Venue: Romania--From Black Sea to "Little Paris" Bucharest

Date(s): February 13th (Tuesday) & 14 (Wednesday)

Times: 9:30-10:45a.m.

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We begin our Spring semester with a trip to the Balkans: Romania, to be exact. Sue will take us on a tour of this country that has transformed into a developing nation with natural beauty and human-made treasures to share. Read on to learn more!

Romania has several geographic regions, and each has its own culture.

As you’ll see in our history section, Transylvania and the Banat were ruled for many centuries by Austria and Hungary, and their architecture reflects Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque styles. Moldavia, in eastern Romania, has a culture that reflects its proximity to Ukraine and Russia, though traces of Tatar and other Central Asian influences show up in its folk art.

The region also shows the influence of the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic Middle East. The Hungarian, German, and Roma minorities that are scattered throughout the country maintain their own traditions, which are reflected in their folk arts, cuisine, and dress.

The history of Romania involves a dizzying number of conquering dynasties. You may need a scoresheet to keep track.

Romanians most likely derived from the Dacian people who settled in central Europe in the Carpathian Mountain area. You’ve no doubt heard of Transylvania. In fact, this is a historical region that covers much of modern Romania.

The Dacians lived south of the Danube. Historians have recorded evidence that the Dacians first appeared in Greece (in the Athenian Slave Market) as early as the 4th century BCE. They were farmers, cattle breeders, and traders. They were also known as miners and metalsmiths (ancient metal coins have been found in the region).

By BC 700, Greek colonies were established in Romania on the coast of the Black Sea.

Shortly before the time of Christ, these predecessors to the Romanians were quite powerful, overtaking Greek cities and taking on the forces of Rome. But the Romans took control of the area (hence the name—ROM-ania) for several centuries.

Several powerful dynasties invaded what is now Romania. The Goths took land and tried to settle through the 4th century A.D., followed by rule by Huns. Slavic groups settled in nearby Moldavia and Wallachia in the 6th century. By 800, a strong Bulgarian kingdom dominated.  Hungarian rule followed.

Byzantine missionaries and troops arrived in the 10th century. Traces of their influences can still be seen in architecture and art from ancient Romania. The Mongols and Ottoman Empire also vied for control of the region from 1100 through the 1500s.

In Transylvania, a separate kingdom developed and grew, resisting invasion and control by a series of would-be controlling governments, including the Ottoman Turks and Russians.

Here is more recent timeline that sketches out important events in the past century and up to the present:

1859 - Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza is proclaimed prince of Moldavia and Wallachia.

1862 - The union of the two Danubian principalities is consolidated into a new state - Romania. Prince Cuza launches an ambitious policy of reform.

1877-1878 - Romania wins full independence from the Ottoman Empire by siding with Russia in the Russo-Turkish War. It also acquires a coastline on the Danube delta.

1916 - Romania joins the Allied side in World War One.

1918 - As part of the peace settlement at the end of the war, Romania virtually doubles in size and population.

1941-1944 - Romania fights on German side against Soviet Union, then switches sides as Soviet forces close in.

The Communist Period

1945 - Soviet-backed government installed. Romania became a satellite of the U.S.S.R.

1965 - Nicolae Ceausescu becomes Communist Party leader. He pursues foreign policy that often runs counter to Moscow's lead, while increasing repressive rule and personality cult at home.

1989 - Bloody national uprising, Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena are executed. National Salvation Front government formed by former Ceausescu ally Ion Iliescu. Free elections were held in 1990.

Communism Falls

2004 - Romania admitted to NATO

2007 - Romania and Bulgaria join the European Union.

2015 - Prime Minister Victor Ponta resigns after massive anti-corruption protests following deaths of 64 people in the Colectiv nightclub fire in Bucharest.

2022 - EU interior ministers accept Croatia into the 26-nation, border-free Schengen zone, but reject Romania and Bulgaria amid concerns that both are soft on illegal migration.

Through World War II Romania relied on an agrarian economy. A third of the country’s land is used for farming, which includes vegetables, orchards, and vineyards. Cereal crops (wheat, corn, barley, rye, oats) are prevalent throughout the country. And Romania is one of the main wine-producing countries in Europe!

Livestock (especially sheep and cattle) is another of the country’s resources. Wool, eggs, and honey are among some of the exports.

