Iosefin Roman Catholic Church

Church in Iosefin, Timișoara, Romania

Church of the Nativity of Mary

Biserica „Nașterea Fecioarei Maria”

Religion
Affiliation| Roman Catholic
Patron| Nativity of Mary
Year consecrated| 1775
Status| Active
Location
Location| 13 General Ion Dragalina Boulevard, Timișoara
Geographic coordinates| 45°44′40″N 21°12′39″E﻿ / ﻿45.74444°N 21.21083°E﻿ / 45.74444; 21.21083
Architecture
Style| Baroque
Groundbreaking| 1772
Completed| 1774
Website
sanctamariaiosefin.ro

The Church of the Nativity of Mary is a Roman Catholic church in the Iosefin district of Timișoara. It was built between 1772 and 1774 in Baroque style.

## History

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The Roman Catholic parish in the Iosefin district was established in 1775 after Timișoara was liberated from Ottoman rule. Other districts of the city also belonged to the Iosefin parish at that time, such as Elisabetin, Mehala and Ronaț. All these have become independent parishes over time.

The Roman Catholic church in the Iosefin district is the oldest church in the city after the Roman Catholic Dome in Union Square and the predecessor of today's Piarist Church. It was built between 1772 and 1774 in the Baroque style and consecrated in December 1775 by Leonhardus Rothenbach on behalf of the bishop of the Diocese of Cenad, Franz Anton Engl von Wagrain [de].[1] The church was erected in honor of the Nativity of Mary, the patron saint being celebrated on 8 September.

The tower, damaged during the siege of 1849, was renovated in 1861 by architect Johann von Schuster.[2] The church dominated the surrounding buildings as long as Iosefin had a rural look. The houses had a short facade with a pediment facing the street and a long facade on one side of the plot in the yard, as in the plain villages of Banat. After Iosefin began to develop rapidly after the connection of Timișoara to the Central European railway system, the Baroque tower of the church seemed too short. That is why in 1889 the sharp spire of the tower was built, which still exists today and which gives the church an unusual slenderness for Baroque buildings.[3] The tower clock was the first and until 1838 the only public clock in the district.[1] The bells of the church were cast in November 1923 in Antal Novotny's workshop.[1]

## Architecture

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The architects of the parish church are not known and it is assumed that they were of Viennese origin and were in the service of the Treasury.[4] The building is relatively small, with a sturdy tower, in mature Baroque style with some Rococo details.[4] Decorations with plant motifs can be seen on the facade. From 1932 until 2013, the oldest stone statue of John of Nepomuk, made in 1723, which is also the oldest monument in the city, was located in the courtyard of the church; it was restored and relocated in front of the Millennium Church in Fabric district.[5]

On the Baroque main altar from 1935, made by László Szántó, there is a portrait of the Virgin Mary from the late 18th century. The benches are by the same artist.[6] The two wooden statues on either side of the main altar, representing Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, date before 1778.[1] The two side altars, in Baroque style, were made in honor of Francis of Assisi and Saint Anne.[6] The third altar, in Romanesque style, dates from 1895 and was dedicated to the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.[6]

## References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Iosefin Roman Catholic Church.

1. ^ a b c d "Istoria bisericii parohiale Timișoara-Iosefin". Parohia Romano-Catolică Timișoara-Iosefin.
2. ^ Delesega, Gyula (2018). Temesvári kalauz téridőben (PDF). Szórvány Alapítvány. pp. 186–187.
3. ^ "Biserica Catolică din Iosefin". Timisoara-Info.ro.
4. ^ a b Rovența, Loredana (15 May 2015). "Biserica parohială romano-catolică din Iosefin". Merg.În.
5. ^ "Biserica romano-catolică Iosefin, Timișoara". Welcome to Romania.
6. ^ a b c Sarkadi Nagy, Emese (9 May 2010). "Biserica romano-catolică din Iosefin, Timișoara". Enciclopedia Maghiară din România.

