# Firemen's Tower

[Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Maramureș](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/maramures) › [Satu Mare County](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/county/satu-mare) › [Satu Mare](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/city/satu-mare)

> A red-brick fire tower, 47 m tall, built in 1904 on the initiative of Bishop Gyula Meszlényi; the balcony at the top looks out over the whole centre of Satu Mare.

**At a glance:** Fortresses and fortifications in Satu Mare, Satu Mare County. Opening hours: Monday closed, Tuesday–Sunday 16:00 – 21:00. Open from 17 April to 27 September. Ticket: 10 lei. The visit takes 30 min. Information verified on 28 October 2026.

## Key facts

- **Opening hours:** Monday closed, Tuesday–Sunday 16:00 – 21:00 — Open from 17 April to 27 September — Tuesday to Sunday, 16:00–21:00; closed on Mondays and public holidays. Open seasonally, from April to the end of September; in rain or strong wind the climb may be suspended.
- **Ticket:** 10 lei — 5 lei reduced (with proof)
- **Visit duration:** 30 min — 154 steps, up and down
- **With kids:** Yes — free up to age 14
- **Parking:** Yes, paid — on the streets in the centre
- **Best season:** April – September — open April–September
- **Address:** Piața Jean Calvin, Satu Mare, Satu Mare County
- **Coordinates:** 47.79443, 22.87594
- **Website:** https://www.primariasm.ro/visit-turnul-pompierilor
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firemen%27s_Tower_(Satu_Mare)
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1329435
- **Categories:** [Fortresses and fortifications](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/fortresses-and-fortifications), [Monuments and historic sites](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/monuments-and-historic-sites)

## About Firemen's Tower

The Firemen's Tower rises in the Centrul Nou district of Satu Mare, in a small park near Piața Libertății. It is 47 m tall and was built in 1903–1904 on the initiative of the Roman Catholic bishop Gyula Meszlényi, who put up 20,000 gold crowns to move the fire-watching post from the cathedral tower. The design is by Ferencz Dittler and the construction was carried out by Lajos Vajnay; a plaque on the façade commemorates all three.

The tower was used to spot fires, and in 1925 it received the first radio antenna in Satu Mare. In 1939 its demolition was proposed, for fear of air raids, but it escaped, and in the Second World War shrapnel left 33 marks on its walls. Once the telephone became widespread, the tower lost its original role and became a tourist attraction; renovated in 2005, with an observation platform at the top, it was reopened on 13 September 2005. Today it is run by the "G. M. Zamfirescu" Cultural Centre.

### What you can see

The tower has a square base of red brick, with white cornices and commemorative plaques, from which rises the slender round shaft, crowned by a circular balcony with an iron railing and a small cupola. You climb a spiral metal staircase of 154 steps to the balcony, from where you can see the panorama of the city.

### Good to know

The tower is open seasonally, from April to the end of September, Tuesday to Sunday. Only 10 people at a time go up the stairs and onto the balcony, and in rain or strong wind the climb may be suspended.

## Don't miss

- The circular balcony at the top, with a panorama of the city.
- The spiral metal staircase, with 154 steps.
- The plaque on the façade commemorating Bishop Meszlényi, the architect Dittler and the builder Vajnay.
- The red-brick walls, with the marks of Second World War shrapnel.

## Good to know before you go

### Getting there

**By car:** the tower is in the Centrul Nou district, in the small park on Piața Jean Calvin, ~2 km from Satu Mare railway station (~4 minutes by car). Leave the car in a car park in the centre and walk.

**On foot:** from Satu Mare railway station it is ~2 km, ~25 minutes; from the Hotel Dacia and the Roman Catholic Cathedral, on Piața Libertății, the tower is ~0.5 km away, ~7 minutes.

### Where to park

Parking on the streets in the town centre is paid. From the car parks nearby you reach the tower on foot in a few minutes.

### Fees & discounts

Adults pay 10 lei, and pupils, students and pensioners 5 lei, on presentation of proof of status. Entry is free for children aged 0 to 14. Binoculars can be rented for 15 lei, and photo sessions in the tower cost 50 lei per person per hour.

