After walking about Velika Tarnova for half day, I had to retire early because the following morning, we'd have to endure another 4-hour coach journey to Burcharest, the capital of Romania
My last look at the Velika Tarnova
We passed through many pastures where cows and horses are grazing
We also passed through many rivers
Some are quite wide
Goats grazing
We also passed through many fields like this
Many country dirt roads
We also passed through many small towns
We finally arrived at Bucharest ( București in Romanian), the capital, the largest city and the cultural, industrial, transport and
financial hub of Romania in its southwest with 1.93 inhabitants on the banks of the Dâmbovița River,
less than 43 miles of the Danube.First mentioned in documents in 1459,
it became the capital of Romania in 1862 . Its architecture is a mix of historical
(neo-classical), interbellum (Bauhaus and Art Deco), Communist-era and
modern. So sophisticated was it between the two World Wars that it was nicknamed "Little Paris" (Micul Paris). Although buildings and
districts in the historic city centre were heavily damaged or destroyed
by war, earthquakes, and above all Ceaușescu's program of
systematization, many survived. It's now experiencing an economic and cultural boom. Including its satellite towns, it's home to some 2.27 million
people.Economically,
Bucharest is the most prosperous city in Romania with big convention facilities, educational institutes, cultural venues,
traditional "shopping arcades" and recreational areas etc.
According to different legends, its founding has been connected with the name of Bucur, either a prince, an outlaw, a fisherman, a shepherd, or a hunter but the word "bucur", believed to be of Dacian origin, means 'joy' or "happiness. According to a legend by early scholars, including one Ottoman traveler, Evliya Çelebi, Bucharest was named after a certain "Abu-Kariș", from the tribe of "Bani-Kureiș" while an early 19th-century Viennese book assumed its name was derived from "Bukovie", a beech forest.Those who live there are called bucureștean.
First mentioned as the "Citadel of București" in 1459, it became the residence of the famous Wallachian prince Vlad III the Impaler.After taking over the country, the Ottomans appointed Greek administrators to run the city from the 18th century on but in 1821, they revolted under Tudor Vladimirescu and ended the rule of the Constantinople-Greeks and after 1698 Bucharest became the permanent location of the Wallachian court (starting with the reign of Constantin Brâncoveanu).
According to different legends, its founding has been connected with the name of Bucur, either a prince, an outlaw, a fisherman, a shepherd, or a hunter but the word "bucur", believed to be of Dacian origin, means 'joy' or "happiness. According to a legend by early scholars, including one Ottoman traveler, Evliya Çelebi, Bucharest was named after a certain "Abu-Kariș", from the tribe of "Bani-Kureiș" while an early 19th-century Viennese book assumed its name was derived from "Bukovie", a beech forest.Those who live there are called bucureștean.
First mentioned as the "Citadel of București" in 1459, it became the residence of the famous Wallachian prince Vlad III the Impaler.After taking over the country, the Ottomans appointed Greek administrators to run the city from the 18th century on but in 1821, they revolted under Tudor Vladimirescu and ended the rule of the Constantinople-Greeks and after 1698 Bucharest became the permanent location of the Wallachian court (starting with the reign of Constantin Brâncoveanu).
Partly destroyed by natural
disasters
and hit by Caragea's plague in 1813–1814, it was rebuilt several times during the following 200 years. But the city was wrested from Ottoman
control and occupied at several intervals by the Habsburg Monarchy
(1716, 1737, 1789) and Imperial Russia (three times between 1768 and
1806). It was placed under Russian administration between 1828 and the
Crimean War, with an interlude during the Bucharest-centred 1848
Wallachian revolution. Later on an Austrian garrison took possession
after the Russian departure (remaining in the city until March 1857).
Additionally, on 23 March 1847, a fire consumed about 2,000 buildings,
destroying a third of the city.
