Oravița

Oraviţa is a town in Caraș-Severin County.

Understand

The current name is first mentioned in 1690 in the census of Marsigli. During the interwar period was the residence of Caras. By the 1700s, Oravița was known by that it possessed gold and copper mines, a forge shop and copper smelters, which required huge amounts of wood and charcoal. In 1816, it is built the first theater in the country (Mihai Eminescu Theater). In 1875, the Anina-Oravița railway is built and it’s the first railway line in Romania. In 1913, the civil school becomes the 8th grade school. The Prefecture Palace is built (the architect is Henriette Delavrancea, the first Romanian lady architect, member of the organization of architects in Paris) between 1931 and 1932. Today it represents Oravița Hall.

Get in

By car

Access roads in the town are:

• 48 km from Moldova Nouă
• 58 km from Reșița
• 122 km from Timișoara
• 20 km from Anina

By train

Traveling to Oravița on the wonderful historical rail system is a natural choice. The train to and from Oravița runs twice a day, and takes almost 2 hours to reach its destination – Anina. But worth it, because of the gorgeous landscapes that can be seen!

By bus

The Autotim Bus Company offers tourists a bus once a day (Monday to Friday), direction Timișoara-Oravița and Oravița-Timișoara.

Get around

Depending on where you're coming from and where you want to get to, buses, minibuses, motorbikes and bicycles are all good ways to get around and the train system also; however the number of locations served is limited. The city is not so big and thus quite walkable. The only mode of public transport inside city is bus. Taxis on the market place and station are quite cheap.

See

"Mihai Eminescu" Theatre interior

• 1 "Mihai Eminescu" Theatre (Teatrul "Mihai Eminescu"). The oldest theater in the country and south-eastern Europe. The building was built in Viennese Baroque style in 1817. Poet Mihai Eminescu played on its stage, hence its name. This theater also is the first stone building in south-eastern Europe, and the first building in Europe lit by acetylene lamps. 
• 2 Museum of Pharmacy of the Banat Highlands (Muzeul de Istoria Farmaciei din Banatul Montan), Strada 1 Decembrie 1918 nr. 17. The oldest pharmacy in Banat, "Knoblauch", initiated over 270 years ago. 
• Culture House Oravița, built on the structure of the second cinema in Banat – House Belgrader – with the first screenings in 1913. It hosts and organizes national-scale events.
• 3 Călugăra Monastery (Mănăstirea Călugăra). Built at the beginning of the 18th century in the mountains. It is a permanent place of pilgrimage, and inside it there is a miraculous icon. 
• The Church of St. Elias, located on the ruins of an ancient monastery and painted by famous painters.
• 4 Lacul Mare. Lake to the east of Oravița with an area of 1.6 and a maximum depth of 9m. Since 2009, it is leased by Erasco Prodimpex Oravița Company and its purpose is sport fishing activity. 

Do

• 1 Oravița Railway Station (Gara Oravița). Starting (or ending) point of the famous Anina-Oravița Railway. You can take a tour by train on the Anina-Oravița railway, the first mountain railway in Romania, built in 1856. The Anina-Oravița railway is still in use today and it has a nice route with plenty of views. The traveler meets during the 33 kilometers, 14 tunnels (carved in hard limestone) and 10 viaducts. The railway has a standard gauge line and a length of 33 km and includes the following stations: Oravița (km 0) – Brădișoru (6 km) - Halta Dobre (km 12) – Lisava (km 16) – Ciudanovița (km 18) – Gârliște (km 25) – Anina (km 33). 
• 2 Ștrandul Termal Ring. (updated Feb 2015)

Events

• Feast of St. Elias (Sfantul Ilie) is a festival dedicated to the church blessing of the same name and it’s manifested through music, games and fun.
• Feast of St. Mary is the festival dedicated to the church blessing of the same name (Sfanta Maria), and it manifests through songs and games.

Buy

Oravița has a number of local artisan shops as well as many European chain boutiques. In this area are several small boutiques and shops, but also a market with natural products (vegetables, fruits, cheese).

Eat

• 1 Casablanca (in the historic city), ☏ +40 255572360. 
• 2 La Răscruce (on Route 57, exit to Moldova Nouă). Caraș traveler that crosses the land - the way to Nera, Moldova Noua, or other places, will find a resting place in Oravița: the restaurant "At the crossroads". You are welcomed with delicious food, terrace, bar, a large hall and hospitable staff. 

Drink

The bars are not busy, but easily accessible.

Sleep

• 7 Brazi Cottage (on Route 57B, the exit to Anina), ☏ +40 788554464, +40 744525524. It is a great jumping point for different activities in the area. The staff is very helpful and knowledgeable. 
• Caraș Hotel (at the entrance in Oravița from Timișoara, on Route 57B), ☏ +40 255 573 323. In an area of prime interest to a few tens of meters from the city's financial center and only a few steps from the largest shopping center Oravița. Caraș restaurant awaits its guests with numerous culinary delights in a pleasant, intimate and elegant. Varied menu offers the specialties of the cuisine Romanian and international cuisine. The 40 single and double rooms and 3 suites await guests. The hotel has the most modern facilities: Internet high speed, cable (over 35 TV channels), and mini – bar, room service, reception 24 h of 24, conference room, special events-300 seats, restaurant 50 seats, and terraces 60 seats. 

Connect

• Cultural House “Mihai Eminescu”: Tel. +40 255-571248
• “Mihai Eminescu” Theater: Tel. +40 255-572215

Communicate

Public Information Access Point is a center with Internet access created in the Knowledge Economy Project. It is located in the City Hall of Oravița, Str. 1st of December 1918 No. 60, room 14, and provides different services (burn CD/DVD, scan, Internet access, Xerox, print text and photos, renting space, advisory/technical assistance, courses for computer use etc.). Open Monday to Friday, 10am to 2pm.

Go next

• Discover small towns nearby as Anina, Ciclova Montană, Brădișorul de Jos.
• In the Cheile Nerei-Beușnița National Park, take a walk to Ochiul Bei Lake and Beușnița waterfalls. In one hour you'll arrive in a completely wooded area, where the first waterfall has a height of 15 meters and is covered with green moss. The limestone formed here several caves. Climbing a few steps of the first waterfall, you reach the second, but less developed in width. After still an uphill path, and meet the third waterfall, the wild. After another uphill path, you meet the third waterfall, the wildest. The entire track is marked with a blue triangle (on trees).
• Take a 4 hour trip to the Devil's Lake. Getting down further north, you get to Sasca Română, and then the Nera river. The Devil's Lake is on the left side of the Nera, at the mouth of the cave with the same name, 68m long. It has an almost circular shape and a depth of 9m. The lake has been incurred by the collapse of the vault of the cave, in this case a part of the banks being overhang. Devil's Lake is fed by the waters of the Nera, flowing through cracks of limestone, and also by precipitation.