Radio România Internațional

Tag: Transylvania

  • מצעד הזכרון לאושוויץ

    מצעד הזכרון לאושוויץ

    בין 16 במאי לבין 19 במאי מתקיים מצעד הזכרון, עליה לרגל לאושוויץ. המצעד הוא יוזמה של ASR, התנועה הציונית ברומניה ושל MCA ROMANIA, המרכז למיגור האנטישמיות והוא מאורגן בשיתוף הפדרציה של הקהילות ברומניה, בתמיכת עגודת CARITATEA, JEWISH DISTRIBUTION COMITTEEוהמכון לחקר השואה ברומניה, ELIE WIESEL



    מצעד הזכרון מציין 75 שנים שעברו מחודש מאי 1944, כש160000 יהודים מצפון טרנסילבניה נשלחו, ע”י השלטון ההונגרי, למחנות המוות באושוויץ ובבירקנאו. 135000 מהם, כולל 25000 ילדים, נרצחו ע”י המרצחים הנאצים.



    יהודי צפון טרנסילבניה היו הראשנים שנשלחו למותם, מבין ה400000 יהודים ששלטונות הונגריה שלחו לאושוויץ לאחר 19 במרס 1944, כשהונגריה נפלה תחת השלטון הנאצי. עד 1944, החל מ1940, לאחר “הדיקטט וינה”, טרנסילבניה היתה תחת שליטה הונגרית. סבל יהודי טרנסילבניה התחיל עוד לפני 1940, כשטרנסילבניה היתה תחת שליטה רומנית.



    המסע יוצא ב16 במאי מקלוז שבטרנסילבניה. לאחר עצירות בערים שמהן היהודים נאספו ב1944, ולאחר עצירה בעיר קוסיצה שבסלובקיה, שם היהודים הועברו ע”י ההונגרים לידי הנאצים הגרמנים, המסע יגיע לקרקוב שבפולין. ב17 במאי יתקיים באושוויץ בירקנאו טכס הנחת מצבה וישיבת שיבעה.



    במהלך המסע המשתתפים יבקרו בשכונה היהודית של קרקוב וישתתפו בתפילות שבת לצד חברי הקהילות היהודיות בקרקוב.

  • The most beautiful fortified churches in Romania

    The most beautiful fortified churches in Romania

    The Transylvanian rural landscape has always enthralled both Romanian and foreign tourists. This special natural setting is home to some of the most beautiful fortified churches, dating back centuries. A total of 200 such monuments have been identified in Transylvania to date, of which today we will look at some of the most beautiful and interesting, recommending to all our listeners to include as many as possible on their must-see list when planning their trip.


    The first stopover is a village that was first documented 810 years ago, in 1209 — Alma Vii. Overlooking the village is the church that was built in the 15th century. To reach it, you need to drive on a dirt road leading to a monument on top of a hill. The church is evidence of the Saxon population in the area, and speaks for the multiculturalism in Transylvania.



    Mihaela Turk, a project manager with the Mihai Eminescu Trust Foundation, told us that the church has four towers that were restored with an EFTA grant: “We completed the project in 2016 and we mounted an exhibition in these towers that reinterprets the local multi-ethnic traditional culture, specific to the region of Transylvania. We wanted to capitalize on the church to attract tourists to this area and contribute to its sustainable development. Each tower has a theme: The Clock Tower or the Gatehouse Tower, the Bacon Tower, the Ice Tower and the Granary Tower. We wanted to restore the old purpose of the towers by means of the exhibits. The towers can also host certain events, such as conferences with 50 participants. They can also host temporary exhibitions at certain levels”.



    Mihaela Turk has also told us tourists can visit traditional peasant houses: “These houses have preserved their original furniture for their most part, and in some cases we have restored some of the items ourselves. The floors are covered with mats woven from scrap cloth, which we like very much. They are very colorful and they are placed on wooden floors, which in turn are warmer than those made from present-day materials. They are all painted with traditional motifs. Whenever we restore a house we don’t use cement and pane glass, but wood, stone, gravel and limestone”.



    At present, the fortified church in Alma Vii no longer hosts regular service, but the village community gathers here for important events, such as Christmas, which is also a great time for a visit to Alma Vii.



    73 km from Alma Vii lies Cisnadioara, where you will find the oldest Roman-style monument in Transylvania. The citadel here is different from others in Transylvania through the fact that it didn’t undergo too many subsequent alterations, despite the troubled ages it endured.



    Here is Carmen Kelber, a steward and guide: ”The church was built in 1180, and its outer walls were built in 1241, before the Mongol invasion. For 300 years the Church was a home for Cistercian monks, as at one point, in 1223, the Church was donated to the Cistercian monastery in Carta. Throughout the centuries it served first as a church, then as an archery citadel and arsenal, even as a prison for a period of time. Right now it is mainly open for visitors. Masses are being held, three, maybe four times a year”. So, just like the fortified church in Alma Vii, the Cisnadioara citadel can make a perfect Christmas destination.”



    However, one of the best-preserved citadels in Transylvania is located in Frauendorf Axente Sever.


    Livia Pelger invites you to visit the life-size catapult and a battering ram: ”The citadel dates from as far back as 1322. It is special because the bell is placed above the choir. In Transylvania, there are around 300 evangelical citadels, but usually, the tower or the belfry and the church are located in two separate places. The names of those who lost their lives in the line of duty in World War II are written on the wall, near the altar, next to those of WWI heroes. Not only the names, but also the number of the houses they lived in, in the village, are mentioned on the wall. The altar is built in 1777, in the Baroque style. The organ in the upper part dates back from the same period. It is still functional. The church is still in use as well. Every two weeks, a priest from Medias arrives in the area and performs the divine service in German.”



    Viscri is one of the toponyms that has become well known world over thanks to HRH Prince Charles, who fell in love with the village and its surroundings. Houses here are very old and are painted in pale colors and they have window shutters. The area’s unique selling point is the fortified church, an impressive example of Transylvanian defensive architecture.



    Gerhild Gross, organist and administrator, and always ready to offer info on the citadel: “Nowhere else will you find so many fortified churches, on a rather small area, like in Transylvania. Of course, not all of them can be visited, however, there is something unique about the vast majority of them that are open to the public. They were built for the same purpose, yet there is something special about each and every one of them. In the beginning, a little church was built and afterwards our ancestors had to think out a defensive means to protect them from Ottoman, Mongol, Tartar and Turkish invasions. The church was the soul of the community and they thought to erect fortifications around it, for safety reasons. The entire population in the village, in case of danger, could take refuge inside the church. We have a very small and simple organ, built in 1817 by a Translyvanian organ master. For me, it is something special, since my ancestors were organists: my grandfather, my uncle. Right now it is me who play it. At a very early age, I was very close to the organ.”



    The administrator of the fortified church and the organist invites you to take time when you plan a visit to the fortified churches. It will be the only thing you need to enjoy the authenticity of the village and of the monuments. Because, if you have some time, you will escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and step into a genuine fairy tale world.

  • Strategies for promoting Romania as tourist destination

    Strategies for promoting Romania as tourist destination

    Prince Charles has been for years now an ardent promoter of the Romanian region of Transylvania, where he found a unique relationship between man and his surroundings, saying that the locals are animated by a feeling of belonging. The prince bought along the years several traditional houses, and is involved in a campaign to save the virgin forests of Transylvania. He loves traditional products in the area, and had a major role in the promotional documentary Wild Carpathia, broadcast by the Travel Channel.