In 1862, it became the national capital of the Principality of Wallachia and Moldavia and the city became the new nation's capital city. In 1881, it became the political centre of the newly proclaimed Kingdom of Romania under King Carol I. During the second half of the 19th century the city's population increased dramatically, and a new period of urban development began. During this period, gas lighting, horse-drawn trams and limited electrification were introduced.The Dâmbovița river was also massively channelled in 1883, thus putting a stop to previously endemic floods and fortifications were built. The extravagant architecture and cosmopolitan high culture of this period won Bucharest the nickname of "Little Paris" (Micul Paris) of the east, with Calea Victoriei as its Champs-Élysées.
Between 6 December 1916 and November 1918, the city was occupied by Germans as a result of the Battle of Bucharest, with the official capital temporarily removed to Iași in the Moldova county. After WWI, Bucharest became the capital of Greater Romania. In the interwar years, some of the city's main landmarks were built in this period, including Arcul de Triumf and Palatul Telefoanelor. However, the Great Depression took its toll on Bucharest's citizens, culminating in the Grivița Strike of 1933.In January 1941, the city was the scene of the Legionnaires' rebellion and Bucharest pogrom. As capital of an Axis country and a major transit point for Axis troops en route to the Eastern Front, Bucharest suffered heavy damage during World War II due to Allied bombings. On 23 August 1944 , there was a royalist coup which brought Romania into the Allied camp, suffering a short period of Nazi Luftwaffe bombings as well as a failed attempt by German troops to regain the city by force.
After the establishment of communism in Romania, the city continued growing. New districts were built, mostly tower blocks. During Nicolae Ceaușescu's leadership (1965–1989), much of the historic part of the city was demolished and replaced by "Socialist realism" style development like the Centrul Civic (the Civic Centre); the Palace of the Parliament, where an entire historic quarter was razed to make way for Ceaușescu's megalomaniac plans. On 4 March 1977, an earthquake centered in Vrancea, about 83.89 mi away, claimed 1,500 lives and caused further damage to the historic centre.
In 1989. the Romanian Revolution began with massive anti-Ceaușescu protests in Timișoara in December 1989 and continued in Bucharest, leading to the overthrow of the Communist regime. Dissatisfied with the post-revolutionary leadership of the National Salvation Front, some student leagues and opposition groups organized large-scale protests in 1990 (the "Golaniad"), which were violently repressed by the miners of Valea Jiului called in by the authorities (the "Mineriad"). Several other "Mineriads" followed, which finally caused political changes.
After 2000 the city was continuously modernized and is still undergoing urban renewals particularly in the northern districts and Bucharest's old historic centre is also being restored today.
Bucharest is built on the banks of the Dâmbovița River,which flows into the Argeș River, a
In 1862, it became the national capital of the Principality of Wallachia and Moldavia and the city became the new nation's capital city. In 1881, it became the political centre of the newly proclaimed Kingdom of Romania under King Carol I. During the second half of the 19th century the city's population increased dramatically, and a new period of urban development began. During this period, gas lighting, horse-drawn trams and limited electrification were introduced.The Dâmbovița river was also massively channelled in 1883, thus putting a stop to previously endemic floods and fortifications were built. The extravagant architecture and cosmopolitan high culture of this period won Bucharest the nickname of "Little Paris" (Micul Paris) of the east, with Calea Victoriei as its Champs-Élysées.
Between 6 December 1916 and November 1918, the city was occupied by Germans as a result of the Battle of Bucharest, with the official capital temporarily removed to Iași in the Moldova county. After WWI, Bucharest became the capital of Greater Romania. In the interwar years, some of the city's main landmarks were built in this period, including Arcul de Triumf and Palatul Telefoanelor. However, the Great Depression took its toll on Bucharest's citizens, culminating in the Grivița Strike of 1933.In January 1941, the city was the scene of the Legionnaires' rebellion and Bucharest pogrom. As capital of an Axis country and a major transit point for Axis troops en route to the Eastern Front, Bucharest suffered heavy damage during World War II due to Allied bombings. On 23 August 1944 , there was a royalist coup which brought Romania into the Allied camp, suffering a short period of Nazi Luftwaffe bombings as well as a failed attempt by German troops to regain the city by force.