### Rules

Only 10 people at a time go up the stairs and onto the balcony, and in rain or strong wind the climb may be suspended. The rules of the site are to be respected.

### Facilities

Viewing balcony · binocular rental · photo sessions for a fee

## Details

- **Construction period:** 1904
- **Founder:** Bishop Gyula Meszlényi
- **State of preservation:** restored
- **Historical period:** 20th century

## Frequently asked questions about Firemen's Tower

**How much is a ticket to Firemen's Tower?**

A ticket to Firemen's Tower costs 10 lei (5 lei reduced (with proof)). More under “Fees & discounts”.

**What are the opening hours of Firemen's Tower?**

Opening hours at Firemen's Tower: Monday closed, Tuesday–Sunday 16:00 – 21:00. More under “Opening hours”.

**How long does a visit to Firemen's Tower take?**

A visit to Firemen's Tower takes about 30 min (154 steps, up and down).

**Can you visit Firemen's Tower with kids?**

Yes, Firemen's Tower is suitable for children (free up to age 14).

**Where can I park at Firemen's Tower?**

There is paid parking at Firemen's Tower (on the streets in the centre). More under “Where to park”.

**How do I get to Firemen's Tower?**

Firemen's Tower is located at Piața Jean Calvin, Satu Mare, Satu Mare County. More under “Getting there”.

**When is the best time to visit Firemen's Tower?**

The best season for Firemen's Tower: April – September (open April–September).

## Nearby attractions

- [Dacia Hotel](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/dacia-hotel) — Monuments and historic sites · Satu Mare, SM · Free · 15 min · 0 km
  The former Pannonia Hotel, built in 1901–1902 in Liberty Square to plans by Zoltán Bálint and Lajos Jámbor, is one of the finest Secession buildings in Satu Mare. It can only be seen from outside: it is under restoration.
- [Ascension Cathedral (Roman Catholic Cathedral)](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/ascension-cathedral) — Churches · Satu Mare, SM · Free · 30 min · 0 km
  The Cathedral of the Ascension, rebuilt in neoclassical style between 1830 and 1837: a portico of six Corinthian columns and two towers dominate Piața Libertății, and inside lies the tomb of a martyr bishop.
- [Károlyi Castle](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/karolyi-castle) — Castles and palaces · Carei, SM · 40 lei · 1 – 1½ hours · 43 km
  Eclectic castle with towers and a moat, rebuilt in 1894–1896 by the Károlyi family in the middle of a three-century-old dendrological park; inside, period interiors, wax figures and African trophies.
- [Luna Șes](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/luna-ses) — Ski slopes · Negrești-Oaș, SM · Free · 3½ – 4 hours · 63 km
  The tourist area of the town of Negrești-Oaș, at the foot of Pietroasa Peak: the only ski slope in Satu Mare county, of intermediate difficulty, with a chairlift and floodlit skiing, plus waymarked trails to the Oaș Sphinx.
- [Stephen's Tower (Turnul Ștefan)](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/stephen-s-tower) — Monuments and historic sites · Baia Mare, MM · 5 lei · 30 min · 71 km
  The 15th-century bell tower of a demolished church and the symbol of Baia Mare, on Piața Cetății; the gallery at the top gives a panorama of the city.
- [Béldy Castle in Jibou](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/beldy-castle-in-jibou) — Castles and palaces · Jibou, SJ · 30 min · 81 km
  A neo-Renaissance manor from 1903, hidden in an oak forest near Jibou; owned by Sălaj County Council, temporarily closed and not set up for visitors, so it can only be seen from outside.

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Full page: https://peplaiuri.ro/en/firemen-s-tower-satu-mare
Other languages: Română: https://peplaiuri.ro/turnul-pompierilor-satu-mare.md · Deutsch: https://peplaiuri.ro/de/feuerwehrturm-satu-mare.md · Italiano: https://peplaiuri.ro/it/torre-dei-pompieri-satu-mare.md · Français: https://peplaiuri.ro/fr/tour-des-pompiers-satu-mare.md · Español: https://peplaiuri.ro/es/torre-de-los-bomberos-satu-mare.md · Magyar: https://peplaiuri.ro/hu/tuzoltotorony-satu-mare.md
Last updated: 28 October 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania