Brasov
Encyclopedia
Brașov is a city in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...

 and the capital of Brașov County
Brasov County
Brașov ; ) is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, with the capital city at Brașov. The county incorporates within its boundaries most of the Medieval "lands" Burzenland and Făgăraș Land.-Demographics:...

.

According to the last Romanian census, from 2002, there were 284,596 people living within the city of Brașov, making it the 8th most populated city in Romania.

Brașov is located in the central part of the country, about 166 km north of Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....

. It is surrounded by the Southern Carpathians
Southern Carpathians
The Southern Carpathians or the Transylvanian Alps are a group of mountain ranges which divide central and southern Romania, on one side, and Serbia, on the other side. They cover part of the Carpathian Mountains that is located between the Prahova River in the east and the Timiș and Cerna Rivers...

 and is part of the Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...

 region.

The city is notable for being the birthplace of the national anthem of Romania
Desteapta-te, române!
"Deșteaptă-te, române" is Romania's national anthem....

 and for hosting the Golden Stag International Music Festival
Golden Stag Festival
The Golden Stag Festival is an annual international music festival held in Braşov, Romania. The main organiser is Televiziunea Română, Romania's state-run television network. The festival has two main components: an international contest and guest performances by both Romanian and foreign stars...

.

Etymology

The city was first attested in 1235 AD under the name Corona, a Latin word meaning "crown", a name given by the German colonists. The current Romanian and Hungarian names are derived from the Turkic
Pecheneg language
Pecheneg language is the extinct Turkic language spoken by the Pechenegs in Eastern Europe.It is most likely a member of the Oghuz branch of the Turkic family, but the poor documentation to it and the absence of any descendant languages of Pecheneg has prevented linguists from making a definite...

 word barasu, meaning "white water" with a Slavic suffix -ov.

The first attested mention of Brașov is Terra Saxonum de Barasu ("Saxon
Transylvanian Saxons
The Transylvanian Saxons are a people of German ethnicity who settled in Transylvania from the 12th century onwards.The colonization of Transylvania by Germans was begun by King Géza II of Hungary . For decades, the main task of the German settlers was to defend the southeastern border of the...

 Land of Baras") in a 1252 document. The German name Kronstadt means "Crown City" and is reflected in the city's coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...

 as well as in its Medieval Latin name, Corona. The two names of the city ', Kronstadt and Corona, were used simultaneously in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...

.

From 1950 to 1960, during part of the Communist period
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...

 in Romania, the city was called Orașul Stalin (Stalin City), after the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

 leader Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...

.

History

The oldest traces of human activity and settlements in Brașov date back to the Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...

 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 Cetăţii, Pietrele lui Solomon, Șprenghi, Tâmpa, Dealul Melcilor, and Noua. The first three locations shows traces of Dacian
Dacians
The Dacians were an Indo-European people, very close or part of the Thracians. Dacians were the ancient inhabitants of Dacia...

 citadels; Șprenghi Hill housed a Roman
Roman Dacia
The Roman province of Dacia on the Balkans included the modern Romanian regions of Transylvania, Banat and Oltenia, and temporarily Muntenia and southern Moldova, but not the nearby regions of Moesia...

-style construction. The last two locations had their names applied to Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...

 cultures—Schneckenberg ‘Hill of the Snails’ (Early Bronze Age) and Noua 'The New’ (Late Bronze Age).

German colonists known as the Transylvanian Saxons
Transylvanian Saxons
The Transylvanian Saxons are a people of German ethnicity who settled in Transylvania from the 12th century onwards.The colonization of Transylvania by Germans was begun by King Géza II of Hungary . For decades, the main task of the German settlers was to defend the southeastern border of the...

 played a decisive role in Brașov's development. These Germans were invited by King Géza II of Hungary
Géza II of Hungary
Géza II , , King of Hungary, King of Croatia, Dalmatia and Rama . He ascended the throne as a child and during his minority the kingdom was governed by his mother and uncle...

 to develop towns, build mines, and cultivate the land of Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...

 at different stages between 1141 and 1162. The settlers came primarily from the Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....

, Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...

, and the Moselle
Moselle
Moselle is a department in the east of France named after the river Moselle.- History :Moselle is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...

 region, with others from Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....

, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...

, Wallonia, and even France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

.

In 1211, by order of King Andrew II of Hungary
Andrew II of Hungary
Andrew II the Jerosolimitan was King of Hungary and Croatia . He was the younger son of King Béla III of Hungary, who invested him with the government of the Principality of Halych...