After the establishment of communism in Romania, the city continued growing. New districts were built, mostly tower blocks. During Nicolae Ceaușescu's leadership (1965–1989), much of the historic part of the city was demolished and replaced by "Socialist realism" style development like the Centrul Civic (the Civic Centre); the Palace of the Parliament, where an entire historic quarter was razed to make way for Ceaușescu's megalomaniac plans. On 4 March 1977, an earthquake centered in Vrancea, about 83.89 mi away, claimed 1,500 lives and caused further damage to the historic centre.
In 1989. the Romanian Revolution began with massive anti-Ceaușescu protests in Timișoara in December 1989 and continued in Bucharest, leading to the overthrow of the Communist regime. Dissatisfied with the post-revolutionary leadership of the National Salvation Front, some student leagues and opposition groups organized large-scale protests in 1990 (the "Golaniad"), which were violently repressed by the miners of Valea Jiului called in by the authorities (the "Mineriad"). Several other "Mineriads" followed, which finally caused political changes.
After 2000 the city was continuously modernized and is still undergoing urban renewals particularly in the northern districts and Bucharest's old historic centre is also being restored today.
Bucharest is built on the banks of the Dâmbovița River,which flows into the Argeș River, a
tributary of the Danube. There are several lakes in the city including Lake Herăstrău, Lake Floreasca, Lake Tei, and
Lake Colentina on the northern parts of the city, along
the Colentina River, a tributary of the Dâmbovița. In addition, there's a small artificial lake at the centre of the city, Lake Cișmigiu –
surrounded by the Cișmigiu Gardens, which have a rich
history, being frequented by poets and writers. Opened in 1847 and based
on the plans of German architect Carl F.W. Meyer, the gardens are the
main recreational facility in the city centre. Bucharest is
traditionally considered to be built upon seven hills, similar to the
seven hills of Rome. The city has an area of 87 sq miles and has a roughly circular plan, with the circle's centre at the cross-way of the main north-south/east-west axes at
University Square. The milestone for Romania's Kilometre Zero is placed
just south of University Square in front of the New St. George Church
(Sfântul Gheorghe Nou) at St. George Square (Piața Sfântul Gheorghe).
Bucharest's radius, from University Square to the city limits in all
directions, varies from about 6 to 7 miles.
According to the Mercer international surveys for quality of life in
cities around the world, based on 39 criteria (including
political stability, currency-exchange regulations, political and media
censorship, school quality, housing, the environment, public safety), Bucharest ranks 107th place in
2010. Compared to it, Vienna occupied No. 1 worldwide in 2011 whilst Budapest ranked 73rd (2010) and Sofia 114th (2010).
Approximately 96.6% of the population of Bucharest are Romanians but it also has small numbers of Roma Gypsies, Hungarians, Jews, Turks, Chinese and Germans, Greek, North American, French, Armenian, Lippovan and Italian descent. It has Greek quarters in Vitan – where a Jewish population also lived; the latter was more present in Văcărești and areas around Unirii Square.96.1% of the population are Romanian Orthodox, 1.2% are Roman Catholic, 0.5% are Muslim and 0.4% are Romanian Greek Catholic. Despite this, only 18% of the population, of any religion, attend a place of worship once a week or more.
Bucharest is the centre of the Romanian economy and industry, accounting for around 22.7% (2010) of the country's GDP and about one-quarter of its industrial production, while being inhabited by 9% of the country's population. Almost one third of national taxes are paid by Bucharest's citizens and companies. In 2009, at purchasing power parity, Bucharest had a per-capita GDP of €26,100, or 111% that of the European Union average and more than twice the Romanian average. In January 2013, Bucharest had an unemployment rate of 2.1%, significantly lower than the national unemployment rate of 5.8%.Its economy is centred on industry and services, with services particularly growing in importance in the last ten years. An important source of growth since 2000 has been the city's rapidly expanding property and construction sector. Bucharest is also Romania's largest centre for information technology and communications and is home to several software companies operating offshore delivery centres. Romania's largest stock exchange, the Bucharest Stock Exchange, which was merged in December 2005 with the Bucharest-based electronic stock exchange Rasdaq, plays a major role in the city's economy.
