Antiquity[edit]

Temesvár in a 1685 engraving by Wagner

Archaeological discoveries prove that the area where Timișoara is located today has
been inhabited since ancient times. The first identifiable civilization in this area were
the Dacians who left traces of their past. From coin finds, it is known that the settlement
was inhabited during the Roman settlement of Dacia. While no record of the settlement is
known from those times, it is generally agreed that the site was inhabited through
the Middle Ages when the city was mentioned for the first time.

Middle Ages[edit]
Further information: Banat in the Middle Ages
Archaeological finds from a medieval cemetery show that a community of warriors settled
in the region west of the present-day town in the second half of the 10th century.[1]
[2] Almost half of the 41 graves yielded grave goods (including arrow heads, hair rings,
earrings and bracelets), suggesting that those who were buried in the cemetery persisted
with their pagan rites.[2] The placing of arrow heads into graves is well documented
among 10th-century Hungarian warriors in the Carpathian Basin.[3] The position of the
arm bones in ten graves may indicates that Christians or people influenced by
Christianity were also buried in the cemetery.[4] Various types of rings point at
commercial contacts between the local inhabitants and the Balkan Peninsula.[2] The
cemetery was abandoned in the first decades of the 11th century.[2]
The mid-12th-century Muslim geographer, Muhammad al-Idrisi, mentioned a town named
"T.n.y.s.b.r" and described it as a prosperous settlement, located to the south of the river
"T.y.s.y.a", or Tisza.[5] Historian István Petrovics associates T.n.y.s.b.r with Temesvár,
suggesting that Idrisi mislocated it because he had no direct information of the town.
[5] Timișoara was named after a fortress: the Hungarian name of the town, Temesvár,
refers to a castle (vár) on the river Timiș (Temes).[1] The fortress was first mentioned in
the Register of Arad around 1177.[1][5] The document mentioned two villages, "Sep" and
"Vrman", on the royal estates attached to the fortress "Demesiensis". [5] It was most
probably made of earth and timber, according to historian Ferenc Sebők. [1] The fortress,
which was erected on a swampy land, near a tributary of the Temes, the Bega, was the
seat of the ispán, or head of Temes County.[6] In 1241 the city was destroyed during
the Mongol invasion of Hungary and Poland, but the walls were rebuilt.[citation needed]
Charles I of Hungary took up his residence in Temesvár in 1315, because a
dozen powerful lords who had refused to yield to him controlled large territories in other
parts of Hungary.[7][8] In the next years, a royal castle was erected near the old fortress
and the latter was rebuilt with stone. [5] According to Petrovics, the church dedicated
to Saint Eligius implies that Italian artisans settled in the town during this period, because
the saint was primarily venerated in Naples.[9] The Dominicans settled in the town
before Csanád Telegdi was consecrated bishop in their local church in early 1323.
[10] After Charles I restored royal authority, he transferred his court from Temesvár to the
centrally-located Visegrád in the summer of 1323.[7][11]
The "guest settlers" in the town (hospites de Themeswar) were first mentioned in 1341,
the burghers of Timișoara (cives de Temeswar) in 1342.[7] The ethnicity of the citizens
was rarely mentioned, but their names suggest that most "guest settlers" and burghers
were Hungarians.[12] Records of citizens who moved from Șemlacu Mare, Maráz and
other nearby villages to Temesvár prove that it had developed into an important regional
center.[13] Merchants from Ragusa (now Dubrovnik in Croatia) settled in the town around
1402.[14] Bulgarians, Romanians and Serbians also moved to the town in the 15th and
16th centuries.[15] For instance, the name of Johannes Olaah ("John the Vlach"), who
was a burgher of Temesvár in 1539, suggests that he was of Romanian origin. [15]
By the middle of the 14th century, Temesvár was at the forefront of
Western Christendom's battle against the Muslim Ottoman Turks. French and
Hungarian crusaders met at the city before engaging in the Battle of Nicopolis in 1396.
Beginning in 1443, John Hunyadi used Temesvár as a military stronghold against the
Turks, having built a powerful fortress. The city was repeatedly sieged by the Ottomans
in 1462, 1476, 1491, and 1522.
In 1514 the largest peasants' revolt in Hungarian history was defeated in a battle near
Temesvár and its Szekler leader György Dózsa was tortured and executed.

Ottoman Rule[edit]
Because of Temesvár's strategic location, the Ottomans desired to capture the fortress
during their campaigns against the Kingdom of Hungary. Although the Hungarians
suffered a devastating loss at the Battle of Mohács in 1526, Temesvár was not
conquered by the Ottomans until October 1551.
The city was transformed into the administrative centre of an Ottoman province,
the Province of Temeşvar . The fortress was rebuilt and, along with Belgrade, used as a
major military base by the Ottomans. Because of its military orientation, the city itself
developed slowly during the Ottoman administration. Timișoara had two fortified parts:
the castle and the city, which was surrounded by wooden and stone walls. 200 guns
were used to defend the city as well as water trenches around the walls. Approximately
1,200 houses, schools, hotels, and public baths were to be found inside the walls, while
outside the walls around 1,500 other houses were present.

