Discount Bank Palace (Steiner Palace), Timișoara
Budapest’s star Secession duo Komor & Jakab left their mark on Timișoara’s Unirii Square with a bank palace whose facade turns finance into flowers.
At a glance
On the corner of Piața Unirii, the former Discount Bank — also known as the Steiner Palace — is one of Timișoara’s finest Secession buildings. It was designed by Marcell Komor and Dezső Jakab, the Budapest partnership behind the Subotica synagogue and Târgu Mureș culture palace. Building permit 1908, completed 1909; listed as LMI TM-II-s-A-06095.
History
Timișoara’s banks competed in architecture as much as in interest rates. For its seat on Unirii Square the Discount Bank turned to Komor & Jakab, then at the height of their fame. The palace carried shops and the bank hall below and apartments above — the standard formula of the period, executed here with unusual richness.
What you see
The facade bends around its corner with shallow bay windows and a crown of curved gables. Floral and folk-inspired motifs — the signature of the Hungarian Secession — spread across the upper storeys. The composition is best read from the middle of the square, where both street fronts are visible at once.
Cultural significance
The palace ties Timișoara to the wider network of Secession cities of the former Austria-Hungary, from Budapest to Subotica and Oradea. Its restoration accompanied the city’s year as European Capital of Culture in 2023, when Unirii Square regained much of its 1900s colour.
Key facts
- Architects: Marcell Komor and Dezső Jakab
- Built: permit 1908, completed 1909
- Style: Hungarian Secession
- Heritage listing: LMI TM-II-s-A-06095
- Location: Piața Unirii, Timișoara
- Coordinates: 45.7575 N, 21.2278 E
Practical information & getting there
Piața Unirii is the heart of the old town, ten minutes on foot from Piața Victoriei. The facade is visible at all times; the ground floor hosts shops and cafés. Combine it with the Baroque palace and the Serbian cathedral on the same square.
Sources & resources
Find it on the map
See this place and what’s around it →📷 Diventa un fotografo di Cultural Heritage Online
Condividi le tue foto dei luoghi: restano pubblicate con la tua firma come autore. Più vengono viste, più ti fai conoscere — e presto un concorso premierà le foto più apprezzate.
Accedi o registrati gratis per aggiungere una fotoDo you manage this place?
This page is read by travellers and heritage enthusiasts who find it on Google. Keep it accurate — and make it work for you. Free for non-profit heritage institutions.