    The documentary made a huge difference in promoting Romania as a tourist destination, as a country that could use much more awareness. The on-line environment and social media became the main channels for attracting tourists here. In 2018 there was already a surge in the number of tourists, but it was deemed insufficient by Tudor Maxim, the founder of #ExperienceBucharest, the biggest project of independent promotion for Romania, next to #ExperienceRomania. He underlined the importance of promotional videos, the need to continuously update the national promotion website, especially in languages of wide circulation. As he put it, quote: Officially, we dont exist in terms of international image, and Romania has one of the smallest number of tourists in all of Europe.



    Early this month, the #ExperienceBucharest event brought together over 300 foreign guests, bloggers, journalists, vloggers, and experts on Twitter and Instagram, who created quality campaigns, promoting Bucharest and other areas, getting exposure for Romania. This occasioned various tours and alternative experience events, such as The Story of Bucharest, where the participants were exposed to its over 500 years of history, the Roma Cultural Heritage event, touching on the sensitive issue of Roma discrimination, the Alternative Tour, designed for raising awareness over urban art, and the Communist Tour, meant to inform about the 40 years of communist dictatorship in Romania.



    Romania is far from living up to its true potential in tourism, according to the hotel industry in the country. According to them, Romanias taking over the rotating EU presidency in the first half of 2019, as well as the preparations for hosting the European Championships in 2020, are a good omen for domestic tourism. A unitary strategy is needed, coordinated between all those involved, is the opinion of Calin Ile, head of the Romanian Hotel Industry Federation.



    “We have set a deadline for January 31 to finalize the strategy for promoting Bucharest as a destination in Romania. We want to bring all the actors to the same table, and not waste resources by adhering to disparate strategies, one made by the Ministry of Tourism, another one by the City Hall, and another one by the Federation. Even though this comes very late in the game, we believe we will be able to manage to come up with an action plan, if not a strategy. During the presidency we expect about 25,000 delegates from member countries, and during the football championship we expect about 120,000 tourists attending the 4 games. We want to provide these tourists with a unique experience, we want to engage the locals as much as we can in taking pride in the fact that they belong to a city that hosts such events. More importantly, we want to capitalize on the legacy that results from such events, with an impact for years to come”.



    The Ministry of Tourism will promote Romania with two promo videos, publishing brochures in 5 international languages, and will also support concerts held in May 2019 at the Summit in Sibiu.


    However, it is not only tourism that needs promotion. Romania needs a coherent strategy for promoting traditional products, according to the head of the Agro Pro National Federation, Emil Dumitru. He was invited for an interview on Radio Romania, on Romanian Food Product Day, and he explained that there is a plan to set up an agency to promote quality products.



    Here he is expanding on it: “Such an agency would go a long way towards helping the Romanian producer have proper labeling, in order to comply in full with all the technical requirements. We believe that Romania, which will be the fifth most important agricultural entity in the EU post-Brexit, will be a major player on the European food market”.



    Also pleading for such a country project are Romanian wine makers, who point out that Romanian wines have won countless medals, but little international recognition.

  • Les journées du film roumain au Festival International Transilvania – TIFF 2018

    Les journées du film roumain au Festival International Transilvania – TIFF 2018

    Deux films figurant dans la compétition internationale pour le Trophée Transilvania se sont retrouvés cette année à l’affiche des Journées du film roumain, étant projetés pour la première fois en Roumanie. L’un des deux est le grand gagnant de l’Ours d’Or, cette année à Berlin : il s’agit de « Touch Me Not » (Touche-moi pas), le premier long-métrage de la réalisatrice Adina Pintilie. Situé à la frontière de la fiction, du film documentaire et de l’art visuel et expérimentant courageusement au niveau aussi bien du contenu que du langage cinématographique, le film « Touch Me Not » est une approche personnelle de l’intimité, du besoin humain de contact authentique. C’est une tentative de découvrir les différentes couches de l’intimité. L’intimité est pleine de dangers. Le revers de l’amour peut être la haine, l’agressivité, l’incompréhension, qui font toutes partie de la même réalité complexe. Adina Pintilie : « A mon avis, la façon dont nous vivions l’intimité est conditionnée par de nombreux aspects: l’éducation, la culture à laquelle nous appartenons, notre histoire personnelle. Pourtant, la réalité concrète de l’interaction avec les autres est beaucoup plus complexe et le projet est né justement de la curiosité qu’elle suscite. En me rendant compte qu’en fait je ne sais pas beaucoup de choses sur l’intimité et sur la nature humaine, j’ai entamé un processus de réapprentissage et de découverte des manières parfois surprenantes de vivre l’intimité. J’ai travaillé aussi bien avec des acteurs professionnels qu’avec des personnes qui n’avaient jamais fait du cinéma, mais qui s’intéressaient précisément à ce domaine d’investigation. Le résultat en a été un mélange inédit à leurs histoires personnelles s’ajoutant des éléments de fiction. Nous avons également eu recours à des expériences de psychodrame et à beaucoup d’autres moyens pour mettre en évidence les mécanismes que nous appliquons souvent dans nos relations avec les autres, sans nous en rendre compte. En fait, tous les personnages sont confrontés à cette contradiction entre le besoin d’intimité et la peur de s’engager dans une relation d’interdépendance qui risque de les rendre trop vulnérables. »

    Paul Negoescu, gagnant du Prix du meilleur premier film à l’édition 2013 des Journées du film roumain avec « Un mois en Thaïlande » et auteur de la comédie populaire « Deux lots », est revenu au TIFF avec « L’histoire d’un badaud » (The Story of a Summer Lover). A nouveau une comédie douce-amère sur les situations difficiles où l’amour nous plonge souvent. Paul Negoescu : « C’est une comédie romantique, dont le héros manque complètement de romantisme. Par conséquent, tous les clichés des films romantiques en sont absents. Le personnage principal, joué par Alexandru Papadopol, pourrait être décrit ainsi : un homme ayant dépassé la quarantaine, professeur à l’Institut polytechnique, refusant de prendre les choses au sérieux, en relation ouverte avec une femme qui accepte toutes ses petites aventures. Seulement cette femme finit par tomber enceinte. Et c’est à ce moment-là qu’il commence à se demander s’il ne devait pas gagner en maturité ; il se pose des questions et les pose aussi à ses deux amis, qu’il rencontre de temps en temps. L’un d’entre eux est écrivain et il se décide d’écrire un livre là-dessus, de sorte que cette histoire est vue par les yeux de cet écrivain. »

