Baia Mare

Baia Mare General Information

Fast Facts

Location: Northwestern Romania (County: Maramures)

Area: 20 sq. miles (52 sq. kilometers)

Elevation: 729 ft. (228 m.)

Population: 136,000

First documented: 1329 AD

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One of the most important mining centers of Romania, Baia Mare has a history of more than 2,000 years of gold, silver, and other nonferrous metals extraction. The town still preserves some its medieval past around its main town square: Piața Libertații (Circulus Fori).
The oldest house in Baia Mare Old Town, Casa Ioan Corvin de Hunedoara (aka Casa Elisabeta), dates from the 1440s; a lone remnant of a long-gone castle complex commisioned by Transylvanian voivode Ioan de Hunedoara, for his wife Elisabeta.   Casa Ioan de Hunedoara, is today an visual arts exhibition venue.
Towering above the square is one of town's landmarks the 120-foot-tall Gothic-style watchtower: Turnul lui Ștefan erected in mid-1400s to mark the 1442 victory of the army of voivode Ioan Corvin de Hunedoara, against the Otomans that attacked Transylvania.

The hills overlooking Baia Mare are home to Europe's northernmost reserve of
Castanea sativa (sweet chestnut tree).

Another lively square in Baia mare, Piata Izvoarelor, houses town's main open-air food market.
Next to Piata Izvoarelor square stands the only remaining part of the town's 15th century medieval fortifications: the Butchers' Tower (Turnul Măcelarilor), built to defend the old citadel's southern gate.
Because town's weapons were stored in Butchers' Tower the structure is also known as the Armory Tower.

During the medieval times, Butchers' Guild was the richest and most influential of Baia Mare's 23 guilds.

Museums

Baia Mare Art Museum

Muzeul Judetean de Arta - Baia Mare
Address: Strada 1 Mai nr. 8
Telephone: (+4) 0262 213.964
Open: Tue. – Sun. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Admission charge:
Adults - 7 lei ($1.75)
Children/ students: 3 lei ($0.75)
Website
The Art Museum, located in a landmark building dating from 1784, holds a treasure trove of art depicting life in Maramures from the late 1800s until present day. The painting collection features works of local artists, as well as Romanian and European contemporary art.

Baia Mare History & Archaeology Museum

Muzeul Județean de Arheologie și Istorie
Address: Strada Monetariei 3
Telephone: (+4) 0262 211.924
Open: Tue. – Sun: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Admission charge:
Adults - 6 lei ($1.50)
Children/ students: 3 lei ($0.75)
Website
Housed in the elegant 18th century Baroque building, the museum has three main sections:
„Cetatea de piatră – Cetatea Chioarului” - a rich collection of items that illustrate the medieval civilization in Baia Mare area: coins, pottery, weapons, tools, clothing.
"Minerit şi civilizaţie în Maramureş" - exhibits that attests the long mining history of the region, especially gold mining.
Călătorie în universul Ceasului - The World of Horology: over 300 clocks and watches, antique furniture and decorative objects are on display in this section of the museum.

Baia Mare Etnographic and Traditional Village Museum

Muzeul de Etnografie si Arta Populara
Address: Strada Dealul Florilor 1
Telephone: (+4) 0262 276.895
Website
Open:
Tue. – Fri.: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Sat. – Sun.: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Admission charge
Traditional Maramures wooden houses are on display.

Baia Mare Mineralogy Museum

Muzeul de Mineralogie „Victor Gorduza”
Address: Bulevardul Traian 8
Telephone: (+4) 0262 227.517
Website
Open: Tue. – Sun., 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Admission charge:
Adults: 10 lei ($2.50)
Senior citizens: 6 lei ($1.50)
Children/ students: 3 lei ($0.75)
Hundreds of local rocks, fossil flora and wonderful mine crystal.

Attractions Near Baia Mare

Baia Mare is an excellent starting point to explore the region of Maramures (NW Romania), where beautiful mountains and rolling hills and picturesque villages abound.

Gutai-Ignis natural reserve, the wooden churches in Surdesti and Plopis, Dan Les' potery workshop in Baia Sprie are within a 20 miles radius from Baia Mare.

The Gutai, Lapus, Tibles Maramures and Rodnei Mountains are cut by passes including the Huta, Gutai, Prislop, Setref and Botiza. Three large valleys cross the region: the Viseu, Iza and Mara.

