Black Hawk (Vulturul Negru) Palace Arcade

About

This ensemble of buildings is one of the monumental architectural works in Oradea and Transylvania, typical for the secession style. The architects Komor Marcell and Jakab Dezső won the contest for the construction of this complex. Two Jewish lawyers, Dr. Kurlander Ede and Dr. Emil Adorjan, decided to finance, using their own resources, the construction of a noteworthy building in Oradea. The work started in 1907, under the supervision of the civil engineer Sztarill Ferenc, and in December 1908 the building was completed. Consisting of two unequal and asymmetrical buildings, connected to a third one, placed in the middle and more isolated, the complex housed a theatre, ballrooms, a casino and offices. The Y-shaped gallery (passage) has three entrances. The Vittorio Emanuele Gallery in Milan inspired the glass-covered interior. The gallery or the Passage, as the local people know it, concentrates the most popular bars, coffee houses and pubs in the city, being the entertainment high spot of the city.

At a glance

• Typical visit: about 30 minutes