    En lice à Saint Sébastien et primé à Trieste, le film « Les soldats. Histoire du quartier de Ferentari » (Soldiers. Story From Ferentari) d’Ivana Mladenovic a été, lui aussi, présenté au Festival du Film Transilvania. La réalisatrice porte à l’écran le roman homonyme de l’écrivain Adrian Schiop, qui est en même temps un des protagonistes de cette histoire d’amour non conventionnelle. Après sa première, le film a suscité des protestations contre la communauté LGBT. Ada Solomon, productrice du film, explique : « L’histoire se déroule dans un espace particulier : le quartier de Ferentari, le plus pauvre de la capitale. Un milieu précaire, un monde marginal, dans lequel les deux héros sont, eux aussi, des êtres marginaux. C’est un aspect qui m’a beaucoup intéressé et je trouve ridicule que ce film ait pu être accusé de propagande homosexuelle. Car qui est-ce qui souhaiterait être dans la peau de ces personnages et vivre dans le quartier de Ferentari ? En quoi ce film pourrait-il être « aspirationnel » ? Voilà une question sans réponse. Si ce film lance un défi aux spectateurs, c’est bien celui de découvrir cet espace, de découvrir un monde dont les valeurs sont différentes de nos valeurs habituelles et d’avoir le courage de poser leur regard sur ce quartier, si proche et si méconnu. De ce point de vue, le film est une sorte de passage, il brise la barrière. Par ailleurs, « Les soldats » est en fait un film sur la solitude, sur le besoin d’avoir quelqu’un auprès de soi, d’avoir un foyer, une famille, d’être intégré à une communauté. Ce film, c’est tout ce que vous voulez, sauf de la propagande.5 films en première absolue ont compté parmi les surprises de cette édition du festival, dont certains signés par des réalisateurs débutants. Il s’agit du premier long-métrage de Bogdan Theodor Olteanu. Silvana Mihai, une des actrices qui s’est fait remarquer dans le programme « 10 pour le FILM », joue le rôle principal dans un film courageux: « Quelques conversations sur une fille très haute de taille » (Several Conversations About a Very Tall Girl). L’acteur Vlad Zamfirescu a fait ses débuts en tant que réalisateur. Son film, « Le Secret du bonheur » (The Secret of Happiness) est une comédie cynique pleine d’imprévus qui tient le public en haleine.(Aut. : Corina Sabău; Trad.: Dominique)

  • Banffy residences in Transylvania

    Banffy residences in Transylvania

    One of the oldest Hungarian noble families in
    Transylvania, the Banffy family has left behind impressive buildings, which are
    now landmarks of the region’s architectural heritage. Many castles, mansions
    and villas, spreading all across Transylvania, built by members of various
    branches of the Banffy family as early as the 15th-16th
    Centuries, stood the test of time and are now part of the Romanian cultural
    heritage. An inventory and description of these properties have recently been
    made by architects Dan-Ionuţ Julean and Dana Julean, who published a book
    entitled The Heritage of the Banffy Family in Transylvania.




    The most famous Banffy residence today is located in
    Bonţida, some 30 kilometres from Cluj-Napoca. The castle in Bonţida has been
    dubbed Transylvania’s Versailles, due to the impressive decorative artefacts,
    pieces of furniture and other items collected by the Banffys along the 500
    years of this family’s uninterrupted dwelling in Bontida, as Ionuţ Julean has
    pointed out:




    The Banffy family first established their
    residence in Bontida in the 15th Century. The castle, in its current
    form, does not date back to those times. It has undergone many changes, the
    most important being the Baroque stage, in the second half of the 18th
    Century. But important and interesting changes, relevant for the history of
    architecture in Romania, were made in the 19th Century, under the
    influence of Romanticism. Practically, an entire wing was rebuilt, completely transformed
    at that time, under the influence of English Romantic park landscaping and the
    cult of ruins. As a result, the new wing was smoothly integrated into the
    English park that replaced the old Baroque park. Unfortunately, almost
    everything was lost during WWI, during the withdrawal of fascist troops.




    The commune of Bonţida also includes a smaller
    village, called Răscruci, where another Banffy residence is located. This
    village, which has been the property of the Banffys since the 15th
    Century, was housing a Renaissance castle, built in the 17th
    Century, which apparently was replaced by a Baroque one in the 18th
    Century. The Baroque building was preserved until 1870, when it was owned by
    baron Adam Banffy, as Ionuţ Julean has told us:




    The castle inRăscruci is one of the
    eclectic neo-classical architectural gems of Transylvania, being almost
    entirely created by the young baron Adam Banffy who, during a rather short
    life, managed to create a place which is also tale-telling of the vibrant
    artistic life of Transylvanian aristocracy in the second half of the 19th
    Century. After having inherited this estate, he started to implement there his
    views of a modern residence, using all the artistic elements in fashion at the
    time. He brought his personal touch to the castle, as he designed and actually
    made all the decorative elements himself, with the help of only two craftsmen
    whom he had trained for that specific purpose. There were also two main
    carpenters: a Hungarian one and a Romanian one. In a nutshell, after a series
    of extension works, a unique castle in Transylvania finally took shape. The
    works on the Castle in Răscruci started in 1875, and its architectural style is
    a mixture of the German-Neo-Renaissance style with fantastic elements, deriving
    from heraldic themes, particularly the armorial bearings of the Banffy family,
    featuring a crowned griffin, specific to medieval families and taken over by
    the aristocracy of the Hungarian kingdom.




    This castle is in a fairly good condition
    nowadays, but its state is worsening by the year. Currently owned by the Cluj
    County Council, the castle is surrounded by an impressive park, where secular
    trees can still be seen.




    The Banffy family had properties not only in
    Cluj County, but also in Alba, for instance a small castle and court in
    Ciuguzel, that have recently been returned to one of the young Banffy heirs.
    Ionuţ Julean:




    It has a Baroque, western appearance,
    combining elements of Austrian fine art, and French influences. This building
    can be considered a small architectural gem. There is a variety of elements
    concentrated on a rather small surface, in an adequate amount, and the final
    result is a beautiful composition, pleasant to look at, and a matching
    history.




    Unfortunately, many of these noble residences
    are severely deteriorated, and the volume The Heritage of the Banffy Family
    in Transylvania     is intended both to sound the alarm on this, and to
    highlight these cultural heritage landmarks.

  • January 12, 2018 UPDATE

    January 12, 2018 UPDATE

    TENSIONS The Romanian Foreign Ministry said on Friday that PM Mihai Tudoses statements concerned the responsibilities that central and local authorities in Romania have with respect to the enforcement of the law, and had no anti-Hungarian implications. According to the Ministry, the Prime Ministers statements had to do with the need to comply with constitutional order and the rule of law in Romania, which is a sovereign and indivisible state. Romanias Ambassador to Budapest was invited on Friday to the Hungarian Foreign Ministry, following statements made by PM Tudose concerning the self-proposed autonomy of the Szecklers, an ethnic Hungarian group in Transylvania. As the Romanian official put it, “should the Szeckler colours fly on the public institutions there, everybody will fly with them. Budapest views the statement as unacceptable and unworthy of European values and the values of the 21st Century, said the Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó. Hungarys Foreign Ministry said it was waiting for explanations and excuses from the Government of Romania in this respect. Romanian authorities and political parties see the demands of the Hungarian community and political representatives, who want local autonomy for the regions in Transylvania where most of the ethnic Hungarians live, as coming against the constitution of Romania.




    ANTI-CORRUPTION The head of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, Laura Codruţa Kövesi, will be subject to a disciplinary procedure conducted by the Prosecutors Division of the Higher Council of Magistrates, after the judicial inspection corps moved against her over professional misconduct. Following transcripts of audio recordings made public in June 2017, Kovesi is accused, among other things, of conduct detrimental to the honour and professional probity of prosecutors and to the image of the judiciary. According to judicial inspectors, she used dismissive and aggressive language with fellow prosecutors, which is unacceptable by the basic ethics code of the magistrate profession. The National Anti-Corruption Directorate headed by Laura Kövesi has been constantly praised in European Commission reports on the Romanian judiciary.