The Rodnei Mountains National Park, a natural reserve filled with a rich diversity of flora and fauna, has been awarded biosphere status by UNESCO. Here, chamois leap between rocks, eagles' cries ring out overhead and as the snows recede in the spring, crocus and other flowers cut swaths of dazzling colors across the landscape.

Day Trips

Merry Cemetery - village Sapanta

Cimitirul Vesel
Where: 40 miles northwest of Baia Mare
Nearest train station: Sighetu Marmatiei
Address: Strada Ion Pătraș - Săpânța

Colorful grave signs (carved in oak), featuring witty epitaphs that capture an essential element – qualities or imperfections – of the life of every villager who rests in the cemetery. Words and images were chosen by the sculptor as he saw fit at this unique cemetery located just 15 minutes outside of Sighetu Marmatiei.

The crosses also feature geometric designs in symbolic colors: yellow for fertility (the subject had many children), red for passion, green for life, black for early death. The townsfolks' ancestors considered death as a beginning, not the end. Therefore, the background is always blue, the color of hope and freedom.

Even without benefit of translation, visitors will appreciate the handiwork of sculptor Stan Ion Patras (1907-1977), who began carving these epitaphs in 1935. Patras' house in the village is now a fascinating museum. Vasile Stan, one of Patras' apprentices, continues the work of his master.

Wooden Churches of Maramures

The Wooden Churches of Maramures are unique in shape and ornamentation and eight of them – in Barsana, Budesti, Desesti, Ieud, Plopis, Poienile Izei, Rogoz and Surdesti,– have been recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.

The characteristic high roofs and tall, narrow, pointed steeples are often collectively described as the Gothic Style of Maramures. The primary wood material used by the artisans was local oak, which has survived the elements with sturdy elegance until today. The interior walls of the churches were painted by local artists, with biblical scenes often juxtaposed against the familiar landscape of the village. Most of these houses of worship have stood proudly since the 17th and 18th centuries – some even longer. The oldest wooden church in Maramures is the Church on the Hill in Ieud, which dates from 1364.

More info about the Wooden Churches of Maramures

Authentic Experiences

Viseu Valley Narrow Gauge Steam Train (Mocanita)

Viseu de Sus narrow-gauge train info

Transportation

By Air

Baia Mare International Airport (BAY)
Address: Strada 66, Nr. 22,
Tăuții-Măgherăuș
Telephone: (+4) 0262 293.444
Website
Baia Mare airport is located six miles west of the town center; free shuttle bus transfer is available.

Airlines with service to Baia Mare include:
Air Connect,   Tarom   and Hi Sky

Airports not far from Baia Mare include:
Satu Mare International Airport (SUJ) - 40 miles west
Cluj Napoca (CLJ)- 90 miles south
Oradea International Airport (OMR)- 120 miles south-west

Car Travel to/ from Baia Mare

Driving route from Bucharest to Baia Mare via E60 – E576 - E58 – 1C:
Bucuresti – Sinaia – Brasov – Sighisoara – Cluj – Dej – Baia Mare

Driving route from Budapest to Baia Mare via E71 – E58 - 1C:
Budapest –Mateszalka – Satu Mare – Baia Mare

Road Distance from/to Baia Mare:
City Distance
Arad 195 miles
Brasov 260 miles
Bucharest 370 miles
Budapest (Hungary) 240 miles
Cluj-Napoca 90 miles
Constanta 520 miles
Iasi 260 miles
Oradea 120 miles
Sibiu 200 miles
Suceava 185 miles
Timisoara 290 miles
Vienna (Austria) 400 miles

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Reaching Baia Mare by Train

Baia Mare train station
Gara Baia Mare
Address: Str. Garii 4
Telephone: (+4) 0262 220.995
Daily train service to Bucharest, Brasov, Cluj, Satu Mare, Sighisoara, and several other cities in Romania. There is no direct train service between Baia Mare and Suceava. To get to Suceava, you must change trains in Cluj or Dej.

To check train and bus schedules for domestic routes please visit RomaniaTourism Domestic Transportation section
Note: For departures from /to Bucharest, please select Bucuresti Nord.

SNCFR Ticket Office
Agentia de Voiaj SNCFR
Address: Str. Victoriei 57
Telephone: (+4) 0262 219.113
Baia Mare SNCFR ticket office offers train information and tickets for future travel.
Tickets for same-day travel can only be purchased at the train station.