There are international supermarket chains such as Carrefour, Cora and METRO operating in Bucharest. The city is undergoing a retail boom, with supermarkets and hypermarkets opened every year (see supermarkets in Romania). Bucharest hosts a lot of luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Gucci, Prada, Armani, Hugo Boss, Prada, Calvin Klein, Rolex, Burberry and many others. Malls and large shopping centres have been built since the late 1990s, such as AFI Palace Cotroceni, Sun Plaza, Băneasa Shopping City, Plaza Romania, Unirea Shopping Center and Liberty Center. There are traditional retail arcades and markets such as the one at Obor.
Bucharest's public transport system is the largest in Romania and one of the largest in Europe. It is made up of the Bucharest Metro, as well as a surface transport system run by RATB (Regia Autonomă de Transport București), which consists of buses, trams, trolley buses, and light rail. In addition, there is a private minibus system. As of 2007, there is a limit of 10,000 taxicab licenses It's also the hub of Romania's national railway network, run by Căile Ferate Române. The main railway station is Gara de Nord ("North Station"), which provides connections to all major cities in Romania as well as international destinations like
Belgrade in Serbia, Sofia, Varna in Romania, Kiev, Chernivtsi, Lviv in Ukraine, Thessaloniki in Greece, Vienna in Austria, Budapest in Hungary, Instanbul in Turkey and Moscow in Russia. The city has five other railway stations run by CFR, the most important of which are Basarab (adjacent to North Station), Obor, Băneasa and Progresu. These are in the process of being integrated into a commuter railway serving Bucharest and the surrounding Ilfov County. It is also served by 2 international airports: Henri Coandă International Airport (IATA: OTP, ICAO: LROP), located 10.3 miles north of the Bucharest city center, in the town of Otopeni, Ilfov serving more than 5 million passengers a year. The other is the Aurel Vlaicu International Airport (IATA: BBU, ICAO: LRBS) which is Bucharest's business and VIP airport. It is situated only 5.0 miles north of the Bucharest city center and is accessible by RATB buses 131, 335, 301, tramway 5 and Airport Express 783 and taxi.
Approximately 96.6% of the population of Bucharest are Romanians but it also has small numbers of Roma Gypsies, Hungarians, Jews, Turks, Chinese and Germans, Greek, North American, French, Armenian, Lippovan and Italian descent. It has Greek quarters in Vitan – where a Jewish population also lived; the latter was more present in Văcărești and areas around Unirii Square.96.1% of the population are Romanian Orthodox, 1.2% are Roman Catholic, 0.5% are Muslim and 0.4% are Romanian Greek Catholic. Despite this, only 18% of the population, of any religion, attend a place of worship once a week or more.
Bucharest is the centre of the Romanian economy and industry, accounting for around 22.7% (2010) of the country's GDP and about one-quarter of its industrial production, while being inhabited by 9% of the country's population. Almost one third of national taxes are paid by Bucharest's citizens and companies. In 2009, at purchasing power parity, Bucharest had a per-capita GDP of €26,100, or 111% that of the European Union average and more than twice the Romanian average. In January 2013, Bucharest had an unemployment rate of 2.1%, significantly lower than the national unemployment rate of 5.8%.Its economy is centred on industry and services, with services particularly growing in importance in the last ten years. An important source of growth since 2000 has been the city's rapidly expanding property and construction sector. Bucharest is also Romania's largest centre for information technology and communications and is home to several software companies operating offshore delivery centres. Romania's largest stock exchange, the Bucharest Stock Exchange, which was merged in December 2005 with the Bucharest-based electronic stock exchange Rasdaq, plays a major role in the city's economy.
There are international supermarket chains such as Carrefour, Cora and METRO operating in Bucharest. The city is undergoing a retail boom, with supermarkets and hypermarkets opened every year (see supermarkets in Romania). Bucharest hosts a lot of luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Gucci, Prada, Armani, Hugo Boss, Prada, Calvin Klein, Rolex, Burberry and many others. Malls and large shopping centres have been built since the late 1990s, such as AFI Palace Cotroceni, Sun Plaza, Băneasa Shopping City, Plaza Romania, Unirea Shopping Center and Liberty Center. There are traditional retail arcades and markets such as the one at Obor.
