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Brașov (, , ; german: Kronstadt; hu, Brassó; la, Corona;
Transylvanian Saxon The Transylvanian Saxons (german: Siebenbürger Sachsen; Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjer Såksen''; ro, Sași ardeleni, sași transilvăneni/transilvani; hu, Erdélyi szászok) are a people of German ethnicity who settled in Transylvania ...
: ''Kruhnen'') is a city in
Transylvania Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the ...
,
Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, and ...
and the
administrative centre An administrative center is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune is located. In countries with French as administrative language (such as Belgium, L ...
of Brașov County. According to the latest Romanian census (
2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who Assassination of Muammar Gaddafi, was killed tha ...
), Brașov has a population of 253,200 making it the 7th most populous city in Romania. The
metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region that consists of a densely populated urban area, urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories sharing Industry (economics), industries, commercial areas, Transport infrastructure, transport net ...
is home to 382,896 residents. Brașov is located in the central part of the country, about north of
Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north o ...
and from the
Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Ro ...
. It is surrounded by the
Southern Carpathians The Southern Carpathians (also known as the Transylvanian Alps; ro, Carpații Meridionali ; hu, Déli-Kárpátok) are a group of mountain ranges located in southern Romania. They cover the part of the Carpathian Mountains located between the ...
and is part of the historical region of
Transylvania Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the ...
. Historically, the city was the center of the Burzenland, once dominated by the
Transylvanian Saxons The Transylvanian Saxons (german: Siebenbürger Sachsen; Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjer Såksen''; ro, Sași ardeleni, sași transilvăneni/transilvani; hu, Erdélyi szászok) are a people of German ethnicity who settled in Transylvania ...
, and a significant commercial hub on the trade roads between
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populou ...
(then
Archduchy of Austria The Archduchy of Austria (german: Erzherzogtum Österreich) was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire and the nucleus of the Habsburg monarchy. With its capital at Vienna, the archduchy was centered at the Empire's southeastern periphery. ...
, within the
Habsburg monarchy The Habsburg monarchy (german: Habsburgermonarchie, ), also known as the Danubian monarchy (german: Donaumonarchie, ), or Habsburg Empire (german: Habsburgerreich, ), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities ...
, and subsequently
Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire (german: link=no, Kaiserthum Oesterreich, modern spelling , ) was a Central-Eastern European multinational great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. During its existence ...
) and
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
(then
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
). It is also where the national anthem of Romania was first sung.


Names


Brassovia, Brassó, Brașov, etc.

According to Dragoș Moldovanu, the name of Brașov came from the name of local river named Bârsa (also pronounced as "Bărsa") that was adopted by Slavs and transformed to Barsa, and later to Barsov, finally to Brasov. According to Pál Binder, the current Romanian and the Hungarian name () are derived from the Turkic word ''barasu'', meaning "white water" with a Slavic suffix ''-ov''. Other linguists proposed various etymologies including an Old Slavic anthroponym Brasa. The first attested mention of this name is ''Terra Saxonum de Barasu'' ("
Saxon The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic * * * * peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...
Land of Baras") in a 1252 document issued by
Béla IV of Hungary Béla IV (1206 – 3 May 1270) was King of Hungary and Croatia between 1235 and 1270, and Duke of Styria from 1254 to 1258. As the oldest son of King Andrew II, he was crowned upon the initiative of a group of influential noblemen in his fathe ...
. According to some historians, ''Corona'' was name of the city-fortress while ''Brassó'' was referring to the
county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
, while others consider both names may refer to the city and the county as well.


Corona, Kronstadt

According to Balázs Orbán, the name ''Corona'' – a Latin word meaning "crown" – is first mentioned in the Catalogus Ninivensis in 1235 AD, stating a monastic quarter existed in the territory of the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Cumania The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cumania was a Latin-rite bishopric west of the Siret River (in present-day Romania) from 1228 to 1241. The lands incorporated into the diocese had been dominated by the nomadic Cumans since about 1100. Catholic missi ...
(''In Hungaria assignata est paternitas Dyocesis Cumanie: Corona''). Pál Binder supposed it is a reference to the St. Catherine's Monastery. Others suggest the name derives from the old
coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...
of the city, as it is symbolized by the German name ''Kronstadt'' meaning "Crown City". The two names of the city, ''Kronstadt'' and ''Corona'', were used simultaneously in the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
, along with the
Medieval Latin Medieval Latin was the form of Literary Latin used in Roman Catholic Western Europe during the Middle Ages. In this region it served as the primary written language, though local languages were also written to varying degrees. Latin function ...
''Brassovia''.