    DEFENCE A contract was signed in Bucharest on Friday for the purchase of 227 Piranha armored fighting vehicles. Under the contract, the first 30 vehicles are to be delivered from Switzerland and the rest will be produced in Romania. The total cost of the purchase stays around 895 million euros. These vehicles offer the highest protection to personnel and can be equipped with various weapons. They are mainly used as personnel carriers but can be adjusted for medevac or other specific missions. The Defence Ministry is to also purchase 173 trucks that will be used as troops carriers or to provide logistics support.




    DIPLOMACY Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Friday left Tokyo on a diplomatic tour to Central and Eastern Europe, which takes him to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Romania. The Japanese official is trying to rally support for Tokyos firm stand against North Korea, France Press reports. This is the first such visit paid by a Japanese Premier to the region. The Japanese official is to be received by president Klaus Iohannis in Bucharest on Tuesday. The agenda of the talks includes the stage and prospects in the process of strengthening the very good relations under the Renewed Partnership between Romania and Japan at political, economic and cultural level as well as in terms of security and human relations, the Romanian presidency has announced. Other issues, such as the cooperation between the EU and Japan, regional developments with an emphasis to the North Korean file, as well as the Romanian-Japanese cooperation, are also to be tackled. This is the first visit to Romania by a Japanese Prime Minister and comes against the background of celebrating five years since the 2013 Renewed Partnership between Romania and Japan.




    TENNIS Romanian tennis player Mihaela Buzarnescu Friday defeated the Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals of the WTA tournament in Hobart, Australia with 225,000 dollars in prize money. Mihaela, who on Monday is to join the worlds top 50 players for the first time in her career, will be playing Belgian Elise Mertens (WTA 36) in the finals. Australian Open, the years first Grand Slam tournament is to commence on Monday with the worlds best player, Romanian Simona Halep, as the odds-on favourite. The Romanian will be playing Australian Destanee Aiava in the competitions first round. Besides Halep, the women singles main draw has another five players from Romania: Sorana Cirstea, Irina Begu, Mihaela Buzarnescu, Monica Niculescu and Ana Bogdan. Marius Copil (ATP 93) will be representing Romania in the mens singles.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • Rural Tourism in Romania

    Rural Tourism in Romania

    Romania’s tourism potential has been featured prominently in a recent article on Huffington Post. The article states that Romania may be the most beautiful country in Europe. One of the strongest points that the country boasts are the villages in Bukovina, Maramures and Transylvania. Accommodation has become plentiful in those regions lately, thanks to their growing popularity, due to their special landscapes and the preservation of traditions.



    Catalin Catana, with the National Rural, Ecological and Cultural Tourism Association, in short ANTREC, says that a journey there in Transylvania could start with a brunch at a Saxon village in the Critz Viscri area. You can find there an old parish house turned B&B, with traditional cooking and traditional crafts. That can be a starting point for visiting the medieval fortified cities of Sighisoara, Rupea, Viscri and Saschiz.



    If you prefer the seaside, the Danube Delta is ideal for bird watching. Also very popular with tourists are the local homes of the ethnic Russian people. A few special programs are available from May until late in October and November, off season, when accommodation is more widely available.



    Cristian Catana: “We have special packages, with accommodation for five nights plus one night free of charge, or a lunch on the house, in order to attract tourists. Many tourists are interested in our rural tourism programs, running in May-June and October-November. We work with travel agencies and tour operators both at home and abroad. Foreign tourists come mostly from Western countries. French tourists are very interested in visiting our wine making areas, from Buzau to Prahova. The Germans and Austrians are much more focused on the traditional Saxon culture in Transylvania. One thing that helps a lot in terms of promotion among British tourists is the fact that we have been recommended by Lonely Planet.



    Once you get to these areas, you don’t have to worry about the language barrier, and Cristian Catana tells us why:



    Cristian Catana: “A lot of hosts have specialized, and went to school to learn foreign languages. This has contributed to the growth in rural tourism, with better performance on the part of the local staff. We also have lots of guides who speak English, French and German. The number of tourists from Russia and the Baltic countries has also increased. You are welcome to discover the traditions of Romanian villages, and enjoy the hospitality that traditional communities offer here.



    Were now heading towards Prejmer, in central Romania, a locality lying less than 15 kilometers from Brasov. Apart from the charm and beauty provided by the rural flavor of the place, in Prejmer you will find a fortified church, built in the 13th century. The grandiose church takes great pride in its organ, which was famous in Transylvania in the 17th century. Most of the activities in the area revolve around that monument. Mihaela Sima, working for the Prejmer town hall, told us that on Sundays, in the summer and in early autumn, the fortified church plays host to classical music and organ concerts.



    Mihaela Sima: “Prejmer is one of Brasov Countys major localities. Two roads link the village to the county capital, Brasov, so its not very difficult to get here. Tourists mostly come here for the fortified church, which is included on the UNESCO heritage list. It is the foremost attraction in our village, built by the Teutonic Knights beginning 1211. Another site is the Saints Apostles Peter and Paul Orthodox Church. In terms of natural sources of health benefits, I would mention the air and waters, which are very clean, and proof of that are the stork nests in our village, as they say storks only build their nests where the air is very clean.



    The locals of Prejmer also take pride in the culinary recipes that have also been passed on from one generation to another, and which are at least as old as the fortified church. The Pancakes Caravan in Prejmer has already become a traditional event. The Pancakes Caravan is an very successful event held every summer.



    Mihaela Sima: “The Prejmer cuisine is a very interesting mix of traditional Saxon and Romanian cuisine. There are lots of dishes, and guesthouses have most of these in their regular menus. Of them, I should mention a wide variety of pancakes, with meat, cheese or jam filling.



    In short, the Romanian countryside is a great holiday destination, if you want to enjoy ancient traditions, historical monuments, crafts and beautiful sceneries. Accommodation is affordable and the food delicious.


    (translated by: Calin Cotoiu, Eugen Nasta)

  • Rural Tourism in Romania

    Rural Tourism in Romania

    Romania’s tourism potential has been featured prominently in a recent article on Huffington Post. The article states that Romania may be the most beautiful country in Europe. One of the strongest points that the country boasts are the villages in Bukovina, Maramures and Transylvania. Accommodation has become plentiful in those regions lately, thanks to their growing popularity, due to their special landscapes and the preservation of traditions.



    Catalin Catana, with the National Rural, Ecological and Cultural Tourism Association, in short ANTREC, says that a journey there in Transylvania could start with a brunch at a Saxon village in the Critz Viscri area. You can find there an old parish house turned B&B, with traditional cooking and traditional crafts. That can be a starting point for visiting the medieval fortified cities of Sighisoara, Rupea, Viscri and Saschiz.



    If you prefer the seaside, the Danube Delta is ideal for bird watching. Also very popular with tourists are the local homes of the ethnic Russian people. A few special programs are available from May until late in October and November, off season, when accommodation is more widely available.