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Places in Timișoara

Historical|

* Anchor Palace
* Baroque Palace
* Brück House
* Communal Abattoir
* Count Mercy House
* Dauerbach Palace
* Deschan Palace
* Dicasterial Palace
* Fabric Water Tower
* Hilt-Vogel Palace
* House with Atlantes
* House with Lions
* Huniade Castle
* Iosefin Fire Station
* Iosefin Water Tower
* Lloyd Palace
* Löffler Palace
* Merbl Palace
* Military Casino
* Mühle House
* Nägele Palace
* Neptune Public Bath
* Neuhaus Palace
* Old Town Hall
* Palace of Culture
* Prince Eugene House
* Prison
* Roman Catholic Episcopal Palace
* Șari-Neni
* Széchényi Palace
* Theresia Bastion
* Timișoreana Brewery
* Water Palace
* Weiss Palace

Cultural|

* Banat Village Museum
* Banatul Philharmonic
* Csiky Gergely Hungarian State Theatre
* German Cultural Centre
* German State Theatre
* Merlin Children's and Youth Theatre
* Mihai Eminescu National Theatre
* National Museum of Art
* National Museum of Banat
* Romanian National Opera

Places of worship|

* Cetate Synagogue
* Elisabetin Greek Catholic Church
* Elisabetin Reformed Church
* Elisabetin Roman Catholic Church
* Fabric Greek Catholic Church
* Fabric Synagogue
* Fratelia Roman Catholic Church
* Iosefin Orthodox Church
* Iosefin Roman Catholic Church
* Iosefin Synagogue
* Lutheran Church
* Mehala Roman Catholic Church
* Metropolitan Cathedral
* Millennium Church
* Misericordia Church
* New Millennium Reformed Center
* Notre Dame Church
* Serbian Orthodox Cathedral
* St. Catherine Church
* St. Elijah Church
* St. George Cathedral
* St. George Serbian Church
* St. Nicholas Serbian Church

Educational|

* Ana Aslan National College
* Banat National College
* Béla Bartók High School
* Carmen Sylva National Pedagogical College
* Central Library of Politehnica University
* Constantin Diaconovici Loga National College
* Eugen Todoran Central University Library
* Francesco Saverio Nitti Economic College
* Grigore Moisil High School
* Ion Vidu National College of Art
* Israelite High School
* King Michael I University of Life Sciences
* Nikolaus Lenau High School
* Piarist High School
* Politehnica University
* Sorin Titel County Library
* Tibiscus University
* Victor Babeș University of Medicine and Pharmacy
* West Technical College
* West University

Statues, monuments and
fountains|

* Capitoline Wolf
* Fidelity Column
* Floral Clock
* Fountain of Cardinal Points
* Fountain with Fish
* Plague Column
* St. Mary and St. John of Nepomuk Monument
* Virgin Mary Monument

Forests, parks and
gardens|

* Alpinet Park
* Anton Scudier Central Park
* Botanical Park
* Cathedral Park
* Civic Park
* Green Forest
* Ion Creangă Children's Park
* Justice Park
* Queen Marie Park
* Roses Park
* Zoological Garden

Public squares|

* Alexandru Mocioni Square
* Liberty Square
* Nicolae Bălcescu Square
* Pleven Square
* St. George Square
* St. Mary Square
* Timișoara 700 Square
* Trajan Square
* Union Square
* Victory Square

Sports venues|

* CFR Stadium
* Ciarda Roșie Stadium
* Constantin Jude Sports Hall
* Dan Păltinișanu Stadium
* Electrica Stadium
* Gheorghe Rășcanu Stadium
* Știința Stadium

Business centers|

* AFI Park
* Bega Business Park
* United Business Center
* Vox Technology Park

Shopping venues|

* Bega Shopping Center
* Iulius Mall
* Shopping City

Infrastructure|

* Cioca Airfield
* Port
* Timișoara East railway station
* Timișoara North railway station
* Timișoara South railway station
* Timișoara West railway station
* Traian Vuia International Airport

Edge cities|

* ISHO
* Iulius Town

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