Stephanopolis, Orașul Stalin

Another historical name used for Brașov is ''Stephanopolis'', 'from "Stephanos", crown, and "polis", city. From 1950 to 1960, during part of the Communist period in Romania, the city was called ''Orașul Stalin'' ( Stalin City), ''lit.'' "Stalin City", after the
Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
leader
Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secreta ...
, and was the capital of Stalin Region. The name change occurred on 22 August 1950, when
Constantin Ion Parhon Constantin Ion Parhon (; 15 October 1874 – 9 August 1969) was a Romanian neuropsychiatrist, endocrinologist and politician. He was the first head of state of the Romanian People's Republic from 1947 to 1952. Parhon was President of the Physi ...
, the nominal Head of State at the time, issued a decree whereby Brașov was renamed "in honor of the great genius of working humanity, the leader of the Soviet people, the liberator and beloved friend of our people, Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin".


History

The oldest traces of human activity and settlements in Brașov date back to the
Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several par ...
age (about 9500 BCE). Archaeologists working from the last half of the 19th century discovered continuous traces of human settlements in areas situated in Brașov: Valea Cetății, Pietrele lui Solomon, Șprenghi, Tâmpa, Dealul Melcilor, and Noua. The first three locations show traces of Dacian citadels; Șprenghi Hill housed a
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
-style construction. The last two locations had their names applied to
Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pr ...
cultures — '' Schneckenberg'' ("Hill of the Snails"; Early Bronze Age) and '' Noua'' ("The New"; Late Bronze Age).
Transylvanian Saxons The Transylvanian Saxons (german: Siebenbürger Sachsen; Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjer Såksen''; ro, Sași ardeleni, sași transilvăneni/transilvani; hu, Erdélyi szászok) are a people of German ethnicity who settled in Transylvania ...
played a decisive role in Brașov's development and were invited by Hungarian kings to develop towns, build mines, and cultivate the land of
Transylvania Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the ...
at different stages between 1141 and 1300. The settlers came primarily from the Rhineland,
Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultur ...
, and the
Moselle The Moselle ( , ; german: Mosel ; lb, Musel ) is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany. It is a left bank tributary of the Rhine, which it joins at Koblenz. A ...
region, with others from
Thuringia Thuringia (; german: Thüringen ), officially the Free State of Thuringia ( ), is a state of central Germany, covering , the sixth smallest of the sixteen German states. It has a population of about 2.1 million. Erfurt is the capital and la ...
, Bavaria,
Wallonia Wallonia (; french: Wallonie ), or ; nl, Wallonië ; wa, Waloneye or officially the Walloon Region (french: link=no, Région wallonne),; nl, link=no, Waals gewest; wa, link=no, Redjon walone is one of the three regions of Belgium—alo ...
, and even France. In 1211, by order of King Andrew II of Hungary, the
Teutonic Knights The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, commonly known as the Teutonic Order, is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was formed to aid Christians on ...
fortified the Burzenland to defend the border of the
Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from the Middle Ages into the 20th century. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the coronation of the first king Stephen ...
. On the site of 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 long ago remained, along with local population in three distinct settlements they founded on the site of Brașov: *''Corona'', around the Black Church (Biserica Neagră); *''Martinsberg'', west of Cetățuia Hill; *''Bartholomä'', on the eastern side of Sprenghi Hill. Germans living in Brașov were mainly involved in trade and crafts. The location of the city at the intersection of trade routes linking the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
and
Western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's countries and territories vary depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the ancient Mediterranean ...
, 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 the medieval custom. Part of the fortification ensemble was recently restored using
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
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 (''piața''), 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 Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages * Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths ** Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken ...
church in
Southeastern Europe Southeast Europe or Southeastern Europe (SEE) is a geographical subregion of Europe, consisting primarily of the Balkans. Sovereign states and territories that are included in the region are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia (a ...
. In 1689, a great fire destroyed the walled city almost entirely, and its rebuilding lasted several decades. Besides the German (Saxon) population living in the walled city and in the northern suburbs, Brașov had also a significant Romanian and Bulgarian population (living in the
Șchei ''Șchei'' ( bg, шкеи, ''shkei'') was an old Romanian and Albanian exonym referring to the Bulgarians, especially in Transylvania and northern Wallachia. As a name, it has been preserved in the names of towns colonized in the 14th century b ...
district), and also some Hungarian population (living in the Blumăna district). The cultural and religious importance of the Romanian church and school in Șchei is underlined by the generous donations received from more than thirty
hospodar Hospodar or gospodar is a term of Slavonic origin, meaning "lord" or " master". Etymology and Slavic usage In the Slavonic language, ''hospodar'' is usually applied to the master/owner of a house or other properties and also the head of a family. ...
s of Moldavia and Wallachia, as well as that from
Elizabeth of Russia Elizabeth Petrovna (russian: Елизаве́та (Елисаве́та) Петро́вна) (), also known as Yelisaveta or Elizaveta, reigned as Empress of Russia from 1741 until her death in 1762. She remains one of the most popular Russia ...
. In the 17th and 19th centuries, the Romanians in Șchei campaigned for national, political, and cultural rights, and were supported in their efforts by Romanians from all other provinces, as well as by the local Greek merchant community. In 1838, they established the first Romanian language newspaper '' Gazeta Transilvaniei'' and the first Romanian institutions of higher education: ''Școlile Centrale Greco-Ortodoxe'' ("The Greek-Orthodox Central Schools", today named after
Andrei Șaguna Andrei Șaguna (; 20 January 1808, Miskolc, Hungary – 28 June 1873, Nagyszeben, Hungary) was a Metropolitan bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Transylvania, and one of the Romanian community political leaders in the Habsburg monarchy ...
). The
Holy Roman Emperor The Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans ( la, Imperator Romanorum, german: Kaiser der Römer) during the Middle Ages, and also known as the Roman-German Emperor since the early modern period ( la, Imperato ...
and sovereign of Transylvania
Joseph II Joseph II (German: Josef Benedikt Anton Michael Adam; English: ''Joseph Benedict Anthony Michael Adam''; 13 March 1741 – 20 February 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from August 1765 and sole ruler of the Habsburg lands from November 29, 1780 un ...
awarded Romanians citizenship rights for a brief period during the latter decades of the 18th century. In 1850, the town had 21,782 inhabitants: 8,874 (40.7%) Germans, 8,727 (40%) Romanians, 2,939 (13.4%) Hungarians. In 1910 there were 41,056 inhabitants: 10,841 (26.4%) Germans, 11,786 (28.7%) Romanians, 17,831 (43.4%) Hungarians. On 29 August 1916, during the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, the
Romanian Army The Romanian Land Forces ( ro, Forțele Terestre Române) is the army of Romania, and the main component of the Romanian Armed Forces. In recent years, full professionalisation and a major equipment overhaul have transformed the nature of the Lan ...
occupied Brașov. Romanian troops entered the city at around five o'clock p.m. and paraded towards the city square. Romanian rule over the city lasted until early October, when the area was retaken by the
Central Powers The Central Powers, also known as the Central Empires,german: Mittelmächte; hu, Központi hatalmak; tr, İttifak Devletleri / ; bg, Централни сили, translit=Tsentralni sili was one of the two main coalitions that fought in ...
in the Battle of Brassó (7-9 October 1916). The Romanian mayor installed during the brief Romanian occupation was . His term lasted from 29 August, when the city was occupied by the Romanian Army, until 8 October – the height of the Battle of Brașov. On 9 October, at the end of the battle, the previous mayor () was reinstated. Following the collapse of Austria-Hungary, the 1 December 1918 Proclamation of the Union of
Alba Iulia Alba Iulia (; german: Karlsburg or ''Carlsburg'', formerly ''Weißenburg''; hu, Gyulafehérvár; la, Apulum) is a city that serves as the seat of Alba County in the west-central part of Romania. Located on the Mureș River in the historical ...
, adopted by deputies of the Romanians from Transylvania, Banat, Crișana and Maramureș during the
Great National Assembly of Alba Iulia The Great National Assembly of Alba Iulia ( ro, Marea Adunare Națională de la Alba Iulia) was an assembly held on 1 December 1918 in the city of Alba Iulia in which a total of 1,228 delegates from several areas inhabited by ethnic Romanians d ...
declared the union of Transylvania into the Romanian state. Brașov was permanently occupied by Romanian forces on 7 December, as Hungarians gradually withdrew northwards. The King and some Transylvanians suggested that - because of Brașov's central geographical location in the new Romania - it should be considered as the new national capital. Though this did not happen - the inter-war period was a time of flourishing economy and cultural life in general, including the Saxons in Brașov. However, at the end of World War II many ethnic Germans were forcibly deported to the Soviet Union. A majority of them emigrated to West Germany after Romania had become a communist country. The first Jewish community in Brașov was established in 1828, joining the
Neolog Neologs ( hu, neológ irányzat, "Neolog faction") are one of the two large communal organizations among Hungarian Jewry. Socially, the liberal and modernist Neologs had been more inclined toward integration into Hungarian society since the Era ...
association in 1868. Orthodox Jews founded their religious organization in 1877. The Neolog synagogue, seating 800, was built between 1899 and 1905. During the interwar period, the communities had separate institutions, but opened a jointly managed school in 1940. Zionist organizations appeared already in 1920. By 1930, Jews numbered 2594 individuals, or 4% of the total population. In autumn 1940, during the National Legionary State, the antisemitic
Iron Guard The Iron Guard ( ro, Garda de Fier) was a Romanian militant revolutionary fascist movement and political party founded in 1927 by Corneliu Zelea Codreanu as the Legion of the Archangel Michael () or the Legionnaire Movement (). It was strongl ...
nationalized all Jewish institutions and seized most shops owned by Jews. In 1941, Jews were drafted for service in forced labor battalions. Those from throughout southern Transylvania were concentrated in Brașov; a further 200 refugees came from
Ploiești Ploiești ( , , ), formerly spelled Ploești, is a city and county seat in Prahova County, Romania. Part of the historical region of Muntenia, it is located north of Bucharest. The area of Ploiești is around , and it borders the Blejoi commun ...
. In August 1942, 850 Jews between the ages of 18 and 50 were drafted into labor battalions and ordered to work in Brașov, while others were sent to Predeal and
Bran Bran, also known as miller's bran, is the hard outer layers of cereal grain. It consists of the combined aleurone and pericarp. Corn (maize) bran also includes the pedicel (tip cap). Along with germ, it is an integral part of whole grains, ...
. In spring 1943, 250 youths were sent to Suraia camp to build fortifications. By August 1944, the labor battalions were reduced to 250-300 while most of the Jews managed to obtain their freedom. In 1945–1946, the Jewish population increased to 3500. Like many other cities in Transylvania, Brașov is also home to a significant ethnic Hungarian minority. During the communist period, industrial development was vastly accelerated. Under
Nicolae Ceaușescu Nicolae Ceaușescu ( , ;  – 25 December 1989) was a Romanian communist politician and dictator. He was the general secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and the second and last Communist leader of Romania. He was ...
's rule, the city was the site of the 1987 Brașov strike. This was brutally repressed by the authorities and resulted in numerous workers being imprisoned.