    Cristian Catana: “We have special packages, with accommodation for five nights plus one night free of charge, or a lunch on the house, in order to attract tourists. Many tourists are interested in our rural tourism programs, running in May-June and October-November. We work with travel agencies and tour operators both at home and abroad. Foreign tourists come mostly from Western countries. French tourists are very interested in visiting our wine making areas, from Buzau to Prahova. The Germans and Austrians are much more focused on the traditional Saxon culture in Transylvania. One thing that helps a lot in terms of promotion among British tourists is the fact that we have been recommended by Lonely Planet.



    Once you get to these areas, you don’t have to worry about the language barrier, and Cristian Catana tells us why:



    Cristian Catana: “A lot of hosts have specialized, and went to school to learn foreign languages. This has contributed to the growth in rural tourism, with better performance on the part of the local staff. We also have lots of guides who speak English, French and German. The number of tourists from Russia and the Baltic countries has also increased. You are welcome to discover the traditions of Romanian villages, and enjoy the hospitality that traditional communities offer here.



    Were now heading towards Prejmer, in central Romania, a locality lying less than 15 kilometers from Brasov. Apart from the charm and beauty provided by the rural flavor of the place, in Prejmer you will find a fortified church, built in the 13th century. The grandiose church takes great pride in its organ, which was famous in Transylvania in the 17th century. Most of the activities in the area revolve around that monument. Mihaela Sima, working for the Prejmer town hall, told us that on Sundays, in the summer and in early autumn, the fortified church plays host to classical music and organ concerts.



    Mihaela Sima: “Prejmer is one of Brasov Countys major localities. Two roads link the village to the county capital, Brasov, so its not very difficult to get here. Tourists mostly come here for the fortified church, which is included on the UNESCO heritage list. It is the foremost attraction in our village, built by the Teutonic Knights beginning 1211. Another site is the Saints Apostles Peter and Paul Orthodox Church. In terms of natural sources of health benefits, I would mention the air and waters, which are very clean, and proof of that are the stork nests in our village, as they say storks only build their nests where the air is very clean.



    The locals of Prejmer also take pride in the culinary recipes that have also been passed on from one generation to another, and which are at least as old as the fortified church. The Pancakes Caravan in Prejmer has already become a traditional event. The Pancakes Caravan is an very successful event held every summer.



    Mihaela Sima: “The Prejmer cuisine is a very interesting mix of traditional Saxon and Romanian cuisine. There are lots of dishes, and guesthouses have most of these in their regular menus. Of them, I should mention a wide variety of pancakes, with meat, cheese or jam filling.



    In short, the Romanian countryside is a great holiday destination, if you want to enjoy ancient traditions, historical monuments, crafts and beautiful sceneries. Accommodation is affordable and the food delicious.


    (translated by: Calin Cotoiu, Eugen Nasta)

  • March 29, 2017 UPDATE

    March 29, 2017 UPDATE

    PRINCE CHARLES – Romanias President, Klaus Iohannis, on Wednesday received, in Bucharest, Prince Charles of Great Britain, whom he awarded the “Star of Romania National Order in Rank of Grand Cross, in token of appreciation for his activity in Romania and for promoting the countrys image abroad. The two discussed ways to develop and deepen the bilateral Strategic Partnership, also in the field of security, the evolution of relations after the launch of Brexit talks, laying emphasis on the situation of the Romanian community in Great Britain, as well as about the charity work conducted by Prince Charles. The British Crown Prince laid a wreath of flowers at the Unknown Soldier Memorial in Bucharest on Wednesday, the first day of his official visit to Romania. Although Prince Charles has frequently visited Romania in recent years, this is Prince Charles second official visit to this country. In 2016, Prince Charles set up his own foundation in Romania, whose goal is to protect the national heritage and support this countrys sustainable development. The owner of several properties in Transylvania, the Prince is passionate about Saxon medieval architecture in central Romania, fortresses, churches and houses built by the German settlers in Transylvania in the Middle Ages.



    BREXIT TALKS – British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday confirmed in the British Parliament that the UK invoked article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which starts negotiations for the countrys leaving the EU. The British ambassador to the EU, Tim Barrow, on Wednesday personally handed over to the European Council President, Donald Tusk, a letter of notification regarding the start of Brexit talks. This notification opens up a two-year period of negotiation to establish the way in which Great Britain can leave the community block and to structure the future relations between London and the EU. Donald Tusk announced that on Friday he would come up with a proposal which will include the main guidelines for the negotiation process. He also said the team holding the negotiations will do everything possible to reduce the costs of Brexit for European citizens and firms as well as for the member states.



    ROMANIAN-BRITISH RELATIONS – To Romania, the United Kingdom is an essential partner and it will remain so, says PM Sorin Grindeanu, given assurances, in a communiqué, that the Romanian Government will get actively involved in the effort to protect the rights and interests of the Romanian citizens in Great Britain, after the Romanian government took note of the official launch of Brexit talks. According to estimates by the Romanian authorities, over 250,000 Romanians are currently living in the UK. In turn, Romanian foreign minister Teodor Melescanu said in an interview on Radio Romania that Bucharest is currently preparing a plan and an update to the partnership with London, based on which to develop bilateral relations after Brexit.



    LEGAL SYSTEM – At the moment, it is not appropriate to start the mechanism of revoking Romanias Prosecutor General and the Chief Prosecutor of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate. The statement has been made by justice minister, Tudorel Toader, which analyzed the activity of Romanias Prosecutor General, Augustin Lazar, and of the Chief Prosecutor of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi, for two weeks. He initiated this evaluation after the Constitutional Court noticed that the National Anti-Corruption Directorate overstepped its authority in case of the investigation into the way in which the government made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats promoted the controversial emergency decree which partially decriminalized the abuse of office. The justice minister has said the National Anti-Corruption Directorate overstepped its authority and put pressure on the Government. Tudorel Toader added that the National Anti-Corruption Directorate can function only in full compliance with principles of the rule of law. (Translated by D. Vijeu)

  • Gherla, a Baroque town in central Romania

    Gherla, a Baroque town in central Romania

    Located in central Romania, some 50 km from the city of Cluj-Napoca, Gherla is considered the first modern town in Transylvania. But its uniqueness resides not only in its modernity. The modern town of Gherla was conceived in the Baroque style, and its urban history is linked with the Armenian community in Transylvania. In fact, for over two centuries, Gherla was better known as Armenopolis, the town of the Armenian. Armenians came to this town, documented as early as the ancient times, in early 17th century, coming in particular from Moldavia, where they had developed rich trade and crafts communities.



    Lucian Nastasa-Kovacs, the Director of the Cluj Napoca Art Museum, told us more about the beginnings of that migration: “The then Prince of Transylvania, Apafi, was very much interested in attracting to Transylvania what would be active economic factors. And those factors were the Armenians. In a first stage, in late 17th century, they settled in Bistrita. But Bistrita was a predominantly Saxon city, where people dealt in small crafts and petty trade. That is why in 1712, when the plague struck, it was used as a pretext to drive Armenians away from the place. Those were the Armenians who subsequently settled in Gherla, a town that in fact belonged to the Armenian community as proven by deeds issued by the imperial court in Vienna. Ever since they settled in there, the town started developing in keeping with the urban principles that were very much in fashion in the 17th century. It was divided in plots and surrounded by walls, access being secured by gates.”