, the Teutonic Knights
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...

 fortified the Burzenland
Burzenland
The Burzenland is a historic and ethnographic area in southeastern Transylvania, Romania with a mixed population...

 to defend the border of the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...

. 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 remained, along with local population, as did three distinct settlements they founded on the site of Brașov:
  • Corona, around the Black Church (Biserica Neagră);
  • Martinsberg, west of Cetăţuia 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
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...

 and Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...

, together with certain tax exemptions, allowed Saxon merchants to obtain considerable wealth and exert a strong political influence. They contributed a great deal to the architectural flavor of the city. Fortifications around the city were erected and continually expanded, with several towers maintained by different craftsmen's guilds, according to medieval custom. Part of the fortification ensemble was recently restored using UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...

 funds, and other projects are ongoing. At least two entrances to the city, Poarta Ecaterinei (or Katharinentor) and Poarta Șchei (or Waisenhausgässertor), are still in existence. The city center is marked by the mayor's former office building (Casa Sfatului) and the surrounding square (piaţa), which includes one of the oldest buildings in Brașov, the Hirscher Haus. Nearby is the "Black Church" (Biserica Neagră
Biserica Neagra
Biserica Neagră or Black Church is a cathedral in Brașov, a city in south-eastern Transylvania, Romania. It was built by the German community of the city and stands as the main Gothic style monument in the country, as well as being the largest and one of the most important Lutheran places of...

), which some claim to be the largest Gothic style
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....

 church in Southeastern Europe.

Once Brașov became a German colony, Romanians were denied several privileges by the new German settlers. They were no longer recognized as citizens of the city, and as such they were no longer able to continue to practice their crafts and operate their businesses. Additionally, their primary religion (Orthodox
Romanian Orthodox Church
The Romanian Orthodox Church is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church. It is in full communion with other Eastern Orthodox churches, and is ranked seventh in order of precedence. The Primate of the church has the title of Patriarch...

) was not officially recognized throughout Transylvania, especially during and after the 15th century.

The cultural and religious importance of the Romanian church and school in Șchei is underlined by the generous donations received from more than thirty hospodars of Moldavia and Wallachia, as well as that from Elizabeth of 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 Saguna
Andrei Şaguna was a Metropolitan bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Transylvania, and one of the Romanian community political leaders in the Habsburg Monarchy, especially active during the 1848 Revolution...

). The Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...

 and sovereign of Transylvania Joseph II
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...

 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 the town had 41,056 inhabitants: 10,841 (26.4%) Germans, 11,786 (28.7%) Romanians, 17,831 (43.4%) Hungarians.
In World War I, the town was occupied by Romanian
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....

 troops between 16 August and 4 October in 1916 during Battle of Transylvania
Battle of Transylvania
The Battle of Transylvania was the first major operation of the Romanian Campaign during World War I, beginning on 15 August 1916. It started as an attempt by the Romanian Army to seize the disputed province of Transylvania and potentially knock Austria-Hungary out of the war...

.

In 1918, when Transylvania joined Romania by the "Proclamation of Union" of Alba Iulia (adopted by the Deputies of the Romanians from Transylvania) Deputies of the Saxons from Transylavania supported it, with their vote to be part of Romania, and declared their allegiance to the new Romanian state. The inter-war period was a time of flourishing economic and cultural life in general, which included the Saxons in Brașov as well. However, at the end of World War II many ethnic Germans were forcibly deported to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

, and many more emigrated to West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....

 after Romania became a communist country
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...

.

Jews have lived in Brașov since 1807, when Aron Ben Jehuda was given permission to live in the city, a privilege until then granted only to Saxons. The Jewish community of Brașov was officially founded 19 years later, followed by the first Jewish school in 1864, and the building of the synagogue in 1901. The Jewish population of Brașov was 67 in 1850, but it expanded rapidly to 1,280 people in 1910 and 4,000 by 1940. Today the community has about 230 members, after many families left for Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...

 between World War II and 1989.

Like many other cities in Transylvania, Brașov is also home for a significant ethnic Hungarian minority.

During the communist period, industrial development was vastly accelerated. Under Nicolae Ceaușescu
Nicolae Ceausescu
Nicolae Ceaușescu was a Romanian Communist politician. He was General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and as such was the country's second and last Communist leader...

