Images of Cluj, Romania

Walking around hanging out in Cluj, Romania snapping photos of places and things I find aesthetically pleasing has occupied my days for the past week. Churches, cemeteries, parks, courtyards, doors and buildings capture my attention and the lens captures the image for memory.

The DoorsÂ

a door with a sign above it — Cluj Vintage Music Pub

a doorway with a staircase — Cluj Welcoming

a door with a cross design — Romanian Orthodox Church door

a wooden door with a flower carved on it — Kaja Tanya Restaurant

Courtyards

One of the distinctive features of Cluj that seems different from other places I have been in Europe are how so many of the doors from main streets lead into large interior courtyards. This was an issue I immediately encountered in the city when I could not locate the apartment I rented due to the street address being about 100 meters from the actual apartment. I ran into the problem several times in Cluj when using Google Maps to find an address, then trying to pinpoint where the place is actually located when standing at the street entrance to a courtyard.

a green bench next to a wall — SHTO College Bar is located upstairs at the window.

a stone archway over a brick road — Kaja Tanya courtyard

a brick tunnel with lights — Cluj hall Heroes Boulevard.

Churches

a building with a cross and a mural on the wall — Biserica Adormirea Maicii Domnului – Romanian Orthodox

a ceiling with art on it — Szent ErzsÃ©bet – Saint Elizabeth of Hungary in Biserica FranciscanÄƒ – Franciscan Church

Time in Central Europe has exposed me repeatedly toÂ Saint Elizabeth of Hungary 1207-1231, noted for Christian charity. Her story is an interesting one of a young princess born in what is now Bratislava, Slovakia who gave away her money to create a hospital and care for the poor. She was a contemporary of Saint Francis of Assisi. It is said he knew of her work.

a mosaic of a man sitting on a stool — Catedrala MitropolitanÄƒ Adormirea Maicii Domnului mosaic tile

a mural on the ceiling of a building — Catedrala MitropolitanÄƒ Adormirea Maicii Domnului – Cluj, Romania

These are the quiet places I have been when not hanging out in pubs and experiencing more modern style entertainment at Zain Design Expressions Festival events around the city.

Cluj Zain Design Expressions Festival Oct 19-28