Economy

] Industrial development in Brașov started in the inter-war period, with one of the largest factories being the airplane manufacturing plant ( Industria Aeronautică Română, IAR Brașov), which produced the first Romanian fighter planes used during World War II. After signing the armistice with USSR on September 12, 1944, the factory started repairing trucks, and in October 1945 it began manufacturing agricultural tractors. IAR 22 was the first Romanian-made wheeled tractor. In 1948 the company was renamed " Uzina Tractorul Brașov" known internationally as Universal Tractor Brașov. A big part of the factory was demolished during 2013 and 2014 giving way to buildings, shopping mall and recreation parks. Aircraft manufacturing resumed in 1968 at first under the name ICA and then under its old name of Industria Aeronautică Română, IAR at a new location in nearby
Ghimbav Ghimbav (german: Weidenbach; hu, Vidombák) is a town in Brașov County, Transylvania, central Romania. It is located in the centre of Romania, 5 miles (8 km) west of Brașov. History The town was first mentioned in a letter written in 1 ...
. 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 Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lett ...
, which manufactures
MAN AG MAN Truck & Bus SE (formerly MAN Nutzfahrzeuge AG, ) is a subsidiary of Traton, and one of the leading international providers of commercial vehicles. Headquartered in Munich, Germany, MAN Truck & Bus produces vans in the range from 3.0 to 5.5 t ...
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 hydraulic transmissions, auto parts, ball-bearings, construction materials, hand tools, furniture, textiles and shoe-wear. There is also a large brewery.


Geography


Climate

Brașov has a humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification: ''Dfb'').


