About Firemen's Tower
The Firemen's Tower rises in the north-east of Cluj's old citadel, on Strada Tipografiei. At first called the Locksmiths' Tower or the Small Gate of Soap Street, it was completed in 1574, in the time of Stephen Báthory, and reached 28.5 m. From 1585 the town council posted permanent watchmen here to raise the alarm in case of fire. After the fire of 22 June 1876, which destroyed it, the tower was rebuilt and raised by two more storeys, and it remained a fire lookout until 1936.
It is one of the few medieval defensive towers of Cluj to have survived. In the 1980s a glass dome was added for an astronomy museum, after which it briefly housed a firefighters' museum. Since 2011 it has been run by the municipality; renovated with EU funds after an international solutions competition, it was opened to the public on 20 March 2023 and is part of City Hall's Urban Culture Centre. The glass dome has been replaced by a panoramic terrace.
What you can see
From the street you see the stone base of the tower and the plastered storeys above it, with the open terrace at the top. You take the lift to the top, where the 360° panorama takes in the rooftops of the historic centre, and walk down the inner staircase, level by level, through the tower's historical stages. On the staircase there are exhibitions on the history of the tower and of Cluj's firefighters, with archive photographs, old fire-fighting equipment, dioramas and digital displays.
Good to know
Entry is free. The tower is part of the Urban Culture Centre of Cluj-Napoca City Hall, and the exhibitions on the staircase change.
Information verified on 27 October 2026.
- The panoramic terrace at the top, with a 360° view over the rooftops of the historic centre.
- The stone base of the tower, from the 16th century, with the plastered storeys added after the fire of 1876.
- The walk down the inner staircase, level by level, through the tower's historical stages.
- The old fire-fighting equipment and the archive photographs of Cluj's firefighters.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: the tower is in the historic centre of Cluj, on Strada Tipografiei, ~7 minutes' walk from Piața Unirii. Leave the car in a car park in the centre and walk.
Public transport: from Cluj-Napoca railway station you reach the centre by public transport or on foot in ~15–20 minutes; from Piața Unirii it is a further ~7 minutes' walk.
- Where to park
Spaces on the streets in the centre of Cluj are paid, at a machine or in the app, and fill up quickly on weekdays. From the car parks nearby you reach the tower on foot in a few minutes.
- Fees & discounts
Entry to the tower is free.
- Rules
The usual rules of a historic monument apply: do not touch the exhibits and do not climb on the structural elements. Photography on the terrace and the staircase is generally allowed.
- Facilities
Lift · exhibitions on the inner staircase · panoramic terrace
Frequently asked questions about Firemen's Tower
- How much is a ticket to Firemen's Tower?
- Admission to Firemen's Tower is free (free entry). Entry to the tower is free.
- What are the opening hours of Firemen's Tower?
- Opening hours at Firemen's Tower: daily 10:00 – 18:00. Daily, including weekends: 10:00–18:00 in the warm season and 09:00–17:00 in the cold season.
- How long does a visit to Firemen's Tower take?
- A visit to Firemen's Tower takes about 45 min (lift up, stairs down).
- Can you visit Firemen's Tower with kids?
- Yes, Firemen's Tower is suitable for children (lift, exhibitions and dioramas).
- Where can I park at Firemen's Tower?
- There is paid parking at Firemen's Tower (on the streets in the centre). Spaces on the streets in the centre of Cluj are paid, at a machine or in the app, and fill up quickly on weekdays. From the car parks nearby you reach the tower on foot in a few minutes.
- How do I get to Firemen's Tower?
- Firemen's Tower is located at Strada Tipografiei 17, Cluj-Napoca, Cluj County. By car: the tower is in the historic centre of Cluj, on Strada Tipografiei, ~7 minutes' walk from Piața Unirii. Leave the car in a car park in the centre and walk. Public transport: from Cluj-Napoca railway station you reach the centre by public transport or on foot in ~15–20 minutes; from Piața Unirii it is a further ~7 minutes' walk.
- When is the best time to visit Firemen's Tower?
- The best season for Firemen's Tower: All year round (all year, best when clear).
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