The unification of Transylvania with Romania following World War I had immediate consequences on the organization of the Orthodox Church in the principality. In 1925 a law was issued to consolidate religious unity throughout the country. At the same time, a vast campaign was initiated with the purpose of building churches in Transylvanian urban areas that would match the real demographics of the Orthodox population. The massive churches built after 1918 in Cluj, Alba-Iulia, Timșoara and Tîrgu Mureș are proof of the revival of Romanian Orthodox spirituality. The old wooden church of Tîrgu-Mureș dating from the 18th century was no longer appropriate for the ever growing number of parishioners. Therefore, in 1925, the new local administration subordinated to the Romanian State proceeded to the building of a new church. Mayor Emil Dandea and the archpriest of Mureș stefan Rusu were the most active officials involved in the project. Ever since 1920 and 1921 significant fundraising campaigns were organized throughout the country. Political circumstances allowed for the church to be built in the historical center of the town. Thus, the chosen location was the northern end of Trandafirilor Square where the singing fountain of Bodor Peter used to be. The church was dedicated to “The Ascension of God”, and the laying of the first stone on May 10, 1925 by bishop Nicolae Ivan was turned by the municipality and arch-priest”™s office into a major event, attended by the minister of cults Alexandru Lapedatu and former minister Octavian Goga. Architect Victor Vlad was the designer and supervisor of the construction works. The building was finalized in 1934 and sanctified the same year, on December 2nd. Thanks to its monumental size and the large surface of interior mural painting, the cathedral ranks high among the most important Orthodox churches of Romania. It was built in the neo-Byzantine style, with a Greek cross plan, a central arched ceiling that covers the main trave and four smaller arches above the towers in the corners.  The inside space is divided in a typical Orthodox church style: pro-nave, nave and altar.  In order to make the church appear larger, the wall between the nave and pro-nave was replaced by four columns. Above the pro-nave and the lateral arms of the nave there are balconies supported by marble columns, decorated with relieved geometric and vegetal motives. The main façade is dominated by the huge semicircular fronton with windows placed so as to describe a cross. The large entrance door leads to an anteroom from where the interior of the church may be reached through one regular and two revolving doors. The tympana of the central vault and of the four vaults of the towers are pierced by semicircular windows, the arches of which are supported by small and robust columns originating in the Brâncoveanu style. The interior walls were decorated with frescos much later, between 1970 and 1986, by painter Nicolae Stoica.  The main vault was the first to be painted by famous painter Aurel Ciupe who lived in Tîrgu-Mureș between 1932 -1940 as custodian of the Art Gallery and teacher at the Free Art School he established. The walls of the pro-nave are painted with medallions representing the most representative Orthodox churches in Transylvania. A particularity of this space are the scenes of the lives of two 17 century martyr Transylvanian bishops : Ilie Iorest and Sava Brancovici. The vault is decorated with a stained glass representing Jesus Pantocrator, and the abse of the altar with an impressive mosaic of Virgin Mary and the Child. The scenes on the lateral arms of the nave depict the birth and resurrection of Christ. The nave is separate from the altar by a rood screen of huge dimensions. The sculptural elements of the rood screen are authored by Traian Bobletec of Nazna, whereas the panels and doors were painted by Virgil Simionescu. The screen is made up of four horizontal registers of icons, divided by sculpted and gilded decorations.  The imperial icons: “Jesus Christ Teacher”, “Saint Nicolas”, “Virgin Mary with the Child”, “Saint John the Baptist” are separated by small twisted columns with composite caps and make up, together with the imperial walls, the lower row. The following icon register illustrates scenes of the life of Jesus in panels decorated with grapevine motives. The third row of paintings is dominated by the central panel, much larger than the others. Which depicts Jesus among the twelve apostles. The fourth row is made up of icons depicting scenes of the life of Jesus and Virgin Mary, and the last one portrays the twelve profets. The Orthodox Cathedral was the first Romanian edifice to be built in the center of Tîrgu Mureº in an area dominated by architectural styles originating in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. On the right side there are the  Roman-Catholic Church, erected by Jesuit monks and the Nagy Szabó House, while on the left side there are the Köpeczi House, the House on Arches, the Görög House and The Tower of the Franciscan Church  which was torn down to make place for the National Theater. In view of the historical evolution of the city it is obvious that the building of the Orthodox Cathedral was a symbolic act to confirm the political, social and religious unity after the Great Unification. Bibliography: Nicolae Gheorghe șincan, Nicolae Băciuț, Catedrala Mare „Înălțarea Domnului” Tîrgu-Mureș, Ed. Nico, Tîrgu-Mureș, 2006. Ioan Eugen Man, Un monument de artă neobrâncovenească in vol. "Tîrgu-Mureș, oraș al artelor", published by the Tîrgu-Mureș City Hall in cooperation with the "Vatra" review, pp. 186-198.