    It didn’t take long for the Armenian community to become even stronger in Gherla, acquiring a special status and without being subordinated to the court in Vienna. According to Lucian Nastasa-Kovacs, the wealth of the community was generated by trade and multi-craft enterprises: “That brought them a lot of wealth and prosperity, so much that, in time they ended up loaning money to the Court in Vienna. Although the Court, when supposed to return the loans, would suddenly become short of money and reluctant to pay back. Eventually, an Armenian delegation from Gherla, arriving in Vienna exactly when a big cathedral was being erected in the town, came with an answer to the question: ‘what can the Emperor offer you in exchange for the loaned money?’. This story explains why an impressive panting by Rubens, titled ‘Descent from the Cross’, became property of the Armenian community. The painting is still hosted by the cathedral in Gherla. The paining was rather small and it did not fit the size of the cathedral, so it could not be displayed behind the altar. However, it was placed in a chapel of its own, and nowadays it’s probably the only painting by Rubens that can be admired free of charge. “



    The Armenian — Catholic cathedral was built in the 18th century, during the building of the baroque town. Another church erected in the same period, and still standing, is the Solomon Church, the first church of the Armenians in Gherla. The new town had four straight and parallel streets, crossing perpendicularly, all opening towards the Somes River and the central square. The Elisabeta Park, also known as “the Little Schonbrun”, was built in 1864 as an immense English garden. Of the non-Baroque buildings, built before the Armenian settlement, still standing is also the Gherla Fortress or the Martinuzzi Fortress, erected in mid 16th century and turned into a penitentiary during the Communist regime.



    However, the town looks predominantly Baroque, in the typical sober and simple Austrian style. Here is Lucian Nastasa — Kovacs once more: “Representative for this style is, for instance, the Karacsony House, which today is home to the History Museum in Gherla. Actually, the entire main street, where this building stands too, is full of such houses. During the period when the Armenians settled in Transylvania, the place was under the authority of the Austrian Empire. So, things were not done randomly, not even from an urban point of view. They used town planning and architectural designs that were extremely well conceived and also extremely practical.”



    Armenopolis started to decay after the WWI, along with the fast pace of industrialization and the Armenians’ migration towards Cluj. Today, there are just a few Armenian families left in Gherla.


  • Places worth visiting in 2016

    Places worth visiting in 2016

    In recent years, Romanias capital city, Bucharest, has become an increasingly attractive city- break destination, thanks to its flight connections, its hotels, whose facilities have improved significantly, and the rapid tourist development of Bucharests Old City Center. Also making Bucharest attractive as a tourist destination are its large-scale cultural events, such as the George Enescu International Festival. Another top tourist destination for foreign visitors is the Danube Delta, an immense wetland area, with reed beds which offer shelter and nesting place for lots of bird species, some of them on the verge of extinction. It is also in the Danube Delta that the European Unions southernmost town can be found, Sulina. Following the instatement of free navigation on the Danube, in 1829, the town of Sulina became one of Romanias thriving cities in the late 19th century, and the most important harbour on the Black Seas western coast.



    However, Transylvania retains the top position among Romanias most attractive tourist destinations, since here you can find most of the Apuseni Mountains natural attractions, the Saxon fortified churches, a wide range of cultural traditions as well as a quite diversified cuisine. Marian Constantinescu is editor-in-chief of “Travel Magazine and President of Romanias FIJET Tourism Press Club, an organization of tourism journalists.



    Marian Constantinescu believes Romania also has other places that are worth visiting in 2016: Many people became acquainted with the destination of the year 2016, it is highly commended by international publications and websites. On the other hand, Id also like to underline that tourists have more connections to the north-eastern city of Iasi. There are foreign hotel chains that have entered the market in Iasi, and from a town-planning and architectural point of view, today Iasi stands out as a city that can quite aptly claim the status of European cultural city. Iasi is worth visiting, with all its museums and, undoubtedly, also because it is a nostalgic city. There is a growing number of tourists coming from Israel, and the moment those international chains appeared in Iasi, it was a signal there were possibilities to do tourism in style.



    Located in north-eastern Romania, Iasi is one of the countrys largest cities, as well as a prominent university centre. The area surrounding the Palace of Culture, one of the citys landmarks, has been restructured and became an important commercial area, with lots of spaces tailored for event tourism. Also worth visiting in Iasi are the Three Hierarchs Monastery, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Golia Monastery, the Union Museum, the Printing Press Museum as well as the building of the “Vasile Alecsandri National Theatre.



    Journalist Marian Constantinescu did not stop at one Romanian tourist destination alone, which is worth visiting this year: Theres also something else which is worth visiting, the more so as spring is drawing near: the wooden churches in Maramures, for which European funding has been earmarked. They are included on UNESCOs World Heritage List and a circuit of the churches and monasteries in Maramures must be done by all means. I recommend a destination people usually pass through, yet they do not make their stopover there, the town of Targu Mures.



    Situated in northern Romania, Maramures boasts a significant forested area and equally impressive hunting and fishing resources. Along the centuries, the forest has provided to the inhabitants of Maramures the necessary raw material for the emergence and development of a genuine wood civilisation. Wooden churches and the tall wooden gates specific to Maramures stand proof of this civilization, being real works of folk art. Apart from woodworking, tourists will undoubtedly notice that each household is turned into a miniature-weaving centre, particularly in wintertime.



    Everything is made in a household, from folk costume pieces, which villagers usually wear on Sundays, when they go to church, or on big holy days, to carpets, rugs, and other artefacts, such as the traditional “cergi, that is fleecy blankets, or bed covers, which are usually white, or in black and red stripes. Apart from its famous wooden churches, Maramures boasts one of the most fascinating and wild areas in Romania, the Vaser Valley. 50 km long, this valley can hardly be compared to any other valley in the Carpathian Mountains. You can travel along the Vaser Valley, either by foot, as a backpacker, or by taking a ride on the traditional train, called “Mocanita. Either way, the trip will undoubtedly be a memorable experience and equally an adventure.



    Travel journalist Marian Constantinescu has also extended us the invitation to visit another tourist destination, which is within two- hour drive from Bucharest: “A big surprise for tourists is one of the former capitals of Wallachia, Targoviste, which now has an interesting tourist circuit to offer, including many museums. It earns its fame to ruler Vlad the Impaler, the more so as there is confusion nowadays, between Vlad the Impaler and Dracula. And, lets be honest, Dracula is and will further be the best selling and most advertised brand. Furthermore, its free advertising, as no one spends a dime on it. The stronghold is very well restored and worth visiting, just like the history, archaeology and art museums, which complement it. Decision-makers in the tourism industry have designed an interesting circuit, and you have a big surprise when visiting Targoviste.



    The big attraction of Targoviste is undoubtedly the Princely Court, a compound made up of 15th-18th century constructions. The first princely residence with an inner court and towers, whose ruins are still visible today, just like part of the walls and the underground, was built by order of ruler Mircea the Old (1386-1418). The succeeding rulers had the constructions dating back to Mircea the Old restored and added new ones. For instance, during the rule of Vlad the Impaler (1456-1462) the Chindia Tower, with a purely defensive role was built. It still juts over the vestiges of the Princely Court in Targoviste. The Princely Church, which is also on the premises of the Princely Court, was erected by order of Petru Cercel (1583-1585).