's rule, the city was the site of the 1987 Brașov strike. This was 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 (IAR
Industria Aeronautica Româna
Industria Aeronautică Română or Romanian Aeronautic Industry in English, is a Romanian aerospace manufacturer founded in 1925. Based in Ghimbav, near Braşov, Romania, the company employs around 1200 specialists including more than 170 engineers...

 Brașov), which produced the first Romanian fighter planes, which were used in World War II against the Soviets. After Communist rule was imposed, the plant was converted to manufacture of agricultural equipment, being renamed "Uzina Tractorul Brașov" (internationally known as Universal Tractor Brașov).

Industrialization was accelerated in the Communist era, with special emphasis being placed on heavy industry, attracting many workers from other parts of the country. Heavy industry is still abundant, including Roman
Roman (vehicle manufacturer)
ROMAN is a truck and bus manufacturer from Brasov, Romania. The company was established after World War II on the foundation of the old ROMLOC automotive factory built in 1921. In the spirit of the communist days, the industrial plant was named Steagul Roşu...

, which manufactures MAN AG trucks as well as native-designed trucks and coaches. Although the industrial base has been in decline in recent years, Brașov is still a site for manufacturing agricultural tractors and machinery, hydraulic transmissions, auto parts, ball-bearings, helicopters (at the nearby IAR site in Ghimbav
Ghimbav
Ghimbav is a town in Braşov County, Transylvania, central Romania. It is located in the centre of Romania, 5 miles west of Braşov.-History:The town was first mentioned in a letter written in 1420 by King Sigismund of Luxembourg...

), building materials, tools, furniture, textiles, shoes and cosmetics. There are also chocolate factories and a large brewery. In particular, the pharmaceutical industry has undergone further development lately, with GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline plc is a global pharmaceutical, biologics, vaccines and consumer healthcare company headquartered in London, United Kingdom...

 establishing a production site in Brașov.

A large longwave
Longwave
In radio, longwave refers to parts of radio spectrum with relatively long wavelengths. The term is a historic one dating from the early 20th century, when the radio spectrum was considered to consist of long, medium and short wavelengths...

 broadcasting facility is located near Brașov, at Bod
Bod Transmitter
The Bod Transmitter is the name of the transmitter facility for the central longwave radio station near Bod, Romania. It was designed by the engineer Cartianu Popescu and built in 1933/34....

.

Significant growth in real estate prices continues, along with other major Romanian cities, as investor sentiment remains high, given the large foreign direct investment
Foreign direct investment
Foreign direct investment or foreign investment refers to the net inflows of investment to acquire a lasting management interest in an enterprise operating in an economy other than that of the investor.. It is the sum of equity capital,other long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown in...

 influx, recent accession to the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...

 and forthcoming airport. Like most of Romania and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

, cities like Brașov are predicted to exhibit strong growth for many years to come. Many foreign investors are sourcing their own land, or engaging local firms to create holiday or investment property.

Demographics

Historical population of Brașov
Year Population
1890 30,781
1900 34,511 12.1%
1910 census 41,056 18.9%
1930 census 59,232 44.2%
1948 census 82,984 40%
1965 estimate 140,500 69.3%
1975 estimate 206,156 46.7%
1983 estimate 331,240 60.6%
1992 census 323,736 −2.2%
2002 census 284,596 −12%
2007 estimate 277,945 −2.3%

The municipality of Brașov has a total population of 284,596 (2002 Census).
Its ethnic composition includes:
  • Romanians
    Romanians
    The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....

    : 222,580 (90.66%)
  • Hungarians: 23,204 (8.54%)
  • Ethnic German
    Ethnic German
    Ethnic Germans historically also ), also collectively referred to as the German diaspora, refers to people who are of German ethnicity. Many are not born in Europe or in the modern-day state of Germany or hold German citizenship...

    s: 1,717 (0.60%)
  • Romani people: 762 (0.26%)
  • Other ethnicities (Russians
    Russians
    The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....

    , Greeks
    Greeks
    The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....

    , Italians): 871 (0.31%)


According to the latest official estimates, from 2010, 276,914 inhabitants live within the city limits.

In 2005, the Brașov metropolitan area
Brasov metropolitan area
Braşov metropolitan area is a metropolitan area in Braşov County, Romania, that includes the municipality of Braşov and 12 other nearby communities...

 was created. With its surrounding localities, Brașov has around 400,000 inhabitants.

