Exiting the Black Eagle Passage, you find yourself walking under the archway of an ancient inn, a relic of times long past. Initially constructed in the 1760s in the Classicist style, the structure was transformed in 1908 by Sztarill Ferenc, who reimagined it in an eclectic style. As you step out from the archway, you enter a street that was once known as "Green Tree." This transition from one historical setting to another encapsulates the multi-layered history of the area, serving as a physical walkthrough of the past that converges with the present.
The modern-day Vasile Alecsandri Street has always been a focal point in the centre of Oradea. This is one of the oldest streets in the "new town," in the early 20th century, it was known as Zöldfa, which means "Green Tree." The name didn't stem from the street's appearance, as it had no trees, but from an inn midway down the road. The inn had rooms for travellers and a tavern on the ground floor, from where two coaches would depart daily for Episcopescu and Felix Baths.
The street was mainly commercial, flanked by rows of primarily Jewish-owned stores. These stores had beautifully decorated wooden windows, selling everything from furs to porcelain. The road was paved with stone and had an electrified industrial railway line on one side, originating from the Great Square (now called 1st of December Park) that serviced the nearby shops, a shoe factory, and a printing press. Post-1905, the street began to evolve; older houses were demolished and replaced with multi-story buildings like Casa Munk, Casa Deutsch, Casa Moskovits Adolf and Sons, and Casa Roth. During the interwar period, it was renamed Nicolae Iorga, and from 1940-1944, it was called Hlatky Endre.
The current name, Vasile Alecsandri, was likely assigned in 1945 and has remained unchanged. Under communist rule, it continued to be a commercial street featuring stores selling sporting goods, leatherware, chemicals, cosmetics, groceries, and Gulliver—a children's store at Casa Deutsch's ground floor. A clothing factory was built in 1970. Although the buildings were well-maintained in the following decades, most facades deteriorated in the 1990s and 2000s. Only one new building was erected since—a State Inspectorate for Constructions office in 2002.
Less than a decade ago, the street was still open to vehicular traffic and had only a few stores, some eateries, and empty spaces. It was pedestrianised in 2017-2018, with the road repaved in stone. Trees were planted, and new establishments with terraces, shops, and cafes popped up on both sides of the street. Building facades have mostly been rehabilitated since 2017, with work still ongoing.
Your walking tour could start at the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit, a spiritual cornerstone of Oradea, reflecting centuries of faith and community. As you meander through the city, you approach the grand Moskovits Palace and the elegant Stern Palace, each a testament to the opulent past and architectural splendor of the city.
Passing the Apollo Palace, you're reminded of the city's artistic and theatrical heritage, culminating at the grand Maria Theater, a cultural beacon that has hosted countless performances. Nearby, the central Piata Unirii (Union Square) is not just the heart of the city but also a gateway to the Black Eagle Palace, an icon of Art Nouveau architecture.
As you explore, the cityscape tells stories of Oradea's literary circles and poets who frequented these landmarks, weaving a rich tapestry of cultural and intellectual history. The Black Eagle Palace, in particular, with its cafes and halls, might have been the very place where literary societies gathered, and muses were met, against a backdrop of architectural beauty. This is a journey not just through the streets of Oradea but through the annals of its vibrant cultural and literary past.