Bucharest's public transport system is the largest in Romania and one of the largest in Europe. It is made up of the Bucharest Metro, as well as a surface transport system run by RATB (Regia Autonomă de Transport București), which consists of buses, trams, trolley buses, and light rail. In addition, there is a private minibus system. As of 2007, there is a limit of 10,000 taxicab licenses It's also the hub of Romania's national railway network, run by Căile Ferate Române. The main railway station is Gara de Nord ("North Station"), which provides connections to all major cities in Romania as well as international destinations like
Belgrade in Serbia, Sofia, Varna in Romania, Kiev, Chernivtsi, Lviv in Ukraine, Thessaloniki in Greece, Vienna in Austria, Budapest in Hungary, Instanbul in Turkey and Moscow in Russia. The city has five other railway stations run by CFR, the most important of which are Basarab (adjacent to North Station), Obor, Băneasa and Progresu. These are in the process of being integrated into a commuter railway serving Bucharest and the surrounding Ilfov County. It is also served by 2 international airports: Henri Coandă International Airport (IATA: OTP, ICAO: LROP), located 10.3 miles north of the Bucharest city center, in the town of Otopeni, Ilfov serving more than 5 million passengers a year. The other is the Aurel Vlaicu International Airport (IATA: BBU, ICAO: LRBS) which is Bucharest's business and VIP airport. It is situated only 5.0 miles north of the Bucharest city center and is accessible by RATB buses 131, 335, 301, tramway 5 and Airport Express 783 and taxi.
Landmarks
(1) Perhaps the most prominent of its landmark is the Palace of the Parliament, built in the 1980s during the reign of Communist dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu. The largest Parliament building in the world, the Palace houses the Romanian Parliament (the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate), as well as the National Museum of Contemporary Art. The building boasts one of the largest convention centres in the world.
(2) The Arcul de Triumf (The Triumphal Arch), built in its current form in 1935 and modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
(3) A newer landmark of the city is the Memorial of Rebirth, a stylized marble pillar unveiled in 2005 to commemorate the victims of the Romanian Revolution of 1989, which overthrew Communism. The abstract monument sparked controversy when it was unveiled, being dubbed with names such as "the olive in the toothpick", ("măslina-n scobitoare"), as many argued that it does not fit in its surroundings and believed that its choice was based on political reasons
(1) Perhaps the most prominent of its landmark is the Palace of the Parliament, built in the 1980s during the reign of Communist dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu. The largest Parliament building in the world, the Palace houses the Romanian Parliament (the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate), as well as the National Museum of Contemporary Art. The building boasts one of the largest convention centres in the world.
(2) The Arcul de Triumf (The Triumphal Arch), built in its current form in 1935 and modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
(3) A newer landmark of the city is the Memorial of Rebirth, a stylized marble pillar unveiled in 2005 to commemorate the victims of the Romanian Revolution of 1989, which overthrew Communism. The abstract monument sparked controversy when it was unveiled, being dubbed with names such as "the olive in the toothpick", ("măslina-n scobitoare"), as many argued that it does not fit in its surroundings and believed that its choice was based on political reasons
(3)The Romanian Athenaeum building is
considered to be a symbol of Romanian culture and since 2007 is on the
list of the Label of European Heritage sights.
(4) Other cultural
venues include the National Museum of Art of Romania, Museum of Natural
History "Grigore Antipa", Museum of the Romanian Peasant (Muzeul
țăranului Român), National History Museum, and the Military Museum and National Museum of Art of Romania.
