights – Natural Attractions

A sightseeing trip to Bistrita must include the city’s natural attractions. The surrounding low hills, the waters of the Bistrita River, numerous green areas with beautifully colored flowers and trees are just a few things that make the city very attractive. One of the most beautiful green areas in the city is the County Park. Located in the southern part of the city, crossed by the Bistrita River and housing the Codrisor Forest, the park offers a fairytale atmosphere to its visitors. Far form the hustle and bustle of the city, this green oasis impresses with its unique tree and plant species found here like the Ginkgo Biloba tree and the Tulip tree.

Another captivating place where one can admire local and exotic plant species is the “Liviu Rebreanu” Dendrology Park administered by teachers and students of the “Liviu Rebreanu” National High School.

Bistrita, Sights – Culture and Arts

Due to its rich historic heritage Bistrita abounds in cultural tourist attractions, perfectly preserved until nowadays and considered to be architecture monuments of national importance. One of the oldest such edifice is Bistrita Fortress which dates from the sixteen century and still preserves several original towers and walls.

Other important buildings are the Sugalete, a group of 13 buildings typical for the fifteen century Transylvanian Renaissance, characterized by the presence of a large gallery with twenty arches connecting the buildings. The Silversmith’s House and the Ion Zidaru House are also two important architecture monuments from the Renaissance period. The buildings have been restored and welcome tourist in a unique atmosphere so present in the fifteen century Bistrita.

Public institutions are still housed by several culturally important buildings such as the Culture Palace, the “Liviu Rebreanu” High School, the “Andrei Muresanu” High school, the National Bank Bistrita and the old Post Office. All these edifices leave strong impressions on tourists and locals visiting them.

Bistrita, Sights – Monasteries and Churches

There are four representative religious edifices in Bistrita, a living proof of the intense cultural and economic life of its inhabitants throughout the centuries. One can find here a beautiful Synagogue built in 1856 by the local Jewish community. The building is one of the oldest Synagogues in Romania preserving beautiful floral frescos painted in water colors, typical for the mosaic cult.

The Roman-Catholic Church is another important building in town, built with Viennese funds in 1781 and meant to help strengthen Catholicism in Transylvania.

The Minoriti Monastery is maybe the oldest architectonic monument in Bistrita. Located in the eastern part of the old city, the monastery was built in 1280 in Early Gothic and restored two centuries later adding elements of Late Gothic Period.

The last but not least edifice is the Evangelic Church, a symbol of Bistrita, built in Early Renaissance style. It was built between the years 1470 and 1564 by Petrus Italus and houses a beautiful organ and sundial.

Bistrita, Sights – Theatres

Even if the city does not have a theatre building of its own, Bistrita has a rich cultural life full of theatrical events like the “Liviu Rebreanu” Professional National Theatre Festival which reunites yearly local and foreign actors in great theatre shows. Almost all theatre shows are housed by the City’s “George Cosbuc” Culture Centre and present numerous touring companies with famous Romanian actors, always offering high quality entertainment.