The Maria Theresa Bastion

The Maria Theresa Bastion is a part of the old fortress of Timișoara, which has survived until today, along with other wall fragments such as the ones in the Botanical Park and on Alexandru Ioan Cuza Avenue.

The Bastion was built between 1730 and 1735, and was originally called the Storage Ravelin. Its name changed to Maria Theresa around 1744 to 1745, thus paying a tribute to the Empress.

The Maria Theresa Bastion was intended for food storage. Alongside it, 8 more bastions functioned in the Fortress: Charles, Francis, Joseph, Hamilton, the Castle, Mercy, Eugene, and Elisabeth.

In 1716, following the conquest of Timișoara by the Habsburg troops, the Fortress of Timișoara was entirely rebuilt in Vauban style, between the years 1723 and 1765, increasing its surface 10 times. Three star-shaped belts surrounded the inner city, and the access was done through 3 gates: Vienna, Petrovaradin and Transylvania.

During the project entitled "Rehabilitation and revitalization of the fortress of the Timişoara Citadel, the Maria Theresa Bastion", financed by PHARE 2005, the Maria Theresa Bastion was rearranged, and reopened to the public in 2010.

Currently, the Maria Theresa Bastion hosts two permanent exhibitions of the Museum of History of Banat: "Information and Communications Technology" and "The Violin – A Passion for Life".

The Bastion is also used as a passage, which is where commercial spaces, restaurants, bars, a club and a reception hall are also hosted.

Text source: https://timisoara.eventya.eu/