Demographics

Brașov has a total population of 253,200 ( 2011 census). Its ethnic composition includes: * Romanians: 208,019 (91.3%) * Hungarians: 16,172 (7.1%) * Germans (
Transylvanian Saxons The Transylvanian Saxons (german: Siebenbürger Sachsen; Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjer Såksen''; ro, Sași ardeleni, sași transilvăneni/transilvani; hu, Erdélyi szászok) are a people of German ethnicity who settled in Transylvania ...
)
: 1,079 (0.5%) * Romani people: 916 (0.4%) * Other ethnicities: 1,037 (0.7%) In 2005, the
Brașov metropolitan area The Brașov metropolitan area is a metropolitan area in Brașov County, Romania, that includes the municipality of Brașov and 12 other nearby communities. It was constituted in 2007 with the aim of creating business opportunities, building and ad ...
was created. With its surrounding localities, Brașov had 369,896 inhabitants .


Administration

Brașov is administered by a Mayor and a Local Council. The current Mayor of Brașov (starting October 28, 2020) is
Allen Coliban Allen, Allen's or Allens may refer to: Buildings * Allen Arena, an indoor arena at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee * Allen Center, a skyscraper complex in downtown Houston, Texas * Allen Fieldhouse, an indoor sports arena on the Univer ...
from
Save Romania Union The Save Romania Union ( ro, Uniunea Salvați România, USR) is a liberal political party active in Romania and Moldova, currently the third largest party in the Parliament with 43 deputies and 22 senators, and fifth at national level (follow ...
(USR). The Brașov Local Council, elected at the
2020 Romanian local elections Local elections were held in Romania on 27 September 2020. Initially planned for June 2020, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic led the Government of Romania to postpone the elections to a date no later than 31 December 2020, and extending all ...
, is made up of 27 counselors, with the following party composition:


Education


Primary schools

* 30 Primary Schools


High schools

* Colegiul Național "Andrei Șaguna" * Colegiul Național "Dr. Ioan Meșotă" * Colegiul Național de Informatică "Grigore Moisil" * Colegiul Național "Unirea" * * Colegiul Național "Áprily Lajos" * Liceul "Andrei Mureșanu" * Colegiul de Științe ale Naturii "Emil Racoviță" * Liceul "Nicolae Titulescu" * Liceul de Artă * Liceul cu Program Sportiv * Colegiul de Științe "Grigore Antipa" * Liceul Teoretic "Constantin Brâncoveanu" * Seminarul Teologic Liceal Ortodox "Dumitru Stăniloaie" * Colegiul Tehnic "Astra" * Colegiul Tehnic "Mircea Cristea" * Colegiul Tehnic "Iosif Silimon" * Colegiul Tehnic "Sfinții Voievozi" * Grupul Școlar de Arte și Meserii * Colegiul Tehnic "Remus Răduleț" * Colegiul Tehnic Feroviar * Grupul Școlar Industrial Auto * Colegiul Tehnic "Maria Baiulescu" * Grupul Școlar Industrial de Construcții Montaj * Colegiul National Economic "Andrei Bârseanu" * Grupul Școlar Silvic "Dr. Nicolae Rucăreanu" * Grupul Școlar de Turism și Alimentație Publică * Liceul "FEG" * Liceul "Europa Unită"


Universities

* Transilvania University of Brașov * George Barițiu University * Spiru Haret University * Christian University Dimitrie Cantemir * * Fundația Universitară Sfinții Apostoli Petru și Pavel * Sextil Pușcariu University * Universitatea Româno-Canadiană * American Hotel Academy


Transportation

The Brașov local transport network has 44 urban bus and trolleybus lines and 10 metropolitan bus lines. There is also a regular bus line serving Poiana Brașov, a nearby winter resort and part of the city of Brașov. All are operated by Public transportation in Brașov, RAT Brașov. Because of its central location, the Brașov railway station is one of the busiest stations in Romania with trains to/from most destinations in the country served by rail. The Brașov-Ghimbav International Airport is an airport development project located in nearby
Ghimbav Ghimbav (german: Weidenbach; hu, Vidombák) is a town in Brașov County, Transylvania, central Romania. It is located in the centre of Romania, 5 miles (8 km) west of Brașov. History The town was first mentioned in a letter written in 1 ...
, right by the future A3 (Romania), A3 motorway. It is the first airport to be developed in post-communist Romania, and the 17th List of the busiest airports in Romania, commercial airport in the country. The contract for the construction of the main terminal building, with a total area of 11,780 m2 (126,799 sq ft), was awarded to the Romanian contractor Bog'Art Bucharest and was signed on 21 August 2019. Construction works for the passenger terminal started on 17 March 2020 and the first commercial flight is set to take place in June 2023. Căile Ferate Române, CFR announced a feasibility study for the construction of a rail line (8 km) which would connect the future airport to the Brașov railway station.