Baia Mare Inter-City Bus

Baia Mare Bus Terminal
Autogara Imperativ Baia Mare
Address: Str. Garii 2
Telephone: (+4) 0262 221.777

Daily domestic bus service from/to: Arad, Borsa, Carei, Negresti-Oas, Oradea, Salonta, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Sighisoara, Targu Lapus, Timisoara, Vama

A shuttle service from Baia Mare to Budapest (Hungary) Nepliget bus terminal
(with stops in Satu Mare and Budapest Airport) is operated by Efi Travel / EFI Bus
For more information and reservations please E-mail EFI Travel or call (+4) 0745 600.796

Car rental

Rent A Car Maramures
Address: Aleea Dobrogei 1/30
Telephone: (+4) 0744 705.873

Promotor Rent a Car
Address: Strada Victoriei 73
Telephone: (+4) 0734 403.403

Rent A Car Airport
Telephone: (+4) 0788 523.551

Autonom
Telephone: (+4) 0754 223.007

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Baia Mare Taxi

Baia Mare Taxi Companies
NamePhone #
Galant (+4) 0799 942.942
Stotax (+4) 0749 953.953
Taxi Ro(+4) 0756 944.944
Mara (+4) 0728 112.112
USI Taxi (+4) 0745 921.044

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Baia Mare Hotels

Accommodations in Baia Mare include:

Hotel Name Class Location
Urban three-star / midscale Baia Mare town centre
Europa three-star / midscale one mile south of Baia Mare town centre
Carpati four-star / midscale Baia Mare town centre
Diafan three-star / midscale Baia Mare town centre
Castel Transilvania four-star / midscale two miles south of Baia Mare town centre
Romanita four-star / midscale three miles west of Baia Mare town centre
Primera Dru four-star / midscale four miles west of Baia Mare town centre
Magnus three-star / midscale four miles west of Baia Mare town centre
Rivulus three-star / midscale Baia Mare town centre

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Tourist Info

Maramures Tourist Information Center
Centrul de Informare Turistica Maramures
Address: Str. Gheorghe Sincai 46, Baia Mare
Telephone: (+4) 0262 206.113
E-mail
www.VisitMaramures.ro

Postal services & Telephone

Post offices display a postal horn symbol and the word Posta.

Main Post Office
Address: Blvd. Traian 1 A
Telephone: (+4) 0262 250.364
Open:
Mon. – Fri.: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sat. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Telephoning Baia Mare from Abroad
International Access Code +4 (country code) + 0262 or 0362 (area code) + six-digit telephone number

Baia Mare Pharmacies & Hospitals

Baia Mare Pharmacies (Farmacie) open non-stop:

Farmacia Remedium
Address: Bulevardul Republicii 22
Telephone: (+4) 0262 224.774

Farmacia Helena
Address: Bulevardul Republicii 1
Telephone: (+4) 0262 276.755

Farmacia Somesan
Address: Strada Păşunii 2
Telephone: (+4) 0262 277.505

Farmacia Cardio
Address: Str. Cosbuc George 50B
Telephone: (+4) 0262 218.333

Maramures County Emergency Hospital
Spitalul Judetean de Urgenta "Dr. Constantin Opris"
Address: Str. George Cosbuc
Tel: (+4) 0262 205.129
Website

Baia Mare Local Authorities

General Emergency #: 112
(Ambulance ((Ambulanta)), Police (Politia), Fire Department (Pompierii)

Maramures County Archives - Baia Mare
Directia Judeteana Maramures a Arhivelor Nationale
Address: Bd. Bucuresti 26,
Baia Mare, postal code 430052
Telephone: (+4) 0262 437.948
E-mail Hours

Baia Mare Town Hall
Primaria Baia Mare
Address: Str. Gh. Sincai 37
Telephonne: (+4) 0262 211.001
Website

Consumer Protection Agency
Oficiul pentru Protectia Consumatorilor
Address: Str. Dimitrie Cantemir 4B
Telephone: (+4) 0262 218.887
E-mail
Website

Maps

- Baia Mare City Map -- Harta orasului Baia Mare
- Romania Map of Tourist Attractions and Main Roads -- Harta Atractii Turistice din Romania