  • May 28, 2016

    May 28, 2016

    The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, warned that Romania and Poland might be within the range of Russian missiles, in the context of their hosting elements of the American missile defence system, seen as a threat to Moscow, Reuters reports. Putin reiterated the warning concerning the anti-missile system in Romania, claiming that although Moscow had repeatedly said it would retaliate, Washington and its allies ignored the warnings. This month the American anti-missile system in Deveselu, southern Romania, became operational, and a similar operation is due in Poland. NATOs plans to place components of its missile defence system in Romania and Poland has generated tensions with Russia from the very beginning. Moscow views the military system as targeting its territory, although the Alliance has repeatedly explained it targeted the forces of countries like Iran and North Korea. The Deveselu military base is 180 km from Bucharest, and the shield is activated upon identification of hostile missiles by its fixed or mobile radars.



    The Romanian Cultural Institute, the “Eudoxiu Hurmuzachi Institute and the Romanian Foreign Ministrys Department for Policies concerning the Romanians abroad are this year putting together a joint programme to celebrate the Day of the Romanian diaspora. The events, which take place today and tomorrow in Bucharest, bring together representatives of Romanian communities in the Balkan region as well as notable personalities that promote Romanias image. The programme includes a conference on the national identity abroad and the role of Romanian education. A fair will also be organized to showcase the traditions of the Romanian communities, and folk ensembles from Ukraine, Serbia, the Republic of Moldova and Romania will stage music and dance shows. The day of Romanians living abroad will also be celebrated in Cernauti, through 2 folklore performances, and in Madrid, which will host a Romanian traditional music concert.



    The EU has extended by another year the sanctions against Syrias Bashar al Assad regime, until July 1, 2017. The measures include, among others, an oil embargo, investment restrictions, the freezing of the assets of the Syrian central bank in the EU, restrictions on technology and equipment exports that might be used for domestic repression. Also, some transactions, through which Bashar al Assads forces may intercept the opposition members calls and electronic communications are blocked. More than 200 individuals and 70 companies and institutions are subject to travel bans and account freeze measures, in response to the violent repression of civilians in Syria. Brussels also maintains its commitment to identifying a long-term solution for the Syrian conflict, and intends to help organize new peace talks between the parties.




    Nearly 3,000 people attended on Friday in Cluj-Napoca the opening gala of the Transylvania International Film Festival, held in the citys central square. Todays agenda includes special events organized both in the city and at the Banffy Castle in the village of Bonţida, dubbed the Transylvania Versailles. The public will be able to watch some of the best Lithuanian productions, while at the Students Cultural Centre the Romanian astronaut Dumitru Prunariu will talk to those interested in films on that topic. Until June 5, more than 248 films will be screened, of which 216 feature films and 32 shorts. This years festival will include the Romanian premiere of Dogs, the winner of the Critics Award in Cannes. The special guest of the current edition of TIFF is actress Sophia Loren, who travels to Romania for the first time, to pick up a lifetime achievement award.



    Two Romanian players have qualified for the eighth-finals of the Roland Garros tournament, the second Grand Slam of the year. Simona Halep, no 6 in the world, will take on the Australian Samantha Stosur (24 WTA), while Irina Begu (28 WTA) will be competing against the American Shelby Rogers (108 WTA) for a place in the quarter-finals. Halep and Stosur have so far played 7 times against each other, with the Romanian player winning four times. For Irina Begu on the other hand, this is the first eighth-final qualification, and she has never played against Rogers before. In the mens doubles, the Romanian/Indian pair Florin Mergea and Rohan Bopanna have also reached the eighth-final stage.

  • The Legend of Count Dracula

    The Legend of Count Dracula

    Count Dracula and his country, Transylvania, represent the people and areas considered to be outside civilization, as pictured in Gothic literature. Before being turned into a literary myth, Dracula symbolically stood for meeting the unknown and the unpredictable. It is the fear of facing what is different, what goes beyond the ordinary, the values and beliefs of common people. This malevolent character, against whom people have to wage a life-and- death fight, comes from a place of darkness, of mystery and wilderness.



    Evil has taken various forms in universal literature, Dracula being nothing but the modern embodiment, on several levels, of what the West has always detested and feared the most: dictatorship as an adversary of democracy, obscurantism as the enemy of science, hierarchical superiority as opposed to equality, barbarian attitudes and crimes as adversaries of the law. Everything outside reason, tolerance, modernization and freedom was a danger posed to the humankind’s ideals of peace and happiness.



    The novel “Dracula” was published in 1897 against the backdrop of a tense European climate. The old continent was overwhelmed by the political radicalism of the future ideologies that later gave birth to the most barbarian political regimes such as Nazism and Communism, and the pessimistic view of the world had reached a climax. From a political point of view, Dracula is the absolute dictator who has powers that go beyond humans’ capacity of understanding. When Dracula decides to go to England, leaving behind his castle located in the Bargau Pass, in the Eastern Carpathians, with a view to spreading the vampire phenomenon in the civilized world, nobody has any more doubts regarding the intentions of such a character coming from such a world. Dracula’s dictatorship uses the bite in the neck to turn a citizen into a vassal.



    Dracula also stands for an entity of darkness. He detests science, light and brightness. His world is dominated by mystery, the lack of light, occult practices and a lugubrious atmosphere. And since the modernism of the 19th century meant the progress of science and reason, their adversary had no other mission than to reject them. Eventually science won the fight against occultism, and the secularized West got rid of the superstitious and cruel East.



    The vampire of Transylvania has the title of count. He is not a townsman, a peasant, a soldier or a public servant. He holds no dignity or rank known to writer Bram Stoker’s contemporaries. According to his own confessions, he has been living for several hundred years, he has lived the dark times of the Middle Ages making it to the present world. He was once a prince and fought for the defense of Christianity. The vampire stands for the despotic power of nobility that hates merging with other social classes, which they would rather oppress. Near Dracula’s castle there live peasants who are not allowed to interact with the owner of the castle, whose name they are afraid to utter. Dracula is learned and polite but hates being the equal of mortals.



    The bloodthirsty count comes into the civilized world and brings along barbarism. Although a dictator who promotes order and submissiveness, Dracula is a supporter of anarchy, of illegitimate acts, of usurpation and law infringement, advocating the rise of his maleficent reign on the ruins of civilization. He wants to turn people around against their will, the vampire and his aids being fully aware of their criminal plan.



    In Bram Stoker’s book, count Dracula’s Bistrita is mentioned in the beginning and at the end. The author has never traveled to Transylvania but he didn’t need to, in order to imagine the fictional story of the vampire count. The reality is much more banal, this is how it was and how it will be, and tourist operators use fiction to make profit. From the negative hero Dracula to his popularization it was just one step, and today the town of Bistrita takes advantage of all the fears and frights people had during the time of the bloodthirsty count. Bistrita took advantage of the Dracula myth even during the Communist period, when the authorities were waging a genuine campaign of discrediting the myth. The only hotel built in 1974 on the very location indicated by Bram Stoker’s novel gives apparent authenticity to a story that was created in an area as common as many others.



    Frequently likened to the historical character of ruler Vlad the Impaler, Dracula is the evil that threateningly rises against the good. He is a concoction of the West that discovered him in its eastern vicinity, in the other Europe. The conclusion of the novel refers to the existence of a latent evil which destroys the harmony of man and civilization, which is all around us.

