THE PALACE OF CULTURE Visiting hours at the Palace of Culture and the Hall of Mirrors: Winter (1st of September - 30th of April):        Tuesday-Sunday: 9-16 Summer (1st of May - 31th of August):        Tuesday-Friday: 9-18        Saturday-Sunday: 9-16 Monday: closed

     "If the Honorable Council endow me with their trust, the right of disposal and the Seal, I will build a new city for You." These were the words György Bernády, freshly elected Mayor of Târgu Mureş began his inaugural address with on March 8, 1902. And indeed, it was Dr. György Bernády's merit that the slumbering little town started to become a modern city at the turn of the century.
     Canalization, street lights, schools and other public buildings are all connected with the name of the mayor who urbanized Târgu Mureş.

The Palace of Culture, one of the most characteristic examples of art nouveau in Transylvania was also built on his suggestion between 1911 and 1913, based on Marcell Komor and Dezső Jakab's plans. The palace, built in the style of Ödön Lechner's school, is lavishly decorated both on the inside and on the outside. The roof covered with Zsolnai maiolica tiles is in harmony with the building as well as the facade ornamented with a monumental mosaic based on a painting by Aladár Körösfői-Kriesch and the reliefs by Ede Kallós.       The frescos in the lobby are also based on Aladár Körösfői-Kriesch's works, whereas the stained glass windows accomplished by Miksa Roth are based on Sándor Nagy and Ede Wigand's works. The inside decorations are made of precious, genuine materials.

     The Great Hall was originally meant to be a concert hall. Its most precious jewel is the organ made by the Rieger brothers from Jagendorf in 1914. It has 4463 pipes and 63 registers, and used to be one of the biggest and best organs. It is still in use.
    Two monumental flights of Carrara marble stairs lead to the second and third floors.

The walls of the hall, which is 45 m long, are covered with Carrara marble, and at both ends there are Venice mirrors. The staircases are ornamented with flowery patterns, their ceiling is set with Renaissance coffers, the windows are Miksa Roth's works. They are glass paintings featuring geometrical patterns and have in the middle portraits of great Hungarians.

     The Smaller Hall was also built as a concert hall, but readings are held in it, too. 

The Hall of the Mirrors is the most beautiful hall of the Palace. Its name comes from the two Venetian mirrors at the ends of the hall that seem to multiply the space.      It was built as a banqueting hall and is adequately furnished. The six stained glass windows inspired by Szekler folk legends are real jewels of the hall.      They were to represent Europe at the 1914 San Francisco World Exhibition cancelled when the war broke out.

     Today the Palace of Culture houses several cultural institutions (Philarmonical Orchestra, County Library, Art Museum, Picture Gallery and Museum of History).