The Unitarian Church of Turda

 

The Unitarian Church of Turda (in Hungarian, A Tordai unitárius templom) is a historic and architectural monument located in the city of Turda.

History

The buildings at 1 Dacia Street (formerly the Unitarian Gymnasium) and 3 Dacia Street (the Unitarian Church) used to form a harmonious architectural complex. Initially, in 1589, the Unitarian School was built on this site, during the birth of Unitarianism. In 1568, the Unitarians took over the Roman Catholic Church at 54 Republic Square, but they were forced to return it to the Roman Catholic cult in 1721. After 1721, the Turda Unitarians temporarily used a wing of the Unitarian School at 1 Dacia Street as a place of worship until 1784, when construction of the current Unitarian Church began (1784-1797), parallel to the reconstruction of the Unitarian School and the Unitarian Gymnasium.

The church was built by the master mason Janos Sandor from Moldovenești (Varfalău) in Cluj County. The interior of the church was finished in 1797. The church was built on the site of an old Unitarian School. Part of the school building was demolished in 1801 to make way for the church tower, built between 1801-1809.

On the wall of the church annex building (where the Unitarian Gymnasium used to be located), there is a quadratic plaque with the Latin inscription: MUSIS ET VIRTUTIBUS SACRUM MDCCCLXV (Sacred to the Muses and Virtues 1865).

The church was repaired in 1828, 1890, 1903 and 1946. It was renovated to a greater extent in 1903, according to the plans of architect Lajos Pakey.

The Turda local councilor Iosif Pataki managed in the 80-90s of the 20th century to impress with his wooden sculptures. His most important achievement was the decoration of the interior and courtyard of the Turda Unitarian Church with fine wooden objects. Since 1984, when the decoration of the church began, Iosif Pataki has created over 60 wooden works, from candelabra to paneling and artisanal tables. One of his most important achievements is the dome of the pulpit, which has the Unitarians' credo inscribed on the frontispiece: Egy az Isten - Unul este Dumnezeu - Unus est Deus – God is One.