Maria Theresia Bastion

In 1716, Timişoara was conquered by the Habsburg Empire, under whose domination the city faced an unprecedented flourishing. Understanding that the city’s old fortifications could not resist in front of strong enemies, the Habsburgs decided to reconstruct the fortress. Between 1723 and 1765, they erected a Baroque-style citadel, which included 3 gates and 9 bastions named after Habsburg emperors, empresses and generals.

Nowadays, only three fragments from the original fortress can be seen, Maria Theresia Bastion being the largest and best preserved of all. Built between 1723 and 1730, the bastion was initially used as a food warehouse. After the ample restoration works taking place in 2010, Maria Theresia Bastion now boasts with extended vegetation areas and public spaces including a pedestrian and traffic passage, two permanent exhibition of the Museum of the Banat, the ethnography section of the Banat Village Museum, as well as commercial spaces, cafes, restaurants and a disco.