The Metropolitan Cathedral of Banat

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Banat was built after the designs of the architect Ioan TRAIANESCU between 1936 and 1946. Located in one of Timisoara's most frequented sites, the Cathedral, which has a capacity of over 4,000 people, faces the large and slightly Victoria Square: at the northern end of the Square, there stands the marble palace of the National Theatre and the National Opera House - in front of which took place the dramatic stream of events of the December 1989. "Revolution" that started in Timisoara and eventually led to the abolition of the communist dictatorship in Romania
Behind the Cathedral flows the Bega river, whose peaceful waters mirror the tall maple-trees flanking its banks. Surrounding the Cathedral on three sides, they spread out the entire area of one of the most romantic parks of Timisoara - "the garden city:, as it has been called - the city that has almost 600 hectares (1482.6 acres) of green spots.
Once a water citadel, the Castrum Temesiensis, the old city, was rightfully compared by a 14th century tourist to a turtle lying in marshes. Even after considerable efforts had been made in order to dam up the Timis and Bega rivers, the city (which has over 320,000 inhabitants today) still continued to fight off its "invisible enemy", the subterraneous waters. This is why the Cathedral could not be raised to its present impressive height until after a solid 10 meter-deep foundation (32.81 feet) supported by 1,700 concrete pillars had been set into the ground and the entire construction consolidated by a 60-80 centimeter-tick slab of concrete (23.6-31.4 inches).
Following a bold, original architectural plan that blends the solemn Byzantine style with the ornate Moldavian style, the Metropolitan Cathedral reminds one of the grandiose churches built by Moldavia under the reign of king Stephen the Great (1457 - 1504).
Sixty-five meters long (213.6 feet) and thirty-two meters wide (104.9 feet) , this outstanding edifice owes its monumentality to the height of its middle dome - the dome of the Pantocrator (the Almighty). Fifty-two meters high (170.6 feet) on the inside and eighty-three meters high (272.3 feet) on the outside, the middle dome is surmounted by a 7 meter-high cross (22.9 feet) and sustained by 10 decorative chains and golden buckles. In the front of the middle dome is the bell tower, which is sustained by 10 forty meter-high pillars (131.2 feet) and surrounded by 11 spires covered by scale-shaped green and yellow enamel led tiles, whose geometrical shapes and varied motives provide a unique picturesque beauty to the entire construction.
Through the windows of the bell tower, situated over forty meters (131.2 feet) above the ground, one can eye the city that stands at the European crossroads, the entire "Little Vienna" as Timisoara, the capital of Banat, was called in the past. One of the peculiar features of the Metropolitan Cathedral it is its electrically activated bell system: weighing 8,000 kilograms ( 17,636.8 pounds), the bells were cast out of some extremely rare metals importated from Sumatra and Borneo Islands. Arranged by the composer Sabin Dragoi, the harmony of these bells and their modulation match the harmony and modulation of the bells os most great Western cathedrals.
Plastered up with red and yellow brick-like blocks disposed in alternate layers, the exterior of the Cathedral resembles that of the Moldavian churches, decorated with ceramic disks and niches, it offers to the onlooker an exceedingly pleasant view. In the middle part of the facade, there shines the mosaic icon of the Cathedral's patrons, the Three Saintly Hierarchs: St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory of Nazianzus, and St John Chrysostom. Underneath, the twelve-step staircase that leads to the three front entrances looks like the facade pedestal. The twelve steps, the socle, the front pillars, the door frames and the windows frames have all been chiselled in genuine Banpatac stone

Stepping inside the Cathedral, one will cross the porch. Here may be seen the baptismal on the right side, and a candlestick room on the left: in it, one may light candels for the living and the dead. The entrance doors, the rows of chairs, and the entire furniture along the sides of the naos are pronaos were delicately sculpted in oakwood by the sculptor Traian NOVAC. On the right side of the pronaos may be seen the shirine that holds the holy relics of St. Joseph the New of Partos: a highly esteemed hierarch both at the time when he was Archbishop of Banat (1650 - 1653) and after his death, an example os self-sacrifice and dedication, the seventeenth-century shepherd of the eparchy of Banat was canonized on September 6th 1956. Since his canonization, St. Joseph the New of Partos has been rendered yearly homage as the eparchy's most deserving spiritual patron; his feast day is on September 15th of each year.

The iconostasis is a splendid piece exquisitely sculpted in golden linden wood by master Stefan I. Goja of Timisoara, while the icons were painted by the local painter Anastase Demian in the traditional Byzantine style. To the right side of the platform that leads to the iconostasis may be seen the archbishop's throne, the lectern, and two pulpits; to the left are the throne of the Theotokos (the Mother of God) and two pulpits
. The three chandeliers, the two candlesticks and the Lord's Tomb (located in the pronaos, across from the shrine of St. Joseph), were sculpted and gilded by Stefan I Gaja, too.
The inside of the Cathedral has seven balconies arranged in amphiteatrical form. Four lateral staircases lead to the of which one is the choir loft, while the other six are usually occupied by the faithful. Covered by marble panels to the height of the pillars, the walls are continued by cylindrical and spherical arches, with the big dome on top it all, resting on a Moldavian vault-like system and on several superposed arches that sustain the radiant medallion-shaped circular image of Lord Jesus Christ.
The entire inside of the Cathedral is ornamented with uncommonly graphical decorative paintings depicting religious scenes that constitute the framework for Anastase Demian's Byzantine frescoes, which bear obvious autochtonous influences. All of the ensemble is illumunated both by artificial sources (a great number of chandeliers, wall brackets and candlesticks) highlighting the architectural and pictural features of the Cathedral.
Covering the same surface as the inside, the basement shelters the Old Art Collection of the Metropolitanate of Banat, a meeting hall reserved for the lay missionary association "The Army of God", and last but not least, the place of eternal rest of the Metropolitanate's hierarchs		  

The Metropolitan Cathedral was consecrated on October 6th 1946. The construction was made possible thanks to generous donations offered by the faithful of Banat, and by some other subsidies as well. For the faithful, the Cathedral represents the altar of the spirituality of Banat, and a symbol of the sacrifice and martyrdom of those who have given their lives for the freedom, unity, and dignity of our nation.
Visitors from all over the country and from the world over cannot help being moved by the monumental grandeur and soul-stirrig beauty of the Metropolitan Cathedral, as well as by the perfect balance of the entire edifice: matter subdued and turned into spirit

To see some of the beautiful paintings, icons and religious art effects, please follow this link

Copyright © 2007 CyberTim