The central square of the city, called the Parade Square (today Liberty Square/Libertății Square), was completely rebuilt in the 18th century, in order to house the buildings of the military leadership: General's House, Commander's House, Main Guard Corps, Chancellery of War, Military Commissariat
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In the first half of the 18th century, thanks to the military leadership of Banat, the urban works in the perimeter of the city of Timișoara were more concentrated in the southern part of the city, where the main institutions of the military authorities were located: General Command, known as the General's House, Commander's House, Main Guard Corps, Chancellery of War, Military Commissariat.
The central square of the city, called the Parade Square (today Freedom Square/Libertății Square), was completely rebuilt in the 18th century, in order to house the buildings of the military leadership.
The first building created in the perimeter of the square was the Baroque General's House, necessary to house the military command. Known today as the Timișoara Garrison Command or the Freedom Square Garrison, the building served in turn the Habsburg, Austro-Hungarian and Romanian military authorities.
The building intended for the commander-in-chief of the fortress was built on the west wing of the Parade Square in the 18th century. Modified a lot over time and known as the Military Casino, the building is currently the headquarters of the Military Circle in Timișoara.
Bibliography:
Bibliography:
- Rodica Vârtaciu-Medeleț, Baroque art values in Banat, A European cultural landscapeTriade Foundation, Timisoara, 2015, pp. 48-52.
- Mihai Opriș, Mihai Botescu, Historic architecture in Timișoara, Tempus Publishing House, Timisoara, 2014, p.64
The Casino and the Garrison in Liberty Square
Listen to the audio version.
Robert Șerban
when I walk past the garrison
I sometimes feel like marching in step
and raising my hand to the temple in salute
other times I feel like standing
other times I feel like standing
which if you hit and give the lieutenant his cut
you get an A+ and a pass
often
I look up and feel like shouting as loud as I can
in my mind
lib’ty, bring it on!
June 2022
“I’m in Timișoara again. In vain do I ask the tall stone pillars of the Post office: No news for me. And some lines can do so much when you’re far away from home! Monumental buildings on wide boulevards. Opposite the Transylvanian garrison, the old redoubts, with vaulted rooms, deep niches and heavy iron gates. St. John of Nepomuk bows his head beneath the wreath of stars, a humble face amidst places of horrid memories. In the town center, shops with gilded glass and blue porcelain. Lush order and neat lines all around. The eye is caressed by meadows and wide parks, orchards and cornfields surround the elegant buildings with their tranquil green, for the city was built from the outskirts, from the factories, the orderly slums, the railway stations, to the center, with its large, imposing buildings and palaces.” (Cora Irineu, Letters from Banat, Published and Printed by Cultura Națională, Bucharest, 1924, p. 36-37)
