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Building in Timișoara, Romania From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Ștefania Palace (Romanian: Palatul Ștefania), previously known as Totisz Palace and in popular culture as the House with Monkeys,[1] is an emblematic building of the Fabric district in the western Romanian city of Timișoara. The building occupies the entire northern front of the quarter located between Stephen the Great Street, 3 August 1919 Boulevard and Romans' Square.
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| Ștefania Palace | |
|---|---|
Palatul Ștefania | |
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 | |
| Former names | Totisz Palace |
| Alternative names | House with Monkeys |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Secession |
| Location | Timișoara, Romania |
| Coordinates | 45°45′26″N 21°14′55″E |
| Construction started | 1908 |
| Completed | 1909 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 3 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | László Székely |
| Main contractor | Josef Kremmer, Sr. |
It is part of the urban site Fabric (I), historical monument with LMI code TM-II-s-B-06096 (the front on Stephen the Great Street) and the urban site Fabric (II), historical monument with LMI code TM-II-s-B-06097 (the front in Romans' Square).
In the early 1900s, the houses of the widow Júlia Risztics and Sándor Sigmund existed on the current site of the building.[2] As it was necessary to widen the 3 August 1919 Boulevard (formerly Andrássy út), the city hall decides to purchase the houses, following the municipal council meeting of 29 December 1902, against the sums of 140,000 kr., with the obligation to pay an annual rent of 1,400 kr. to the widow Risztics and 70,000 kr. for Sigmund House, respectively. The purchased properties remained in the possession of the city until early 1908, being rented to cover the interest, Mrs. Risztics dying a few days after the contract was signed, the payments for the annual rent of 1,400 kr. ceasing.
The widening of the street took place between June 1908 and August 1909, when, after the demolition of the Risztics and Sigmund houses, Andrássy Street was widened from 11 meters to 18 meters, and Coronini Square was laid out on an area of 274 square fathoms, on the remaining land being built a two-story report house for the social assistance fund.[3] The construction was carried out between 1908 and 1909 according to the plans of the chief architect of Timișoara, László Székely, being built by the contractor Josef Kremmer Sr.[1]
The Ștefania Palace building was originally built as a "report house", a term designating a building with apartments for rent. The money obtained from the rents was used as funds for the financial support of the City Asylum.[4]
The Geselligkeitsklub (Fabric Society Club) functioned on the first floor of the building, which during the First World War ceded the space needed to house the Girls' Commercial High School. Also then, on the second floor of the building, in two other apartments, the Boys' Commercial High School was also housed.[1]
Its current name was adopted in 1918, when the palace was sold to the general director of the factory Industria Lânii SA and, later, consul of Belgium in Timișoara – Rudolf Totis (Rezső Totisz). He renamed the building Ștefania Palace in honor of his wife.[2]
During the interwar period, the Ștefania Palace was a famous place of entertainment, with numerous restaurants, bars and cafes. On the ground floor of the palace there was a famous restaurant called Carul cu Bere, next to the Citizens' Club in the Fabric district.[1] In addition, during this period, the Ștefania Palace hosted various businesses for many years. Among them are the textile and haberdashery store Dénes & Pollak, the perfumery Spierer and the shoe store Schwartz. Also, on the first floor, there was a branch of the Bank of Timișoara, with Zsigmond Szana as director.[1]
In 1944, a "almost 10-year" dispute over the building is mentioned between the Totisz family, then established in Buenos Aires, and the Timișoara City Hall, lost by the former.[5]
Between 2000 and 2002 the building was restored and the attic expanded according to a project of the architects Hortensia and Mihai Botescu.[6] Today, in one of the spaces owned by Timișoara City Hall in the Ștefania Palace is the Coordination Center for the Rehabilitation of Historic Districts of Timișoara.[7]
The Stefania Palace has large and high roofs, similar to medieval towers, typical of Gothic architecture, narrow and rounded windows, with green woodwork, which stands out nicely on the facades of the building painted in white and yellow. One of the towers has a unique decoration, a halberdier in armor.[4] The decorations of the building in the form of golden scrolls and geometric shapes are characteristic of the Secession style. Asymmetry is also often used as a characteristic of the style.[2] For example, the two towers do not resemble each other and have different volumes. Under the cornice, in the upper part of the second floor, there are statues of bears and gorillas, which is why the building is also known as the House with Monkeys.[4]
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