The Habsburg Era[edit]

The Ottomans surrendered the city to the Habsburg Imperial armies led by Prince
Eugene of Savoy on 12 October 1716 during the Austro-Turkish War of 1716–18. Prince
Eugene entered the city on October 18 and named one of his officers, Claudius
Florimund Mercy, as governor of the city. Because the town had burned down during the
siege, the city was completely rebuilt under Mercy's supervision. Temesvár was officially
conceded to the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy by the Ottomans in the Treaty of
Passarowitz of 1718. Temesvár became the capital of the Banat of Temeswar, a
separate Habsburg province. The province was abolished in 1778, reincorporated
into Kingdom of Hungary.
Under Habsburg rule, a new stone fortress was built around the city in 1723. Inside the
walls houses, hospitals, schools, and churches were being raised, while outside the city
factories were being opened. By the 1720 data, most of the inhabitants of the town were
ethnic Serbs, and also some Romanians. Later, German, Italian, and Spanish settlers
were brought in to settle in the area. The marshland around the city was reclaimed, while
the rivers Bega and Temes became regulated. The city remained a military stronghold
with a large garrison. This period was one of strong economic development and
population increases. By 1781 Temesvár was one of the most important cities of the
Habsburg Monarchy and as such it received a royal free city warrant which would
accelerate the development of the city even further. Because of the Habsburg
administration, Temesvár was often referred to by the German names Temeschburg,
meaning "castle (Burg) on the Temes" or Temeschwar, based on the Hungarian
Temesvár. Temesvár was captured in 1788 and looted by Ottomans in 1789
during Austro-Turkish War (1788–1791).

The 1848/1849 Revolution[edit]

Main article: Battle of Temesvár
During the Revolutions of 1848, revolutionaries took over the Hungarian government.
Because the Austrian commander of the city's garrison decided to defend the Habsburg
interests, the Hungarian army began an unsuccessful siege of Temesvár that lasted for
114 days. In the later stage of the revolution, the city was captured by the Serbian troops
and for a short time was a capital of the Serbian Vojvodina.

Modernization of Temesvár[edit]

Temesvár in 1910

The development of the city continued after the attempted 1848/1849 revolution. In 1849,
Temesvár became the capital of the new Habsburg province named Voivodeship of
Serbia and Temes Banat. The province was abolished in 1860. The city became capital
of Temes County after the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 which united the
administrations of the region with those of the Kingdom of Hungary.
In 1853 telegraphy was introduced in the city, and in 1857 Timișoara received gas street
lighting. In 1857 a train line linking Temesvár with Szeged was constructed, and in 1867
horse trams were introduced in the city. The Hungarian city of Temesvár became the first
European city to have electric street lights in 1884, while the trams became electric in
1899 (after Bucharest in 1884). Temesvár was also the first city in the Kingdom of
Hungary and later Romania to have an ambulance station.
After World War I, following an ephemerous pro-Hungary Banat Republic, and
occupation by the Serbian Army, Timișoara was incorporated into the Kingdom of
Romania in 1919 together with most of the Banat region.

The Romanian Revolution of 1989[edit]

In December 1989 a popular uprising began in Timișoara against the Communist regime
of Nicolae Ceauşescu. The Hungarian Calvinist pastor László Tőkés was ordered to be
deported by the Securitate, or secret police, and as a reaction his house was surrounded
by members of his church. People supporting him, including people of Romanian origin,
gathered at the central square (Opera Square). The Communist administration ordered
the army to fire at the congregation. However, a number of army officers refused to open
fire and sided with the people. That was the beginning of the Romanian Revolution of
1989, which ended the Communist regime a week later. Timișoara was declared the first
Free Town on 20 December 1989, suffering 130 reported deaths and 3,352 wounded
during the revolution [source needed].