There
are 16 public universities in Bucharest, the largest of which are the
University of Bucharest, the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, the
Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, and the Politehnica
University of Bucharest. These are supplemented by 19 private
universities, such as the Romanian-American University and Spiru Haret
University, the latter being the largest in Europe with some 302,000
enrolled students in 2009.Overall, there are 159 faculties in 34
universities. Private universities, however, have a mixed reputation due
to irregularities in the educational process[55] as well as perceived
corruption.As in the rest of Romania, universities in Bucharest are
lower rated internationally, in comparison to their American and
Western European counterparts. Nevertheless, the University of
Bucharest was included in the 2012 QS World University Rankings Top 200
universities of the world (151-200 band).Also, in recent years the
city has seen increasing numbers of foreign students enrolling in its
universities.
The first modern educational institution was the Princely Academy of Bucharest, founded in 1694 and divided in 1864 to form the present-day University of Bucharest and the Saint Sava National College, both of which are among the most prestigious of their kind in Romania
There are over 450 public primary and secondary schools in the city, all of which are administered by the Bucharest Municipal Schooling Inspectorate. Each sector also has its own Schooling Inspectorate, subordinated to the municipal one.
The first modern educational institution was the Princely Academy of Bucharest, founded in 1694 and divided in 1864 to form the present-day University of Bucharest and the Saint Sava National College, both of which are among the most prestigious of their kind in Romania
There are over 450 public primary and secondary schools in the city, all of which are administered by the Bucharest Municipal Schooling Inspectorate. Each sector also has its own Schooling Inspectorate, subordinated to the municipal one.
Football is the most widely followed
sport in Bucharest, with the city having numerous club teams, some of
them being known throughout Europe: Steaua, Dinamo or Rapid.Arena
Națională, a new stadium inaugurated on 6 September 2011, hosted the
2012 Europa League Final. and has a 55,600 seats capacity, making it
one of the largest stadiums in Southeastern Europe.The largest indoor arena in Bucharest is
the Romexpo Dome with a seating capacity of 10,000. It is used for
tennis, boxing and kickboxing.
One of the low cost housing blocks at the outskirts of the city
The city park
A corner of a park
Our hotel at the centre of the city
One of buildings we passed by in our coach
King Carol I, a national hero
Our restaurant
hunting paraphernalia
Wall decorations at the restaurant
More wall ornaments
During our lunch, this 16 year-old girl from India was being interviewed by the a Romanian TV station
The girl with her parents
After lunch, we had to hurry to another small town called Sibiu nearly 100 KM away. This is what I believe to be the supreme court in Romania, if I remember correctly
A bank building?
Another old building: behind it we find the top of the newer steel and glass structure
Another monument we passed by on the coach
Another orthodox church
A dammed river
We're in the countryside again
Miles and miles of ploughed fields
jet clouds in the sky
Flowers taken at a small garden outside our rest stop
Red daisies
A yellow rose
red and white flower
We also passed through many bungalow type houses like this one
with lawns and garden in front
And wooden or brick fences
But there were also less elaborate houses built close to the road
They come in different sizes, styles and colors
Some are built very close to each other
We also passed through many rivers
There are some less hilly country where we find more beautiful houses
or larger houses
and orthodox churches
and more stylish buildings
Houses rarely go up for more than 3 stories,
A roadside restaurant
From time to time we passed through some factories
it was the site of a dam
Our rest stop
The sun occasionally peeped through the clouds from time to time
When it did so, the reflections became clearer
And more colorful
We passed through a river valley
An occasionally passed through some small local orthodox churches
On the hills opposite we found some signal transmission stations
Our next rest stop was a small town not far from the town called Bolgárszeg with its 3 beautiful medieval church towers
Another view of the church
The entrance to the trappist monastery St. Nicolas and its church rebuilt in 1495 by Vlad Călugăru, ruler of Muntenia upon the foundations of an older church from 1292. The Orthodox Church and the adjacent school were the main intellectual and cultural support of the Romanians. It was deacon Coresi who worked there who printed the first ecclesiastical books in Romanian.The monarchs of the time also helped decorate it with gold and silver ornaments, ikons and other ceremonial objects. Even the Russian empress, Elisabeta Petrovna, donated to the church. The XVIII century restoration works had greatly altered the original Gothic look into a much more Baroque style but the frescos inside (no pictures allowed) made there are still preserved today. The church cemetery is the resting place of such well-known people as the famous diplomat Dicolae Titulescu and politician Dr. Aurel Popovic, the poet Vasile Saftu. They are an order of silence and its monks are not allowed to speak except on special occasions like singing hymns and confessions
The gate to heaven or hell
its gate
Behind its gate are rows and rows of graves.
