Turda Synagogue

  The Reformed-Calvin Church of Old Turda (in Hungarian: Ótordai Reformatus Templom) is the oldest preserved monument in Turda, located in the center of the city, at 1 Hașdeun Street, near Republic Square, the former lapidary and the History Museum. The Reformed-Calvin Church of Old Turda is listed on the list of historical monuments in Cluj County, compiled by the Romanian Ministry of Culture in 2015 (code LMI CJ-II-m-A-07793). The original church The first church on this site was Roman Catholic, built in the 14th century with the patronage of St. Mary. This church is mentioned in an old papal tax registry from 1332, as being led by priest Peter from "Antiqua Thorda" (Old Turda). The building of the first church consisted of a hall with a tower (located on the south side) and a choir located on the east side. The current church The current building was built at the beginning of the 15th century during the reign of Emperor Sigismund of Luxembourg (1387-1437), also sovereign of the Kingdom of Hungary, on the site of the old church. The church was designed in the Gothic style, with a single aisle, 26 meters long, 8.5 meters wide and 16 meters high. Initially it was longer, with 5-10 meters, having the usual choir/altar towards the east (respectively towards Republic Square), with cross-shaped ogival arches, which was demolished during the construction of the fortification (the church no longer fit inside the defensive walls, being placed crosswise to the fortress; the choir/altar had to be sacrificed by 5-10 meters; this explains the unusual and unsightly appearance of the east facade of the church, lacking the choir/altar and the original Gothic portal). In place of the demolished choir, a bell tower was erected in the 17th century on the new fortification wall, which collapsed in 1862 (the foundation gave way).    The 60 meter tall Clock Tower (the emblematic symbol of the city of Turda) was built between 1904-1906. The west and north facades of the church are the most aesthetically pleasing. The west facade, with its entrance framed by an ornate portal, has elements typical of Gothic style from the beginning of the 15th century. In the axis of the west facade is a portal, finished in a broken arch. The western portal is decorated with oak leaf motifs. The north facade features five buttresses and a secondary portal (permanently closed). The interior of the church was damaged in a fire in the 17th century. The interior decoration is mostly the result of subsequent renovations. The church (originally Roman Catholic) was converted in 1564 (to this day) to the Reformed-Calvinist confession. Fortifications around the church After the great Tatar invasion of 1241 and the devastation caused to the city of Turda by subsequent Tatar and Turkish attacks, defensive fortifications were built in the following centuries around the three main churches in the city: the Roman Catholic Church, the Reformed-Calvinist Church in Turda-Veche and the Reformed-Calvinist Church in Turda-Noua.

  The Pentecostal Church of Philadelphia is an impressive place of worship that was built between the years of 1992 and 2002. This building was designed and constructed according to original plans, with attention to detail and using superior quality materials, so that it would serve the Pentecostal community of Philadelphia for generations. With a capacity of 1260 seats, the church provides a generous space for gatherings of the faithful. Currently, approximately 500 parishioners attend the weekly services to meet with God and enjoy His presence among them. This number continues to grow as more people discover the church and become part of their spiritual community. The church provides a friendly and home-like environment for its congregants, with a loving and united atmosphere. With people who care for one another and a dedicated staff, the Pentecostal Church of Philadelphia is a place where people can find the peace and encouragement they need in their lives.    In addition, the church organizes a variety of activities to meet its members and help them develop spiritually and socially. From Bible studies to community events, the church provides opportunities for members to connect with God and others. In conclusion, the Pentecostal Church of Philadelphia is a landmark for the pentecostal community in Philadelphia. Through its construction with original plans and the attention paid to detail, it offers a welcoming and safe environment for the faithful, where they can meet God and enjoy his presence among them. 

  The first information about Pentecostalism in Turda dates back to 1940, and the first ordained worker was Brother Vasile Muntean, who opened the first church in Turda on Bihorului Street no. 2. Among the first Pentecostal families in Turda, we mention the following: the Deac family, the Trifan family, the Ticudean family, and the Chifor family. Alongside the children and young people from these families, others joined such as Anuța Rusu, Vasile Gârbovan, Mihăila Rusu, Ioan Crișan, Nicolae Urcan, and many others. The following ordained brothers who continued the work in Turda for decades were: Brother Petru Gheța, Brother Alexandru Deac, Brother Alexandru Kerekeș, and Brother Andrei Malnași. In 1972, work began on building the church at its current address: Avram Iancu Street no. 23, a building that was immediately remodeled after the revolution. In 1973, when the church already had around 200 members, the church choir was organized, and later in 1976, instruments for the brass band were purchased. With the help of the Lord and the involvement of Brother Vasile Bordea and his colleagues, the church enjoyed a beautiful musical work. After the revolution, starting in 1990, the Pentecostal movement in Turda developed greatly and as a result, other churches were opened in different locations in the city. Today, in Turda, there are 7 Pentecostal churches, 4 of which are formed from the Romani brothers. The mother church, on Avram Iancu Street no. 23, is called "Biserica Alfa și Omega Turda" and in the last 20 years, it has been pastored by Mircea Deteșan. Alongside him, a beautiful team of servants has formed who care for nearly 20 local churches. 

