Astra Park

The park is situated in the heart of the city, delimitated by Mitrpoliei Street, George Baritiu Street, Ioan Lupas Street and the Unirii Square.
The idea of founding a park following the demolishing of the city walls on this side dates from 1869 and was implemented in 1879, along with the founding of the Society for the city embellishing, the park being the first notable accomplishment of this society.
The park hosts 9 busts of the most important Romanian personalities grouped around the association with the same name: Gheorghe Baritiu, Badea Cartan, Timotei Cipariu, Octavian Goga, Gheorghe Lazăr, Andrei Mureşanu, Andrei Saguna, Ioan Slavici, Emanuil Gojdu and Alexandru Vaida Voievod.
The bust of Bariţiu, the most imposing work, situated exactly in front of the entrance in the Palace, was made by Oskar Späthe in 1912 and placed in the park in 1924.
The bust of Goga was made by Ada Geo Medrea, wife of sculptor Corneliu Medrea.
On the left side of the park there exists a pediatrics clinic, a building decorated with motifs taken from the Baroque repertoire. The next building is the Association Palace, inaugurated in 1905 and hosting a conference hall, a library, the first Romanian theatre hall and the Museum of Romanian Painting and Ethnography. At the present, the building hosts the Astra library, the most important library of the city.
The entrance in the building is made through the gate guarded by two atlases. The former theatre hall is now the reading hall of the library and it impresses by its Victorian atmosphere and the rich interior decorations.
The former Normal School for Girls, nowadays the Special School for Children with Hearing Difficulties is situated near the palace.
The Eastern side of the park includes a series of buildings dating from the beginning of the 19th century. Buildings no. 1 and 3 date were built at the beginning of the 20th century in the Art Deco style.