The New Farms - The Josefin


      The Josefin district came into this world later than the
   Elisabetin. Its beginnings are dating from 1744. Initially,
   there were villas, built here by the well to do citizens of
   German origin, used as summer residences.
      That is why it was named the New German Farms, while the
   Elisabetin was called the Old Farms. Josefin was named in the
   honor of the Emperor Josef II in 1773 (Josefstadt).
   Near Maria, we can see a red brick building, in English Gothic
   style, the residence of the Reformed confessional. The events
   from December 1989 started here. That is the reason this
   boulevard was called December 16, the day when in Timisoara the
   first events blasted. There is a marble placard on the fronton
   of the building with an inscription etched in four languages,
   the languages spoken in Timisoara, that marks those events.
   There are lots of houses on this boulevard. Describing them all
   will exceed the purpose of this paper.  Look at them!  They are
   in Viennese Secessionist style, the styles of the 1900. Walking
   on the alley along the Bega channel, and the Alpinet Park, you
   might be surprised looking at the buildings, starting even with
   the two edifices near the bridge that links this district and
   the City.
      The fronton of the Palace of the Society Timis-Bega Hydraulic
   Improvements is impressive [48].
   Going towards Piata Stafan Furtuna, or the Stefan Furtuna
   Square, we see a tall tower attached to a less taller building
   with an impressive cupola.
   This is the Romanian Orthodox Church from Josefin, built after
   the plans of the professor Victor Vlad (1889-1967). Being a
   professor at the Polytechnic Institute from Timisoara, inspired
   by the architectural style of the Saint Sofia Church from
   Constantinople, turned into a mosque, Victor Vlad copied the
   models, columns, the copulas and the bell tower. The church was
   built between 1931-1936. The paintings are the masterpieces of
   the Romanian artists from Banat Catul Bogdan and Ioachim Miloia.
   The whole mural painting was done in the "fresco bono" style.
   Stefan Gajo sculptured the entrance gate and the iconostasis.
   Not far from here, near the Bega channel, is the modern Baptist
   church.
      There are lots of Neo Protestant churches and prayer houses of
   different religious cults in Timisoara, but the most remarkable
   edifice through its dimensions and architectural style is the
   Pentecostal Church from Elisabetin, close to the Doja Park.
   The Roman Catholic Church from Josefin, built in 1774, is one of
   the oldest religious edifices in Timisoara; its bicentennial was
   festive celebrated in 1974. The church was entirely restored
   for this occasion. The German newspaper, "Temeswarer Zeitung",
   edition from Mai 27, 1928, revealed that a rusted box was found
   during the restoration of the cross from the tower of the
   church. The box contained two documents, signed by important
   people from the town. The first document said that the church
   tower, severely damaged during the siege from 1849, was rebuilt
   much taller. The second document said; the old tower, built in
   1774, was demolished prior to the restoration done after the
   plans and leadership of the church curator, City Hall
   representative and architect Johann von Schuster (1835-1897);
   the oldest statue from the town and Banat was the statue of
   Saint Nepomuk, created in 1722 by an unknown, placed in the
   Prince Eugen Square, in front of the City Hall, today the
   Freedom s Square; the day of the Saint Johann von Nepomuk was
   celebrated on Mai 16, 1727, when he was declared the protector
   of Banat. It was supposed that the statue was raised here
   immediately after the liberation of the town under the Turk
   occupation [49].
      People were gathering here during the plague years (1738-1739)
   to pray and promise a yearly pilgrimage to the Saint Rosalie
   Chapel built in Elisabetin.
      The statue of Saint Nepomuk was moved, in 1756, near Saint
   Catherine Church, when the statue of Saint Mary was raised in
   front of the City Hall.
      When the church was demolished because of the new fortress
   construction, the statue of Saint Nepomuk was moved on an alley
   leading towards Fabric, along the Bega channel. In 1908, when
   the channel was regulated, the statue was moved in the town s
   horticultural garden; then, in 1938, was moved in the yard of
   the parish from Josefin wher can be seen even today.