Culture of and in Cluj
Established as a Roman settlement and later as a fortress of German influence, the Cluj city developed into a flourishing town during the Middle Ages and was reshaped in baroque style during the 18th century. It has the vocation of a Central European cultural space, with many of its present cultural landmarks being built during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A city with a diverse and rich heritage, it has been shaped by all artistic trends and historical influences of the 20th century, from the tragedies of war to the Communist regime and the transition to democracy. Contemporary urbanism, modernism and social-realism add a specific touch to an urban landscape that is mainly eclectic at its center and post-industrial on its peripheries. As with any major European city, Cluj-Napoca is defined by several layers of civilisation, but the failure to recognise its own history as a whole is a local specialty. In a city where the culture, traditions, daily rituals and everyday language are shaped by Romanians, Hungarians, Germans, Jews and Roma, as well as by different religions, the public discourse has constantly minimized the contribution that one or another of these cultures have had on its history.
Cluj-Napoca is defined by a rich and dynamic cultural life, being also the city with the highest cultural vitality in Romania (after Bucharest, the capital city). The local cultural and artistic scene is represented by: the public sector (around 19 cultural institutions – museums, theaters, opera houses and the philharmonic) and the independent scene (over 60 NGOs that create cultural events). To complete a rich cultural agenda, every year there are over 100 festivals of theater, literature, dance, music, visual arts, both traditional and contemporary.
If you are passionate about culture, especially the culture around Cluj you can read more information on the following link: http://traditiiclujene.ro/cultura-traditionala-din-judetul-cluj-5/.
Because there are many cultural events happening in Cluj every day, we propose below a set of useful links that will direct you to the main events or institutions that are organizing and hosting events in Cluj.
Useful links:
- General links
Cluj-Napoca City Hall – https://primariaclujnapoca.ro/cultura
Tourist Information Center: Visit Cluj – https://www.visitclujnapoca.ro/en/
Cluj Cultural Centre – https://cccluj.ro/home/
Centres for Urban Culture in Cluj – https://culturaurbana.ro/
Tranzit House – https://www.tranzithouse.ro/en
- Events calendar
Calendar of Theatre events in Cluj – https://teatruincluj.ro/
ClujLife – https://www.clujlife.com/evenimente/
Cluj.com – https://cluj.com/evenimente-in-cluj/
- Music
Transylvania State Philharmonic – http://filarmonicatransilvania.ro/en/
Romanian National Opera of Cluj-Napoca – https://operacluj.ro/en/about/
Hungarian Opera of Cluj – https://operamaghiara.ro/
- Theatre
“Lucian Blaga” National Theater – https://www.teatrulnationalcluj.ro/en/
Hungarian State Theater – https://www.huntheater.ro/en/
“Puck” Puppet Theater – http://teatrulpuck.ro/?lang=en
Reactor – a place for creative experiments – https://reactor-cluj.com/en/home-page/
- Cinema
Victoria Cinema – https://cinemavictoria.ro/
Arta Cinema – https://www.cinema-arta.ro/
“Florin Piersic” Cinema – https://www.facebook.com/CinemaFlorinPiersic/
Mărăști Cinema – https://www.facebook.com/CINEMAMARASTI
Dacia Cinema – https://www.facebook.com/CinemaDaciaCluj/
Cinema City – https://www.cinemacity.ro/
- Museums
Art Museum – https://www.macluj.ro/
National Museum of Transylvanian History – https://www.mnit.ro/
Ethnographic Museum of Transylvania – https://www.muzeul-etnografic.ro/ro
Muzeon – Jewish History Museum – https://muzeon.ro/en/
The Museum of the Orthodox Metropolitan of Cluj – https://www.visitclujnapoca.ro/en/atractii-turistice/muzee/page/2/the-museum-of-of-the-orthodox-metropolitan-of-cluj.html
Pharmacy Museum – https://www.facebook.com/colectiefarmacluj/
The “Alexandru Borza” Botanical Garden and the Botanical Museum – https://www.visitclujnapoca.ro/en/atractii-turistice/muzee/the-alexandru-borza-botanical-garden-and-the-botanical-museum.html
The Babeș-Bolyai University Museum – http://www.visitclujnapoca.ro/en/atractii-turistice/muzee/the-babesbolyai-university-museum.html
The “Emil Racovita” Speleology Museum – https://www.visitclujnapoca.ro/en/atractii-turistice/muzee/the-emil-racovita-speleology-museum.html
The Babes-Bolyai University Museum of Mineralogy – https://www.visitclujnapoca.ro/en/atractii-turistice/muzee/page/2/the-babesbolyai-university-museum-of-mineralogy.html
The Paleontology and Stratigraphy Museum – https://www.visitclujnapoca.ro/en/atractii-turistice/muzee/page/2/the-paleontology-and-stratigraphy-museum.html
The Zoological Museum – https://www.visitclujnapoca.ro/en/atractii-turistice/muzee/page/3/the-zoological-museum.html
The University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Museums – https://www.visitclujnapoca.ro/en/atractii-turistice/muzee/page/3/the-university-of-agricultural-sciences-and-veterinary-medicine-museums.html
The Water Museum – https://www.visitclujnapoca.ro/en/atractii-turistice/muzee/page/3/the-water-museum.html
- Main Festivals & Events
Transylvanian International Film Festival – https://tiff.ro/en
Jazz in the Park – https://www.jazzinthepark.ro/en/home/
Electric Castle – https://electriccastle.ro/
Untold – https://untold.com/
Clujotronic – Electro Arts Festival – https://www.clujotronic.ro/
Hungarian Cultural Days of Cluj – https://www.facebook.com/zilelemaghiarecluj/
Cluj Days – http://zileleclujului.ro/2019/en/cluj-days/
Night of the Museums – https://noapteamuzeelor.org/
Street Food Festival – https://streetfoodfestival.ro/
Wonderpuck Street Festival – http://www.wonderpuck.eu/home/
Transylvania International Book Festival – https://www.facebook.com/FestivalulDeCarteTransilvania/
Cluj Design Days – https://www.facebook.com/clujdesigndays/
ZAIN – Festival of Creative Work – https://www.facebook.com/zain.expressions
Opera Aperta – https://operacluj.ro/opera-aperta/
Musical Autumn of Cluj – http://filarmonicatransilvania.ro/en/
- Art Galleries
Centrul de Interes – http://centruldeinteres.art/
Quadro Gallery – https://galeriaquadro.ro/
ZIZ – Art and Social Area – https://www.facebook.com/zizartandsocialarea/
Aici Acolo Pop Up Gallery – https://www.facebook.com/aiciacoloaiciacolo/
IAGA – Internaţional Art Gallery – https://iagacontemporaryart.com/
ClujArt – https://www.facebook.com/ClujArt2019/
- Libraries
Libraries list – https://primariaclujnapoca.ro/cultura/institutii-de-cultura/biblioteci/