St Stephen's Tower, Baia Mare, Maramureș

Stefan's Tower - the symbol of Baia Mare

Where is it, when to visit, how much does it cost?

St. Stephen's Tower is located in the Citadel Square in Baia Mare. Due to its height it is visible from far away. It can be visited Monday to Friday from 10am to 6pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 6pm. The last ascent of the tower is allowed at 17. The bell rings at fixed hours. It is forbidden to stand on the tower stairs while the bell is ringing. The entrance fee is 3 ron for adults, 2 ron for organized groups of adults and 1 ron for pupils, students and pensioners.

About St. Stephen's Tower

St. Stephen's Tower is part of the former St. Stephen's Church. The church was finished in 1347 and inaugurated 40 years later. St. Stephen's Tower or Stephen's Tower or High Tower or the bell-tower is built of stone, 40 meters high. The tower has 165 steps. The tower walls are up to 2 meters thick. The tower has been affected by many fires over the years and has been rebuilt each time with minor modifications. In the Citadel Square, at the base of the tower, there is a relief of the tower dated 1770-1774. The tower also has a strategic role providing a 360-degree view of the area. The tower has housed three clocks, the first of which dates from the 17th century. Its mechanism was assembled by the Czech craftsman Jacob in 1628 and was operated by stone weights. These are preserved in the Maramureș County Museum of History and Archaeology, as is the mechanism of the second clock. The current mechanism is the original one and was restored in 2015. The tower bell dates back to 1925 and weighs 2.2 tons.

A video about St. Stephen's Tower you can watch it here.

1. Tower and stairs

St. Stephen's Tower is Baia Mare's most famous tourist attraction. It was joined St. Stephen's Churchnow a ruin. The heavy wooden door at the base of the tower leads into the tower. A flight of stairs leads up to the tower. The first are narrow and made of stone.

Stephen's Tower

access door to the tower

narrow stairs

staircases in the tower

2. Panorama

When you reach the top of the tower's balcony, it's breathtaking. A 360 skyline tour includes the panorama of the entire city. In the close-up the theater, the Orthodox and Roman-Catholic churches on the Citadel Square, in the close-up the Old Town and neighborhoods, and in the distance the mountains in the distance, with the Mogoșa and Igniș peaks in the foreground.

me in Stephen's Tower

view from the tower

city of Baia Mare

Historical Center

view to the Old Center

view towards Igniș

view towards Mogoșa

3. Clock and bell

The clock can be seen on the outer face of the tower from a distance. Its mechanism with the weight assembly and the large 2.2-ton bell are inside the tower, surrounded by the tower staircase.

bell tower

clock mechanism

weights of the clockwork

tower clock

4. Citadel Square and church ruins

The open space where St. Stephen's Tower is located is called the Citadel Square. On one side of this small pedestrian area are the Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas and the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity. The preserved ruins of the former St. Stephen's Church can be found in the Citadel Square.