There's a beautiful garden outside the little church
A seldom seen rose in orange
A war memorial showing its military past at the town square: a brave defender of the city
Now a little toddler in the town square who hopefully will never see war ever again
This used to be the school run by the monks there but with the decline of religion, there are no more students
A more complete view of former boarding school
Flowers at the town square
a purple flower
In Hong Kong, we also have this kind of flower on some trees growing by the seaside but they are normally yellow, never purple like this
There are also some chrysanthemum with two different colors
and some needle ferns
As we were already quite late, we were given just a very brief coach tour of the town
Some of the buildings of the old town
They were quite solid buildings
In stones
Painted in German colors
But some show Italian influence
One of the orthodox churches
This is Brașov (Kronstadt meaning Crown City in German: Brassó in Hungarian and Brassovia or Corona (Crown) in Medieval Latin; Orașul Stalin or Stalin City in 1950-1960) is a city in the Translyvania region of Romania and the administrative centre of Brașov County with a population of more than 250,000 and 7th most populous city in Romania including its metropolitan area close to 400,000.It's 103 miles north of Bucharest and 236 miles from the Black Sea and is surrounded by the Southern Carpathians and is part of the Transylvania region It's where the national anthem was written According to Binder, the current Romanian and Hungarian names are derived from the Turkic word barasu, meaning "white water" with a Slavic suffix -ov.Others argue that it's an Old Slavic anthroponym of Brasa . The German name Kronstadt is reflected in the city's coat of arms as well as in its Medieval Latin name, Corona. The two names of the city, Kronstadt and Corona, were used simultaneously in the Middle Ages.It was inhabited already in about 9500 BCE. Historians have discovered continuous traces of human settlements in areas situated in Brașov: Valea Cetăţii, Pietrele lui Solomon, Șprenghi, Tâmpa, Dealul Melcilor, and Noua. The first three locations show traces of Dacian citadels; Șprenghi Hill housed a Roman-style construction. The last two locations had their names applied to Bronze Age cultures—Schneckenberg ‘Hill of the Snails’ (Early Bronze Age and Noua 'The New’ (Late Bronze Age) German colonists known as the Transylvanian Saxons were invited by the Hungarian kings to develop towns and build mines to develop towns, build mines, and cultivate the land of Transylvania at different stages between 1141 and 1300. The settlers came primarily from the Rhineland, Flanders, and the Moselle region, with others from Thuringia, Bavaria, Wallonia, and even France.In 1211, by order of King Andrew II of Hungary, the Teutonic Knights fortified the Burzenland and at the village of Brașov, the Teutonic Knights built Kronstadt – the city of the crown.Although the crusaders were evicted by 1225, the colonists they brought in remained, along with local population, as did three distinct settlements they founded on the site of Brașov: Corona, around the Black Church (Biserica Neagră); Martinsberg, west of Cetățuia Hill and Bartholomä, on the eastern side of Sprenghi Hill.Germans in Brașov lived on trade and crafts. The location of the city at the intersection of trade routes linking the Ottoman Empire and Western Europe, together with certain tax exemptions, allowed Saxon merchants to obtain considerable wealth and exert a strong political influence. They contributed a great deal to the architectural flavor of the city. Fortifications around the city were erected and continually expanded, with several towers maintained by different craftsmen's guilds, according to medieval custom. Part of the fortification ensemble was recently restored using UNESCO funds, and other projects are ongoing. At least two entrances to the city, Poarta Ecaterinei (or Katharinentor) and Poarta Șchei (or Waisenhausgässertor), are still in existence. The city center is marked by the mayor's former office building (Casa Sfatului) and the surrounding square (piaţa), which includes one of the oldest buildings in Brașov, the Hirscher Haus. Nearby is the "Black Church" (Biserica Neagră), which some claim to be the largest Gothic style church in Southeastern Europe.