Timetable of Timișoara history[edit]

It has been suggested that this section be split out into
another article titled Timeline of Timișoara.
(Discuss) (November 2015)

 1019 – Timișoara (as Dibiscos/Bisiskos/Tibiskos/Tibiskon/Timbisko/etc.) is

mentioned for the first time in written documents by Byzantine Emperor Basil II (not
all historians agree with this identification).
 1154 – The Arab geographer Sarif al Idrisi, in his work "The book of pleasures", is
describing precisely the road from Cavorz (i.e. Karlowitz/Sremski Karlovci) to
Timișoara, passing through Cnez (i.e. Satchinez/Knez); he declare that Timișoara is
"a pleasant city ... offering great richness".
 1177 – First mention of the Castrensis de Thymes in a medieval document.
 1212 – The fort of Timișoara (Castrum Temesiensis) is mentioned in the decree
of King Andrew II of Hungary
 1241 – The town is partly destroyed by the Tatars.
 1307 – Charles I of Hungary builds the stone fortress and makes the city the
capital of his kingdom.
 1323 – King Charles I of Hungary attends the holy service in Saint George's
church [Sfântu Gheorghe]. This last church with this patronim was demolished before
World War I.
 1342 – Timișoara was mentioned for the first time with the title of "civitas" (city).
 1370 – The first handicraftsmen's guild is documented in Timișoara.
 1396 – The town is preparing as the gathering camp for the Nicopolis
crusade (never started).
 1478–1494 – Pavel Chinezul becomes county head of Timiș and Captain of
fortress of Timișoara.
 1497 – Pelbart of Timișoara, the only author of incunabula in Romania, publishes
his works in Basel and later in Hagenau.
 1514 – Timișoara Fortress is attacked by rebel peasant troops led by George
Dozsa (Dózsa György in Hungarian, Gheorghe Doja in Romanian). The revolt was
put down and George Dozsa executed in a cruel and unmerciful way (along with
others 40,000–60,000 rebel peasants) in Timișoara. Today, on the place of the
martyrdom, of the hot throne, there is the statue of Saint Mary signeb by sculptor
György Kiss. According to the legend, during George Dozsa's surplice,
the Jesuit monks saw in the ear the image of Holly Virgin. The first statue was raised
here in 1865. The actual monument was raised in 1906.
 1549 – Opening of the Protestant School in Timișoara founded and led by István
Kiss of Szeged.
 1552 – Timișoara is conquered by the Ottoman Empire and becomes capital of
the Eyalet of Temeşvar.
 1596 – Sigismund Báthory of Transylvania and Michael the
Brave of Wallachia fail to capture Timișoara after a 40-day siege.
 1660 – The Ottoman historian, geographer and globetrotter Evliya Celebi (B
1611, D March 1682) visits Timișoara. According to him (in Seyahatname/The book
 of travels), the locality had more than 36,000 inhabitants (living in 10 suburbs—1500
houses—around the fortress) and the fortress's garrison numbered 10,000 soldiers.
In the fortress existed 1200 houses, more than 400 shops, 4 public baths, 3
restaurants and confectioneries, 7 schools.
 1688 – The East Banat is conquered by the Habsburg Monarchy's general
Veterani (born in Venice).
 1688 – The Turkish garrison of Timișoara rises against the Ottoman authorities.
 1696 – The imperial troops led by Frederick Augustus I besiege Timișoara
unsuccessfully.
 1716 – Prince Eugene of Savoy takes the town from the Turks. The pupulation
consisted of 235,000 Romanians and about 100,000 Serbian and mixed families.
 1722–1726 – First wave of German colonists (Danube Swabians) under
Emperor Charles VI.
 1728/1771/1783 – Digging and regularization of the Bega channel. The Bega was
transformed into a navigable channel (115 km) which connected the Banat with other
European riverways. The first attempt to regulate the Bega and Timiș rivers were
made under the Ottoman occupation by A. Cornaro when some work was done in the
Budinț-Chizatau zone. The first steps were made between 1728–1732 under
Count Florimund Mercy's leadership.
 1728 – A tobacco mill is set up in Timișoara. The factory, modernised in the 20th
c. wa still functioning in the middle '90s.
 1753 – The first mention of an organized theatre of Timișoara. A German group
of actors performed theatre plays in the town between May–November. Timișoara is
the third town in the Empire, after Vienna and Budapest with a permanent theatre
season.
 1760 – Timișoara is the first town in the Empire where the public lighting using
suet candles and lamps with oil and grease is introduced.
 1763–1772 – Second wave of German colonization under Empress Maria
Theresa of Austria.
 1782–1786 – Third wave of German colonists under Emperor Joseph II.
 1738–1739 – Epidemic of plague.
 1762–1763 – Epidemic of plague.
 1771 – The first printing house/owner Mathäus Heimerl, in Fabric quarter.
 1781 – 21 December: Joseph II's decree regarding the privilege of imperial Free
city Timișoara.
 1788 – Ottomans captured Temeșvar during Austro-Turkish War (1787–1791).
 1789 – Ottomans looted it during retreat.
 1796 – The Magic Flute was performed in Timișoara five years after its premiere
in Vienna.
 1815 – Printer Joseph Klapka – the future mayor – sets up in Timișoara the first
borrowing library in a Hungarian town.
 1819 – Joseph Klapka becomes mayor of Timișoara.
 1823 – November 3: In his letter addressed from Timișoara to his father in Târgu-
Mureş, mathematician János Bolyai mentions that he discovered the principles of
the Non-Euclidean geometry.
 1846 – Composer and pianist Franz Liszt halts in Timișoara and performs three
concerts in the Theater's hall.
 1847 – Johann Strauss II, the "Waltz King", performs in Timișoara with his
orchestra.
Timișoara has 22,560 inhabitants.

