Before diving into the details of this fascinating building, let's shed some light on the development of the area known as Olosig, mainly since the historical citadel of Oradea is located on the opposite bank of the river. According to Daniel Lowy's research, Jewish presence in the region dates back to the 15th century, specifically to a document from 1489 that mentions a person named "Judeo Joza de Varad nunc Bude." Written records from 1722 mention the establishment of the Jewish community, and by 1733, we learn about the formation of the Chevra Kadisha. At that time, Oradea consisted of four independent town-states: Velenta, Subcetate, Orasul Nou, and Olosig. They unified in 1849 to become the municipality of Oradea Mare. Jews initially lived in mud huts built in wastelands around the Fortress due to severe restrictions on settling. Initially, they decided between Velenta and the Fortress. Documents from 1735 show Jews living in the New City and Olosig districts.

1781 was pivotal; Emperor Joseph II passed the Act of Tolerance, significantly changing laws affecting Jews. This act included rights like enrolling Jewish children in schools, allowing Jews to work in previously forbidden professions, and mandating German as the official language, with Hebrew reserved only for religious services.

In 1783, a Superior Council of War decree significantly impacted the Fortress of Oradea. The army no longer needed the Fortress, and the area around it was subdivided into residential dwellings, including for Jews. This area, known as Subcetate, became home to 46 Jewish families by 1792, more than half of whom owned their housing.

The political turmoil of the 1800s had considerably impacted the city's Jewish population. Many Jewish men participated in the Revolution of 1848. Although Jewish Emancipation was proclaimed in 1849, it didn't immediately benefit the Jews in Oradea. They suffered during the subsequent absolutist period, but the Jewish population increased steadily, reaching over 1400 by mid-century.

The Olosig area became a focal point for Jewish settlement towards the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, including Vilmos Acs, DDrPeter Vali, Dr Bela Fleischer, Dr Pal Ney, Dr Bernat Grunstein, Dr Bertalan Stern, Sandor Friedlander, Andor Sonnenfeld, Gusztav Sonnenfeld, Sandor Korda, Sandor Meer, Miklos Stern, Dr Albert Feld, and Rezso Molnar.

Miklós Stern purchased land from the Local Council right on the central artery. The acquisition was made in 1904, and Stern paid 82,600 crowns for the land.

The extensive building plans were conceived by architects Komor Marcell and Jakab Dezső, renowned architects who designed the "Black Eagle" palace. The construction was completed in 1909, offering the residents of Oradea a functional architectural model in harmony with the natural environment.

Architecture In the years 1904-1905, the vision of Hungarian architect Ödön Lechner gained prominence. His architectural program highlighted the specificity of Hungarian folk art, elegantly transposing its decorative and symbolic motifs into the architectural language.

This imposing building is one of the most significant architectural landmarks of Oradea's elegant pedestrian artery. The palace offers a dual architectural spectacle: on one hand, it displays sleek decoration on both facades; on the other, it provides contemplation and an interior space with an unparalleled poetic atmosphere in Oradean architecture. Stepping beyond the threshold of the two monumental gates, the vaults with stucco and the curvature of the staircase with its elegant ironwork invite you to traverse a circular space suspended somewhere above time.

The main façade, facing Republicii Street, is energized by two monumental bay windows in a step-back layout. These "puffs" are crowned by gables whose edge is softly sweetened by the arabesque of some accolades. The dynamic, syncopated play of the facade screen unfolds well-dosed decoration, a tribute to the neo-Hungarian style: a decorative frieze consisting of Hungarian folk motifs highlights the frames, just as the embroidery of folk costumes underlines essential parts of the outfit.

The floral strip beneath the circular cornice of the rounded volume at the corner is of particular beauty. One can easily discern suggestions of decorative language that allude to the idea of fecundity, germination, and efflorescence. The same floral motifs punctuate the space between the windows or the one under the wooden cornice, firmly embossed.

It is indeed remarkable the exceptional coherence between the motifs and the artistic expression of all architectural plastic elements: stucco, ironwork, and roof profiles. The line rounds off calmly, avoiding the excessive dynamics of curvilinear asymmetry. The same elegant round arches are found in the ironwork of the main gates: in subtle stylization, we recognize the fan-like opening of the peacock's sumptuous tail.