Tourism

With its central location, Brașov is a suitable location from which to explore Romania, and the distances to several tourist destinations (including the
Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Ro ...
resorts, the monasteries in northern Moldavia, and the wooden churches of Maramureș region, Maramureș) are similar. It is also the largest city in a mountain resorts area. The old city is very well preserved and is best seen by taking the cable-car to the top of Tâmpa Mountain. Temperatures from May to September fluctuate around . Brașov benefits from a winter tourism season centered on winter sports and other activities. Poiana Brașov is the most popular Romanian ski resort and an important tourist center preferred by many tourists from other European states. The city also has several restaurants that serve local as well as international cuisine (e.g. Hungarian and Chinese). Some of these are situated in the city center.


Sights

* '' Biserica Neagră'' ("The Black Church"), a celebrated Gothic architecture, Gothic site – the building dates from 1477, when it replaced an older church (demolished around 1385). It acquired the name after being blackened by smoke from the 1689 great fire. * Franciscan Church, Brașov * ''Casa Sfatului'' ("The mayor's former office building"). The administration for Brașov was here for more than 500 years. * ''Biserica Sf. Nicolae'' (St. Nicholas Church, Brașov, St. Nicholas Church), dating back to the 14th century. * ''The First Romanian School'', a museum with the first Romanian printing press among many other firsts. * ''Strada sforii, The Rope Street'', the narrowest street in Romania. * ''Turnul Negru, Black Tower'', Old City Watch Tower. * ''Turnul Alb, White Tower'', Old City Watch Tower. * ''
Șchei ''Șchei'' ( bg, шкеи, ''shkei'') was an old Romanian and Albanian exonym referring to the Bulgarians, especially in Transylvania and northern Wallachia. As a name, it has been preserved in the names of towns colonized in the 14th century b ...
'', the historically Bulgarian but then Romanian neighborhood outside of the old walled city. * ''Catherine's Gate'', the only original city gate to have survived from medieval times. * ''Șchei Gate'', next to Catherine's Gate, built in 1827. * ''Tâmpa, Brașov, Tâmpa'', a small mountain in the middle of the city (900m above sea level), a sightseeing spot near the old city center. * The "Brașov Citadel Fortress" – ''Cetățuia Brașovului'' * The nearby ''Bran Castle'', attracting many fans of Dracula and often (but incorrectly) said to have been the home of Vlad III Dracula, Vlad the Impaler. * ''Poiana Brașov'', mainly a ski resort but also a sightseeing spot. * ''Râșnov Fortress'', above the nearby town of Râșnov, is a restored peasant fortress * ''Prejmer fortified church, Prejmer Fortress'', in the nearby commune of Prejmer * ''Saint George's Church, Brașov'' File:Castelul Bran2.jpg, Bran Castle, situated in the immediate vicinity of Brașov File:Turnul alb din Brașov; pe fundal se vede Tâmpa.jpg, White Tower with Tâmpa, Brașov, Mount Tâmpa in the background File:Brasov, Piata Sfatului.jpg, Piața Sfatului, Council Square File:Brasov Biserica Neagra.jpg, Biserica Neagră, Black Church File:Brasov seen from Tampa.JPG, City center seen from Tâmpa, Brașov, Mount Tâmpa File:EcaterinaBv.jpg, Catherine's Gate File:Biserica „Sf. Nicolae” Scheii Brasovului.jpg, St. Nicholas Church, Brașov, St. Nicholas Church File:StrPoartaSchei8.jpg, Old Town street File:Piata Unirii - panoramio (7).jpg, Union Square (Piața Unirii) File:Prefectura Brasov - panoramio (1).jpg, Brașov County Prefecture File:Primaria Brasov - panoramio (1).jpg, City Hall


Twin towns – sister cities

Brașov is Sister city, twinned with: * Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina * Cleveland, United States * Győr, Hungary * Holstebro Municipality, Holstebro, Denmark * Linz, Austria * Musashino, Tokyo, Musashino, Japan * Rishon LeZion, Israel * Tampere, Finland * Tours, France * Trikala, Greece


