Most residents of Cluj-Napoca will already be aware of the recent changes to strada Mihail Kogălniceanu, transforming the once crowded space in front of Babeș-Bolyai University into a more pedestrian-friendly area, but now the works have started on the removal of the parking lot and pedestrianisation of strada Universității.

The works were planned and announced a number of years ago and aim at closing most of the surrounding roads, with the exception of access for emergency vehicles.

The original statue of “Sfânta Maria Protectoare” (Saint Mary Protector), a statue dating back to 1744 will also be returned to the location where the current carpark stands. The statue was moved back in 1959 to behind the small church (Sfântul Petru) near the BRD building in Mărăști, due to a disagreement around religious figures being located in front of the university.

There will also be electric charging stations for vehicles, bikes and scooters, as well as the planting of new trees.

The transformation of the area will effectively create a new gathering space, similar to that of Piața Muzeului (Museum Square), which sits on the opposite side of Piața Unirii.