Sunset in Brașov. In 1918, after the Proclamation of union of Alba Iulia (adopted by the Deputies of the Romanians from Transylvania), Deputies of the Saxons from Transylavania supported it with their vote to be part of Romania, and declared their allegiance to the new Romanian state. The inter-war period was a time of flourishing economic and cultural life in general, which included the Saxons in Brașov as well. However, at the end of World War II many ethnic Germans were forcibly deported to the Soviet Union, and many more emigrated to West Germany after Romania became a communist country.Like many other cities in Transylvania, Brașov is also home to a significant ethnic Hungarian minority.D
Industrial development in Brașov started in the inter-war period, with one of the largest factories being the airplane manufacturing plant (IAR Brașov), which produced the first Romanian fighter planes, used in World War II against the Soviets. After Communist rule was imposed, the plant was converted to manufacture of agricultural equipment, being renamed "Uzina Tractorul Brașov" (internationally known as Universal Tractor Brașov).Industrialization was accelerated in the Communist era, with special emphasis being placed on heavy industry, attracting many workers from other parts of the country. Heavy industry is still abundant, including Roman, which manufactures MAN AG trucks as well as native-designed trucks and coaches. Although the industrial base has been in decline in recent years, Brașov is still a site for manufacturing agricultural tractors and machinery, hydraulic transmissions, auto parts, ball-bearings, helicopters (at the nearby IAR site in Ghimbav), building materials, tools, furniture, textiles, shoes and cosmetics. There are also chocolate factories and a large brewery. In particular, the pharmaceutical industry has undergone further development lately, with GlaxoSmithKline establishing a production site in Brașov.
The Roman Catholic cathedral at the north side of the Great Square, the Biserica Romano-Catolica or Black Church" (Biserica Neagră). This beautiful baroque structure with classical decorations was built between 1726 and 1738. The tower was attached to the nave in 1738 and one year later, a cross was seated on the top. The completely renovated interior is magnificent with gold-laced walls and colorful ceiling frescoes. Intricate stone carvings cover much of the nave while the side altars and colonnades glisten with pink marble. The fresco behind the altar was painted in 1777 by Anton Steinwald. Inside the church is the stone grave of Otto Ferdinand de Abensberg, commander of Transylvania between 1744-1747. Organ recitals are usually held once a week.
The principal tower of the cathedral
One of its entrances
detail of its door
The changing of the guards
The main street
This is Council Tower or Coucil Tower or Turnul Sfatului. It used to be the old mayor’s residence. In front of it is the imposing Council Tower. Built in the 13-th
century, this tower was used as entrance gate to the second row of
fortified walls built around Sibiu. Throughout the centuries, the
Council Tower served as a grain storehouse, a fire watchtower, a
temporary prison and even as a museum of botany. The roof, originally
built in pyramid form, has undergone various changes, culminating in the
addition of four corner turrets in 1826. On the top floor, an
observation deck allows a bird’s-eye view of the historic town and the
Fagaras Mountains beyond.
Another view of the Council Tower
The Council Tower was under renovation
Brukenthal Palace(Palatul Brukental) at the west of the Great Square is the museum officially opened in 1817, its art galleries were already welcoming in 1790, three years before the opening of the Louvre. It was built between 1778-1785 by a Viennese architect in a refined late-baroque style. It is now the home of the Brukenthal Museum (Muzeul Brukenthal), the oldest and one of the finest art museums in the country. The palace was built by Baron Samuel von Brukenthal to serve as his official residence and house his collections of Romanian and Western art, 16th – 18th century religious sculptures and icons, stamps and coins, as well as an impressive library. Over the years, the collections have been enriched through acquisitions and donations.
The square is now lined with shops and restaurant
Another view of the Great Square
Another view of the Great Square
Looking back at the other end of the square
There's a fountain at the square
Some teenagers were having fun at one of the bars there
A last look at the main street before we had to board the coach
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