Other resources of note include timber (Romania is heavily forested), and fish (around Lake Razelm and Black Sea). The country is also rich in oil deposits, natural gas, hydroelectric power, coal, and other minerals. It’s no wonder Romania was so attractive to the countries and dynasties that controlled it over the years.

Under communist rule, the country’s transportation system and infrastructure was modernized. Also under communism, industry was expanded. With the collectivization of land, farmers lost their private property. Farmers had to make their living through cheap wages as farmworkers.

Prior to communist rule, Romanian industry included machine building and metal processing, as well as textiles. Metallurgy was also an important asset to the economy.

As a satellite of the U.S.S.R., the manufacturing sector grew, but needed investment from Western countries to modernize fully and get out of debt. Many western countries were hesitant to invest in Romania because of communist rule, as well as widespread corruption in its government.

Another problem: Romania became polluted from the development of factories and the chemical industry. A mixed economy evolved towards 2000. The government still controlled industries like transportation, communication, and mining. Unemployment was high, as was inflation. This led to a decline in the standard of living.

The economy has improved since 2000, as laws were changed to invite investors from Europe and the United States. Private property rights were also restored.

As for government today, after communism collapsed in 1989, the country became a democratic republic. The Constitution of 1991 proclaims sovereignty for the Romanian people. A Prime Minister (Marcel Ciolacu)  leads the government, although the Constitution requires an elected President (Klaus Iohannis currently has this largely symbolic role). Romania has a multi-party system of government; two chambers of Parliament oversee laws. There is also a judiciary branch that is independent of the legislature and executive parts of the government.

Most visitors to Romania begin their trip in Bucharest. This city is known for its wide, tree-lined boulevards, Belle Époque buildings and a reputation for the high life (which in the early 1900s earned its nickname of "Little Paris").

Bucharest is Romania's largest city and capital, and today it is a bustling metropolis. Legend has it that the city of Bucharest was founded by a shepherd named Bucur, whose name literarily means "joy." His flute playing reportedly dazzled the people and his hearty wine from nearby vineyards endeared him to the local traders, who gave his name to the place.

What’s the story with Bucarest’s Arch of Triumph? It was built in 1922 to honor the Romanian soldiers who fought WWI.  It also symbolizes Romania's latin heritage and its strong ties with France. The monument was redecorated in 1936 with base-reliefs carved in marble brought from Rușchița - Transylvania. The sculptures were created by leading Romanian artists - including Ion Jalea, Constantin Medrea and Constantin Baraschi - and ten Italian sculptors. Every weekend, June through October, visitors can climb to the top of the 90 feet-high structure, via an interior staircase, for a panoramic view of the city.

The Touropia blog lists an impressive array of places to visit if you are touring Romania.

According to the blog, Romania is filled with quaint old towns, mountain resorts that offer great skiing, and a burgeoning art community. It’s most famous citizen, however, may be the vampire Dracula, a fictional character found in Transylvania.

History is something that Romania is definitely not short of. Medieval castles dot the country – notably in Sighişoara, which is filled with historic buildings and Gothic-era, cobblestoned old quarters.

You’ll find even more history in Brașov, where – if you really do want to know where Dracula really lived – you’ll find the 14th-century Bran Castle to learn about more than just legends.

The majority of the Danube Delta, Europe’s second largest river delta, lies in Romania. Originally part of the Black Sea, the Danube Delta is a good place to observe nature.

It’s home to many unique species of plants and animals in Europe, as well as contains 23 different ecosystems, including some of the world’s largest wetlands.

A few places of note:

Cluj-Napoca

Home to the country’s largest university, Cluj-Napoca is considered the unofficial capital of the historical region of Transylvania. The city, which pre-dates the Roman colonization, is one of Romania’s arts and cultural centers. Home to a large Hungarian population, Cluj-Napoca features a statue honoring one Hungarian king.

Built in the 14th century, the Gothic St. Michael’s Church has the tallest church tower in the country. The National Museum of Art, housed in a former palace, has a large collection of work by Romanian artists.

Mamaia

Located on the Black Sea, Mamaia is Romania’s most popular seaside resort. Mamaia is small, however, situated on a strip of land that is about 8 km (5 miles) long. It has great white sand beaches, just made for sunning or people-watching.