  The Church Between Romanians, also known as the Church Among Romanians, is an Orthodox church in Turda. The temple has the dedication "Dormition of the Mother of God". In the mid-19th century, the Romanians built a stone and wood church in the hills, near the central cemetery. In this church, the Orthodox bishops Vasile Moga (the first Romanian bishop) and Andrei Baron de Saguna were elected in September 19, 1810 and December 2, 1847, respectively. In 1861, the old Church Between Romanians was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. After the great fire caused by lightning, a wooden church was temporarily erected, brought from Sălciua. Between 1861-1865, Orthodox Metropolitan Andrei Saguna instituted a public collection with which a new brick and stone church was built in the Între Români neighborhood, next to the Arieșului cliff. The church was built by master Patița from Câmpeni. The new church (located on Sirenei Street No. 17, corner with N. Vlăduțiu Street) was rebuilt in the form of a ship, between 1861-1865. After only a few years, the tower collapsed and another one was only built in 1942, when a general repair was also made. In 1919, the interior painting was restored on the occasion of King Ferdinand and Queen Maria's visit to Turda, who also visited this church. The wooden iconostasis was carved by students of the Arts and Crafts School in Turda under the direction of master Chiș Alexandru. It was consecrated in 1948 by Bishop Nicolae Colan. In this church, Samuil Micu, a prominent representative of the Transylvanian School, delivered a great speech. 

 The Greek-Catholic Church of the Rățeștilor in Turda, with the dedication "Adormirea Maicii Domnului" (The Dormition of the Mother of God), is a church built by the Greek-Catholic protopope Basiliu Rațiu in 1839, financed by the Rațiu family, one of the prominent Romanian families in Turda. It was originally named after the Rațiu family, and currently serves as the Turda Veche Orthodox parish church. The church was built in Turda Veche in response to the lack of Greek-Catholic churches in the area. Before its construction, Greek-Catholics, including members of the Rațiu family, had to attend church in Turda Nouă. Basiliu Rațiu and his family funded the construction, along with the other members of the Rațiu family. The cemetery in the church's courtyard holds the remains of some members of the Rațiu family. The church was used by both Greek-Catholics and Orthodox until 1948, when the graves on both sides of the church were dismantled. After 1948, a new rectory was built on the former cemetery grounds. The funds for the church were mainly provided by Basiliu Rațiu and his brothers from their own resources, and from compensation awarded through a court decision against the illegal confiscation of the Rațiu family's properties in 1653 by Prince Gheorghe Rákóczi II. The first donation, after the re-attainment of the Rațiu family's nobility title and the confirmation of their right to reside in Turda in 1829, allowed for the purchase of land for the church, priest and cantor's houses, and the agricultural land necessary for their subsistence, as well as for cemeteries for both Greek-Catholic and Orthodox believers, as Romanians were not allowed to be buried in Turda before this.   The second donation, the monetary compensation, was the basis for the foundation in 1866 of the Eforia Cultural Fund. It allowed the council of the Rățești Church to undertake important work at the church, establish a fund that allowed young Romanians to pursue higher education, and fund the construction of the first Romanian denominational school in Turda Veche. The first president of Eforia was Dr. Ioan Rațiu, who was selected by the founder of Eforia, Prepozitul capitular, Canon Vasile Rațiu. Eforia operated until 1948 according to the provisions of the "Agreement" and Statutes. Over time, due to donations from Dionisie Sterca Şulutiu, Ana Câmpean, Agapia Micușan, and lawyer George Popescu, the parish of this church became the strongest in the city from a financial point of view, becoming the owner of the city's marketplace, the buildings surrounding the marketplace, the former "Elisabeta" hotel (the old Eforia palace), the new Eforia palace (G. Lazăr street, used as a bus station during communism), and the school built opposite the church (currently, one wing houses a kindergarten). In 1929, the Greek Catholic church already had electric lighting and gas heating. The first priest of the church was Gregoriu Rațiu (1840-1859). Then only priests from the Rațiu family or those agreed upon by the family served: Petru Rațiu (1860-1873), administrator of the protopresbyterate, protopop of Cojocna; Iosif Hossu (1873-1874), professor and canon in Blaj; Alexandru Pop Romanțan (1875-1901) and Nicolae-Portos Rațiu (1903-1932), honorary vice-protopop. The last Greek Catholic priest of this church was Dr. Coriolan Sabău (1932-1948), protopop of Bucharest and Turda, arrested by the communist authorities in 1948 for refusing to switch to the Romanian Orthodox Church.    In the cemetery of the church yard, some members of the Rațiu family are buried, except for Dr. Ioan Rațiu and Ion Rațiu, as the church has been used since 1948 by an Orthodox parish. Representatives of the Orthodox Church opposed Ion Rațiu's burial in the church built by his family, and therefore, the ceremony took place on the street during a freezing cold winter. Since 1948, when the church was taken over by the Orthodox cult, three valuable paintings of prominent members of the Rațiu family were stored improperly in a church warehouse (the paintings depict the Greek Catholic prebendary Basiliu Rațiu, the church's founder, the memorandist Dr. Ioan Rațiu, the first president of the Eforia, and the Greek Catholic protopop Nicolae Rațiu). Recently, the paintings were moved to the church library. On July 28, 2011, with the approval of Metropolitan Andrei Andreicuț, the Rățești Church font was consecrated, reconstructed after the original font disappeared in unknown circumstances after 1948. The monuments of the church's founders and main contributors, located in the church yard, were also consecrated. The resetting of the font was a historic recovery gesture. The church has been renovated several times. The current painting was made between 1965-1966 by Cornel Cenan from Cluj. On either side of the nave there are two mural paintings on the ceiling that depict the 12 zodiacs. On the left painting, six zodiacs are depicted (Sagittarius, Pisces, Libra, Scorpio, Cancer, Leo), and on the right painting, the other six zodiacs (Taurus, Aquarius, Capricorn, Gemini, Aries, Virgo) are depicted. In 1967, the carved oak wood iconostasis was made. Also in 1967, other works (archbishop's chairs, pulpit, tetrapod) were carried out by sculptors Aurel Sămărtinean and Grigore Frătean from Turda. In 1971, the exterior repair was made.