Rakoczi staircase became well known in the entire world, because its 70 steps which connect Strada Revoluţiei (Revolution Street) to Parcul Cetăţii Medievale (the Park of the Mediaeval Fortress) have been drawn in an original way. The staircase in Târgu Mureş was painted with Transylvanian traditional motives in July 2014.
The Romanian tourists and not only heard about the beauty of this staircase and it became one of the most appreciated touristic attractions of the city of Târgu Mureş.
Rakoczi staircase was painted with a motive specific to the Transylvanian traditional costume, as part of a project named “Digital Transylvania” of the Green Art Tour Association, aiming at attracting as many tourists as possible to Târgu Mureş. And it seems the goal was reached in no time, if we consider that last year Bored Panda publication designated it as the most beautiful painted staircase in the world, based on the reader’s votes.
A Staircase Like a Peasant’s Carpet
The spectacular staircase in Mureş County was built by master Soos Pal, who also built many other buildings in the city, in the year 1902. The name of the 70 steps comes from the Transylvanian prince Rakoczi the IInd, who led the Magyar revolution against Habsburg domination between 1703 and 1711.
The tourists who sit in front of Rakoczi staircase have the impression that they are looking to a peasant’s carpet from Ardeal (Transylvania). The steps are painted in white, black and red and present motives also to be found on the traditional costumes or on the traditional towels in Transylvania. Only the vertical steps of the Rakoczi staircase are painted. The horizontal ones are left unpainted, so that the traditional motives can only be admired by the persons going upstairs or by those who admire the staircase upwards.
“The intervention with non-permanent paints (on water basis) on the Rakoczi staircases was approved by the Mayoralty of Târgu Mureş municipal town and by the Ministry of Culture. The theme of the design is a digital one, realized based on pixels, representing Transylvanian traditional motives. Although the Rakoczi staircases are not on the list of historical monuments of Mureş County, we hope that, by means of this Digital Transylvania project they will become an attraction point for tourists”, transmits Green Art Tour Association on Facebook.
Photo: Facebook Digital Transilvania
Sources:
“Scara Rakoczi din Târgu Mureş, considerată cea mai frumoasă scară pictată din lume” - http://www.worldwideromania.com/2014/08/23/scara-rakoczi-din-targu-mures-considerata-cea-mai-frumoasa-scara-pictata-din-lume/
“Scara Rakoczi din Târgu-Mureş, cea mai frumoasă scară din lume, cu model digital tradiţional” -http://adevarul.ro/locale/targu-mures/scara-rakoczi-targu-mures-cea-mai-frumoasa-scara-dinlume-model-digital-traditional-1_550dc7da448e03c0fdc69d62/index.html
“Potrivit unui site din străinătate, cea mai frumoasă scară din lume este în România. În ce oraş se află?” - http://www.descopera.ro/dnews/12929772-potrivit-unui-site-din-strainatate-cea-mai-frumoasa-scara-din-lume-este-in-romania-in-ce-oras-se-afla
“Digital Transilvania – Scara Rakoczi, Târgu Mureş” - http://www.weart.ro/digital-transilvania-scara-rakoczi-targu-mures/
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