Timisoara

Located in western Romania, Timisoara is one of the country’s largest cities, dating back to the early 13th century. Once part of the Ottoman Empire, it was the first European city to have electric street lamps. The city has bounced back after sustaining heavy bombing damage from both sides during World War II.

Unlike many European cathedrals, the Timișoara Orthodox Cathedral was only built in the 20th century, but the central, notable for its 11 towers, houses many historic religious objects as well as vintage icon paintings.

Sibiu

Sibiu, once part of Hungary, dates back to the early 12th century. The city is located in Transylvania, an area that is associated with vampires, including Dracula, but it’s highly unlikely that visitors will run across any in this day and age.

Instead, travelers will find the Grand Square, in use since the 15th century, and Baroque buildings, including Brukenthal Palace, home to one of the oldest museums in the world. Visitors may also want to be on the lookout for remnants of old fortifications used to defend the city hundreds of years ago.

1. The heaviest building in the world is in Romania

Did you know that according to the Guinness World Records the heaviest building in the world is in Romania? The Palace of Parliament in Bucharest contains 700,000 tons of steel and bronze, 1,000,000 square feet of marble, 3500 tons of crystal, and 900,000 square meters of wood. 

The Palace is also the second-largest administrative building in the world (after the Pentagon), encompassing 365,000 square meters (3,930,000 sq ft) and 1,100 rooms.

2. Romania has a perfectly round-shaped village

Just 40 km away from Timisoara is the only circular village in Romania: Charlottenburg (or Sarlota). The village was built by German settlers in the second half of the 18th century, after the model of the Roundlings in Germany.

3. Romania is home to the tallest wooden church in the world

The tallest wooden church in the world is in Romania.The church tower of the Sapînta-Peri Monastery in the region of Maramures measures 78 meters in height and it has a 7 meter-high cross.

4. Romania has a very ‘Merry Cemetery’

For most people, graveyards are sad and uncomfortable places to visit, but that’s not the case of the Merry Cemetery in the village of Sapînta, Romania. The grave markers in this cemetery have a sense of cheerfulness, rather than sadness.

5. Several famous Hollywood actors are of Romanian Descent

Did you know that several well-known Hollywood actors were of Romanian descent? Edward G. Robinson (famous for his gangster roles in the early age of cinematography) was born in Bucharest, Romania. Johnny Weissmuller (the first actor to play the role of Tarzan in the movie “Tarzan the Ape Man“) was born in the region of Banat, Romania.

6. One of Europe’s largest underground glaciers is in Romania 

Deep in the forests of the Apuseni Mountain in Romania, lies he second biggest underground glacier in south-eastern Europe: the glacier at Scarisoara. This is also one of the oldest giant ice blocks on the planet. Radiocarbon dating indicates that the glacier is over 3,500 years old.

7. Insulin was discovered in Romania 

Insulin was discovered by a Romanian scientist, Nicolae Paulescu. However, he failed to get a Nobel Prize for this massive discovery – instead, two Canadians got it for their studies of the hormone.

8. High alcohol consumption 

Rankings fluctuate a bit each year, but Romania is usually in the top 5 in terms of pure alcohol consumption per year, with some 14 liters consumed by the average Romanian each year.

To put things in perspective, the average British person, who is traditionally considered a heavy drinker, only consumes around 11 liters per year.

And even though most villages make their own drinks – especially tuica (which is a brandy made from plums usually – but also pears, peaches and other fermented fruits) and wine, beer is consumed a lot here also.

Romania, like so many countries we’ve toured in Rediscovering San Diego, reflects a history of domination, struggle for independence, shifting boundaries, and blending cultures.

As we’ve learned through this background, the Romanians have persevered over time. Most recently they’ve emerged from communist rule to build their own democracy and strengthen their economy. Romania is a tribute to the resilience of human civilization.

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Bucharest, Capital of Romania, Tourist Information. (2024). Retrieved from https://romaniatourism.com/bucharest.html

Fun Things About Romania Your Probably Didn’t Know. (2024). Retrieved from https://travelnotesandbeyond.com/fun-and-interesting-facts-about-romania/

Romania. (2024). Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/place/Romania

Romania Wikipedia. (2024). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romania

Romania Country Profile. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17776265