Sport

The city has a long tradition in sports, the first sport associations being established at the end of the 19th century (Target shooting Association, Gymnastics School). The Transylvanian Sports Museum is among the oldest in the country and presents the evolution of consecrated sports in the city. During the communist period, universiades and Daciads were held, where local sportsmen were obliged to participate. Nowadays, the infrastructure of the city allows other sports to be practiced, such as football, rugby, tennis, cycling, handball, gliding, skiing, skating, mountain climbing, paintball, bowling, swimming, target shooting, basketball, martial arts, equestrian, volleyball or gymnastics. Annually, at "Olimpia" sports ground, the "Brașov Challenge Cup" tennis competition is held. Colțea Brașov was the football champion in 1928, managing a second place in 1927, in its only 10 years of existence (1921–1931). It was succeeded by Brașovia Brașov. Between 17 and 22 February 2013, the city hosted the 2013 European Youth Winter Olympic Festival. , Brașov is hosting two trail semi-marathons: the Semimaraton Intersport Brașov (held in April) and the Brașov International Marathon (held in April or May). In November 2013, Brașov submitted their bid for the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics. They were up against Lausanne, Switzerland to be awarded the event. In December that year, the city was signed the Youth Olympic Game Candidature Procedure. The host city was to be announced in July 2015, in which Lausanne was selected.


Local teams

*SR Brașov – football club *ASC Corona 2010 Brașov, ASC Corona Brașov – football club, women's team handball, handball and ice hockey club *CSU Brașov – basketball team *CFR Brașov – rugby football club


Sports venues

*Planned **Brașov Arena (23,000 seats) – planned football stadium on the site of the former Municipal Stadium **Sala Polivalentă (Brașov), Sala Polivalentă (10,059 capacity) - planned multi-purpose 10,059-seat indoor arena *Existing **Stadionul Silviu Ploeșteanu, Silviu Ploeșteanu Stadium (8,500 seats) – built in 1960 for football, floodlights were installed in 2009 **Dumitru Popescu Colibași Sports Hall (2,300 seats) – built around 1970 for indoor sports: handball, basketball, volleyball, sometimes others **Brașov Olympic Ice Rink (2,000 capacity: 1,600 seated, 400 standing) – inaugurated on February 18, 2010, used mainly for ice hockey and public skating *Demolished **Stadionul Municipal (Brașov), Municipal Stadium (30,000 capacity) – built in 1975, used for 1 May and 23 August parades, rarely used for football matches (demolished in 2008) *Others
Paradisul Acvatic
- aquatic complex with 40m long swimming pool and three jumping platform (1 m, 3 m, 5.20 m)


Notable events

*Tess Rally Brașov – The local round in the Romanian Rally Championship *BRD Brașov Challenger – A tennis tournament, part of the ATP Challenger Tour *Braşov International Marathon – Marathon – 42 km Course, Half-Marathon – 21 km Course 10,7 km & Team Run + 5,7 km Course


Media

The city of Brașov is home to several local media publications such as Transilvania Express, Monitorul Express, Bună Ziua Brașov or Brașovul Tău. Also, several local television stations exist, such as RTT, MIX TV and Nova TV.


Gallery


See also

* List of people from Brașov * List of mayors of Brașov


Notes


References

* * ''"O istorie a Brașovului"'' ("A history of Brasov") – Ion Dumitrașcu, Mariana Maximescu, Phoenix, Brașov, 2001 * ''"Fortificația dacică de la Brașov – Pietrele lui Solomon"'' ("The Dacian citadel from Brașov – Pietrele lui Solomon"), Fl. Costea, CumidavaXX, Brașov, 1996 * ''"Săpăturile de salvare de pe dealul Șprenghi"'' ("The diggings for saving [the archaeological evidences] from Șprenghi Hill" – the hill was a quarry) A. Alexandrescu, N. Constantinescu, București, 1959 * ''"Die spätneolitischen Ansiedlungen mit bemalter Keramik aus oberem Laufe des Altflusses"'', J. Teutsch, Mitteilungen der Prehistorischen Komision, I, Wien.


Further reading

*


External links


City Hall official website

Tourism official website

German Cultural Center
kulturzentrum-kronstadt.ro
Art Museum Brașov
muzeulartabv.ro {{DEFAULTSORT:Brasov Brașov, Capitals of Romanian counties Castles of the Teutonic Knights Cities in Romania Populated places in Brașov County Localities in Transylvania Burzenland De-Stalinization