  • Alba Carolina Fortress

    Alba Carolina Fortress

    A thriving city during the Roman rule, a former capital of Transylvania, where the union of the Romanian provinces was proclaimed, and the place which saw the coronation of Romanias first sovereign, Alba Iulia has for centuries been a major cultural and historical centre. The city is also a tourist attraction, thanks, among other things, to the recently refurbished Carolina fortress. The citadel is famous for its gates, particularly its main one, resembling a triumphal arch, which has long been identified with the citys image. Here is Liviu Zgarciu, a historian with the National Museum of the Union based in Alba Iulia.



    Liviu Zgarciu: “Shortly after Dacias conquest by the Romans in 106 CE, on the plateau where the Alba Carolina citadel lies nowadays, emperor Trajan decided to build a castrum as permanent headquarters of the Roman XIII Legion Gemina. The city of Apulum developed around that Roman castrum, and soon became the largest settlement in the Roman Dacia, with 30 thousand inhabitants in the early third century. The city was still inhabited even after the pullout of the Roman troops during emperor Aurelian. The former castrum was turned into a medieval fortress known as the city of Balgrad. In the 16th century, after 1541, when Alba Iulia became the capital of the principality of Transylvania, the city continued to develop and had two more bastions added, the bastion of the Transylvanian Saxons and the Bethlen Bastion, both of which can be still seen today.



    After Transylvania became part of Austria-Hungary, in early 18th century, it became clear that a strong fortified city was needed in the region. As a result, Alba Carolina was built on the site of the Balgrad city, after the model made famous by the French military engineer Vauban, an irregular star-shaped heptagon with seven bastions. Here is more from historian Liviu Zgarciu.



    Liviu Zgarciu: “The works started in November 1715, and last year the city celebrated 300 years since its foundation was laid. It was a large-scale construction work, initially coordinated by an Italian architect, Giovani Morandi Visconti. Local labour force was employed and 20 thousand peasants worked on the site for 23 years, from 1715 until 1738. Its interior is defended by 7 bastions, each bearing the name of a historical figure. It was built after the model created by the French military architect Vauban, who was famous in the time of the Sun King Louis the 14th. The Austrians faced this type of fortress in their wars against the French. Alba comes from the citys name Alba Iulia, while Carolina, from the name of Austrian emperor Charles the 6th, during whose reign the fortress was built.



    It is not only its star-shaped structure and its beautiful gates that add to the attractiveness of this compound, but also the other buildings on its premises. Some of them are major cultural and education centres, such as the building of the Bathyaneum national library. Historian Liviu Zgarciu again.



    Liviu Zgarciu: “When the Austrians started building the fortress they began modifying or even destroying some of the old citys buildings. When the garrison was completed, all the buildings were turned into army barracks and depots. New buildings were erected, such as the one called Babylon, which currently houses the Union Museum. It was built between 1851 and 1855. The Union Hall was built around 1900, and it was first used as an Army Club. After the 1918 Union, the compound was taken over by the Romanian army, and the building representative for the history of Romanians was the Union Hall, hosting the assembly which on December the 1st 1918 made the decision to unite the Romanian principalities of Transylvania, Banat, Crisana and Maramures with Wallachia. The first building in Romanian architectural style, the Coronation Cathedral, was erected after 1918.



    The first Romanian sovereigns, King Ferdinand and Queen Marie, were crowned here on October 15th 1922.

  • Transylvania – the place to visit in 2016

    Transylvania – the place to visit in 2016

    One of the world’s leading travel guides, Lonely Planet’s
    Best in Travel has published its list of the top ten places to visit in 2016.
    The Romanian region of Transylvania tops the list with its traditions,
    landscapes, food, festivals and villages. Peter Suciu, a tourist guide and
    member of the Mioritics association, which specialises in Transylvania, says
    that what makes this region particularly attractive is its multicultural
    nature:




    Transylvania is home to at least 6 different
    ethnic and religious groups that have lived together for hundreds of years:
    Romanians, Hungarians, Szeklers, Armenians, Saxons and Roma. In the countryside
    you can see this multiculturality reflected in how neighbourhoods are
    organised, and how they hold their celebrations. For example, the small town of
    Agnita holds the Fasching celebrations in February, while the Saxon holidays
    known as the Crown Festival is held in June, on the Feast of Saints Peter and
    Paul.




    We asked Peter Suciu to describe a typical
    Transylvanian village:




    It is a combination of managed natural
    landscape and human settlement with very well laid out rules. The typical
    village has rows of houses with large courtyards, widely distributed. Animal
    husbandry is a staple here. The architecture is defined by the way people farm,
    even to this day.




    Our guide also talked about the local
    craftsmen, though their number is dwindling:




    In the Saxon and Szekler areas you can still
    find traditional weavers. In Mălâncrav there are two weavers, in Malţâna there
    is a coat maker, in Corund you have a few people who still make hats using a
    woody mushroom growing on trees. Also, Corund ceramics are famous. In a few
    villages you can still find traditional blacksmiths.




    As a tourist guide Peter Suciu says foreign
    tourists travelling to Transylvania are impressed with the pastoral landscape,
    the fortified churches, the crafts and the traditions, as well as the local
    food:




    The local food is impressive in its variety.
    Ethnic groups learned from one another, sharing cooking skills. Transylvanian
    cooking is quite heavy, using a lot of meat. The cuisine is influenced by
    shepherding culture, while Saxon cooking is meat heavy, with lots of pork and
    beef, while Hungarian cooking leans towards spicy foods. Desserts are quite
    elaborate, due to Austro-Hungarian influences. Also, homemade spirits are a
    famous local staple. All this blends into a great local cuisine.




    Ionut Bordea, a biologist and travel guide
    specialising in protected mountain areas, told us:




    You can find here a variety of forest
    habitats. Forests in the Carpathian mountains are home to one of the most
    significant populations of large carnivores in Europe, such as wolves, bears
    and lynxes. These species are extinct in Western Europe. Also very interesting
    are pastoral landscapes in the mountains. In the Sighisoara and Tarnava Mare
    area, for example, you can find some of the last pastoral mountain landscapes
    at low altitude, under 800 meters. These are also gone in Western Europe,
    because of intensive agriculture. You can find a multitude of orchids and other
    special flowers, which have become emblems of the area. Proof of that is the
    interest shown by the European Union in protecting this area,
    Sighisoara-Tarnava Mare, which has been declared a Natura 2000 site.




    The ADEPT Foundation of Romania protects major
    pastoral ecosystems in Transylvania. It is based in the town of Saschiz, and
    has set up a number of tourist trails linking Saxon villages starting in Viscri
    and reaching Biertan, Ionut Bordea told us:




    There are also cycling trails, such as that
    between Meşendorf and Criţ. There are also marked trails for one-day trips,
    circling around villages. If you get accommodation in Viscri, for example, you
    can get a booking for several days, allowing you to visit all the villages
    around. In Saschiz, at the headquarters of the ADEPT foundation, they have an
    information centre where tourists can get promotional material in Romanian,
    English, German and French. I think the best ambassador for this area is Prince
    Charles, who got deeply involved in promoting the region. I recommend the
    series of documentaries called Wild Carpathia, with lots of information about
    this area, which we consider one of the last wild areas of Europe.