During the medieval and pre-modern periods, guilds played an important role in the evolution of the town. These were organizations of craftsmen with clearly defined statutes, approved by the king, which had an important contribution to the defense of the town. One of the most important and numerous guilds was that of the shoemakers and tanners. In 1620 the members of this guild took part in the building of the fortress by erecting the polygonal bastion placed in the south-western corner. In 1800, the shoemakers”™ guild had the most members, namely 254. The guild system lasted until 1872 when the craftsmen organized themselves in associations. Due to the amendment of the association”™s rules of functioning, at the end of the 19th century it became obvious that a new building was needed in order for the new Association of Shoemakers to function appropriately. The blueprints were drawn-up by architect Nagy Gyözö and the construction works were supervised by Sóos Pal. The building at 49 Trandafirilor Square has a ground floor and a top floor. Initially there may have been two lateral wings, next to the main building, on the sides of the interior yard. According to the inscription on the central, rooftop gable, the construction was finalized in 1890. The Association”™s offices were on the top floor, while the ground floor was turned into a restaurant. In 1937 – 1938, the façade was remodeled and the interior was decorated with paintings of palm trees and peacocks. In 1949 the restaurant was turned into a cinema, and part of the façade was modified. The remodeling of 1982, however, restored the initial appearance of the façade in an eclectic style with neo-classical touches, specific to the end of the 19th century. The most important element of the façade is the semi-circular gable on the central axis of the ground floor. It is richly decorated with two large, volute-shaped consoles that support two atlantes. These, in turn, support the balcony on the top floor with their arms crossed above their heads. The busts of the atlantes are beautifully modeled, their muscles prominent so as to suggest a real effort in supporting the weight above their heads. The two floors are delimited by a frieze made up of a succession of balusters. The windows on the top floor have large, semi-circular openings and their framings are elaborately decorated. Each window is flanked by svelte columns, with their bases decorated in relief and with Ionic caps. The keystones are shaped as acanthus leaves. In the corners between the columns and the arch of the window opening, there are triangular panels with vegetal motifs. The lateral windows are grouped by two and are connected in the upper part by a common architrave.  Above it lies an arched gable, massive and discontinued by a shell-shaped stucco. Above the windows, under the roof, there is a decorative frieze consisting of a row of vegetal wreaths. The central axis is completed on roof level by a gable made up of a shield bearing the inscription of the year the building was finalized. On either side of the shield there are two sitting statues, a female and a male character, dressed in costumes of that period. On the roof there is also a short railing, consisting of the same type of balusters as those of the balcony. Bibliography: Ioan Eugen Man, Considerații privind evoluția urbană în perioada de trecere spre orașul modern, in vol. „Tîrgu-Mureș, oraș al artelor”, published by the Tîrgu-Mureș City Hall in cooperation with the "Vatra" review, p. 59.