Church with Moon Oradea, Bihor

Unique moon mechanism

Where, when and how much?

The Moon Church of Oradea is located in Unirii Square 2. Admission is free. The church is open daily from 8-20.

About the Moon Church

The Moon Church is actually the Orthodox cathedral of Oradea. The church is dedicated to the Assumption. It was built between 1784-1790. It is a historical monument. The architectural style is late Austrian Baroque. The designer was Éder Jakob according to the information plaque on the church, or Edner Jakob according to wiki. The sphere mechanism, which marks the position of the moon, was built by George Rueppe in 1793. The cathedral was consecrated in 1832, after the interior decorations were completed. The Moon Church became a cathedral in 1920. The Romanian Romanian bishop Roman Ciorogariu is buried in the Church of the Moon, and a statue of him is placed in front of the church.

1. Moon mechanism and exterior

The cathedral is preserved in its original 18th-century form. The silhouette of the church in one of the corners of the Union Square attracts you from a distance and urges you to get closer. The dominant architectural style is late Baroque with Byzantine elements.

The mechanism that moves the moon is unique in Europe. The half-golden, half-black moon is driven by a mechanism designed and built by Georg Rueppe in 1793, which indicates the phases of the moon. It is located in the cathedral tower.

moon

statue of Bishop Ciorogariu

Church with the Moon

moon

2. Inside

You enter through the pronaos, as in all Orthodox churches. The nave is impressive and ends opposite the altar. In the arch between the nave and the altar is a medallion portrait of Horea, which completes the iconostasis. The episcopal chair and pulpit are richly carved. In the nave are the tombs of Bishop Roman Ciorogariu and Bishop Nicolae Popovici.