Built between 1730 and 1735, the fortress of Maria Theresa is named after the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa and is the largest protected piece of the defensive wall of the old Austro-Hungarian fortress of Timiشوارoara, which was built in the 18th century, and covers about 1.7 hectares of the city centre. Today, it is used as a lane for cars and pedestrians, and also houses a collection of commercial buildings, restaurants and cafes, a library and two permanent exhibitions of the Banat Museum.