Timisoara was the first city in Europe to introduce electric street lighting. This was a result of a gas price increase by the Viennese Gas Company, which had been supplying Timisoara since 1857.
The contract was valid for 25 years and due to expire in 1882. The negotiations on a contract extension proved to be extremely difficult because the company demanded that the city administration give it sole rights for the supply of gas for street lighting for an unlimited period of time. The Timisoara councillors found this unacceptable and negotiations broke off. This, of course, put the city administration under pressure to quickly find an alternative, to avoid being without street lighting in the near future.
Word of the situation quickly spread, and an offer was received from the "Anglo Austrian Brush Electrical Company Limited", based in Vienna, to supply the city with electric street lighting. At the time, electric street lighting was not available anywhere in Europe and the electric company saw Timisoara’s dilemma as an opportunity for a quick launch of their technology in a larger European city.
Timisoara accepted the offer on November 30, 1882 and a contract was signed for a term of 25 years, and work began immediately thereafter. Approximately 2 years later, on November 12, 1884, Europe's first electric street lights were lit in Timisoara.
Some 140 years later, Timisoara’s pioneering role for the continent is honoured with the motto of the European Capital of Culture 2023: "Shine Your Light – Light Up Your City!"