 1849 – Between April 26 and August 8, Timișoara is sieged by

Hungarian revolutionary forces (the longest siege of the town).
 1852 – Timișoara is linked with Vienna through the telegraph line. This is the first
line in the territory of present-day Romania.
 1855 – February 9: Giuseppe Verdi's "La Traviata" opening night in Timișoara.
 1857 – Public street lighting with aerial gas.
 1857 – Inauguration of the first railroad in the Banat's plain: Szeged–Kikinda–
Jimbolia–Timișoara, 112 kilometres (70 miles). To travel from Timișoara
to Budapest took 26hours and from Timișoara to Vienna 36h. The first railroads
station is opened in Timișoara.
 1866 – Alexandru Ioan Cuza, Prince of Moldavia and Wallachia stops in
Timișoara on his way into exile. He stays at the "Trompetistul" Inn.
 1869 – First tram with horses (6.6 km).
 1870 – The first metallic bridge, the Bem bridge, is built on Bega Channel. Today
13 bridges exist in Timișoara.
 1879 – Start of the works on the town's telephone network (first 52 subscribers) in
Timișoara. The network was built as a private enterprise by Ignatiu Leyritz.
 1879 – September 15: Recital of Johannes Brahms and Joseph Joachim in
Timișoara.
 1883 – June 5: The Orient Express Train is launched, passing through
Banat: Szeged–Kikinda–Jimbolia–Timișoara–Caransebeş–Orşova.
 1886 – Set up of the "Ambulance" service of Timișoara. This is the first
ambulance station in Hungary and today Romania.
 1891 – The first permanent museum is opened in Timișoara.
 1899 – June 25: The first football/soccer mach in today Romania was held in
Timișoara between the schoolboys of the Piarist High-school led by Carol Müller,
gymnastic professor.
 1907 – The walls of the fortress are destroyed to allow for new construction.
 1918 – November 15: Serbian forces occupied the town. The Banat region was
desired by both Serbia and Romania.
 1918 – December 3: French colonial forces arrive to avoid any possible conflicts
between Serbia and Romania.
 1919 – July 28: Romanian administration is installed. After Trianon Treaty of
1920 Banat is partitioned between Romania (2/3) and Serbia (1/3).
 1919 – August 3: Romanian army enters Timișoara. Installation of the Romanian
administration of the region
 1920 – The theater is destroyed by a fire. It will be rebuilt and opened only in
1928 (arch. Duiliu Marcu)
 1920 – Set up and opening of the Polytechnic School of Timișoara.
 1921 – George Enescu's first concerts in Timișoara.
 1921–1927 – The soccer team "Chinezul" from Timișoara is the champion
of Romania in 6 consecutive editions of the championship.
 1926 – The statue of "Lupoaica" ("She-wolf" - Romulus and Remus), a gift from
Italian authorities and later the town symbol, is inaugurated in the center.
 1928 – The first professional soccer club from Romania – "Ripensia" - is founded
in Timișoara.
 1930 – Timișoara has 91,866 inhabitants (census), was the seventh biggest city
in Romania (26% Romanians, 30% Hungarians, 30% Germans, 8% Jewish).
 1932–1938 – The soccer team "Ripensia" from Timișoara is for the 5th time the
champion of Romania.
 1944 – June 16–17th: the city is bombed for the first time, by Britain's RAF.
 1944 – July 3: the city is bombed again, by the United States Air Force.
 1944 – September 12: the Soviet Red Army enters.
 1945 – The first professional Romanian theatre group is established in Timișoara.
 1946 – The Romanian Opera is established, and its first performance, in April
1947, is "Aida" by Giuseppe Verdi.
 1953 – The State Magyar Theater (Teatrul Maghiar de Stat) is established
(known since 1990 as Csiky Gergely theatre), as well as the State German Theater
(Teatrul German de Stat)
 1955 – The first radio show broadcast by Radio Timișoara.
 1961 – Mecipt 1, the first Romanian alphanumeric computer was made in
Timișoara.
 1986 – The Botanic Park is opened in Timișoara. The Zoo is opened in the same
year.
 1989 – 16 December: The Revolution against the communist regime of Nicolae
Ceauşescu begins in Timișoara. On 20 December, Timișoara is declared the first
Communism Free Town. 1,104 people died and 3,352 were wounded [source
needed].
 1992 – second democratic legislative elections in Romania, first local
elections. Viorel Oancea becomes the mayor of Timișoara.