The Garden of the Episcopal Palace

A breath of serenity in the heart of the raucous city. As I step through the wrought-iron gates, I am transported to a different place. The lush fauna, the Baroque Palace, the passers-by, all make me feel like a time-traveller. Walking around in the park, the visitor is lured by many different scenes. The first would be the garden. That’s where the most people are. The elderly are chatting, the children are playing, and everybody’s smiling. At the end of the garden, there is the stage, where I can find myself in the leading role of my fantasies’ play. In the back, there is a small forest, a place of mysteries. It was always great to play tag or hide-and-seek there...

            The most compelling scene of all is the square in front of the cathedral. It’s the most charming place to sit down and rest a bit, so you can take in everything this place has to offer. As I look around from a bench, I am surrounded by history, religion, and peace. The Baroque Palace, the Roman Catholic Cathedral, and the Equestrian Statue of Saint Ladislaus, all lead to a different era. When the beautiful magnolia trees—the gems of this square—are in full bloom, they attract both the citizens of this city, and the people from all around the area. For a moment I always seem to forget that I’m still in Oradea. And if I close my eyes for a second, the ambience is even more compelling. No traffic breaks the silence, all I hear is singing birds, softly rustling wind and the tolling of bells. Only if I try harder can I hear the rumbling of the trains of the nearby station. This is a calmer, gentler world. A breath of serenity in the heart of the raucous city.

By Zoltán Kovács, 3rd year Hungarian-English major

Photos by Arnold Szabó and Tamás Szabó, 3rd year Fine Arts-Graphics majors

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forrás: en.partium.ro