Education

Primary Schools
  • 30 Primary Schools

High Schools
  • Colegiul National “Dr. Ioan Mesota”
  • Colegiul National de Informatica “Gr. Moisil”
    Grigore Moisil High School, Braşov
    Grigore Moisil National College of Computer Science is a high school from Braşov, Romania, that carries the name of academician Grigore Moisil, the "founder" of Romanian computer sciences.-History:The history of the high school dates to 1938....

  • Colegiul National “Andrei Saguna”
  • Colegiul National “Unirea”
  • Liceul “Andrei Muresanu”
    Liceul “Andrei Muresanu”
    Andrei Mureşanu High School is a high school in the Schei neighborhood of Braşov, Romania. It is situated close to Piata Unirii and the Saint Nicholas Church...

  • Liceul Teoretic “J. Honterus”
  • Colegiul de Stiinte ale Naturii “E. Racovita”
  • Liceul “Nicolae Titulescu”
  • Liceul de Arta
  • Liceul cu Program Sportiv
  • Colegiul de stiinte “Grigore Antipa”
  • Liceul Teoretic “C. Brancoveanu”
  • Seminarul Teologic Liceal Ortodox “D. Staniloaie”
  • Colegiul Tehnic “Astra”
  • Colegiul Tehnic “Mircea Cristea”
  • Colegiul Tehnic “Iosif Silimon”
  • Colegiul Tehnic “Sfintii Voievozi”
  • Grupul Scolar de Arte si Meserii
  • Colegiul Tehnic “Remus Radulet”
  • Colegiul Tehnic Feroviar
  • Grupul Scolar Industrial Auto
  • Colegiul Tehnic “Maria Baiulescu”
  • Grupul Scolar Ind. de Constr. Montaj
  • Colegiul National Ec. “Andrei Barseanu”
  • Grupul Scolar Silvic “Dr. N. Rucareanu”
  • Grupul Scolar de Turism si Alim. Publica
  • Liceul “FEG”
  • Liceul “Europa Unita”
  • Colegiul National “Aprily Lajos”

Universities:
  • Transylvania University of Brașov
    Transylvania University of Brasov
    Transylvania University is a state institution of higher education in Braşov, Romania which, by "offering education, scientific research and the number of students is one of the great universities of Romania, the representative of the region and university 7 Center" .It has sixteen faculties, a...

  • George Bariţiu University
  • Spiru Haret University
    Spiru Haret University
    The Spiru Haret University is a private university in Bucharest, Romania, founded in 1991 by the president of Tomorrow's Romania Foundation, Aurelian Gh. Bondrea, as part of the teaching activities of this foundation. The university claims this has been done according to the model used by the...

  • Christian University Dimitrie Cantemir
  • Academia Fortelor Aeriene Henri Coanda
  • Fundatia Univ. Sf. Apostoli Petru si Pavel
  • Universitatea Sextil Puscariu
  • Universitatea Romano Canadiana

Transportation

The Brașov local transport network is well-developed, with around 50 bus and trolleybus
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...

 lines. There is also a regular bus line serving Poiana Brașov
Poiana Brasov
Poiana Braşov is the most popular Romanian ski resort and an important tourist centre preferred by many tourists not only from Romania, but also from Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland and other European states....

, a nearby winter resort. Because of its central location, the Brașov railway station
Brasov railway station
Braşov railway station is the main station in Braşov, Romania. The station was opened to traffic in 1962. The station's bell chimes preceding the announcements represent a few notes of Ciprian Porumbescu's operetta Crai Nou.-Services:...

 is one of the busiest stations in Romania with trains to/from most destinations in the country served by rail.

The construction of Braşov Airport
Brasov Airport
Braşov-Ghimbav International Airport is an airport currently under construction in Ghimbav, near Braşov, Romania right by the future A3 motorway. Planned costs of the project are around one hundred million euros...

 was initiated by Intelcan Canada on April 15, 2008. Construction is planned to be finalized in 24 to 30 months. The project consists of a terminal capable of handling 1 million passengers per year and a 2,800 meter-long runway.
The A3
A3 (Romania)
A3 Transylvania Motorway or Autostrada Transilvania is a motorway currently being constructed in Romania. It will be a four-lane, 588-kilometer motorway, stretching northwest from Bucharest to Oradea. The motorway will connect the cities of Bucharest, Ploieşti, Braşov, Făgăraş, Sighişoara, Târgu...

 highway is also planned to pass the city.

Tourism

Centrally located Brașov is a good starting point for trips around Romania. The city is situated at fairly equal distances from several tourism destinations in the country: the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...

 resorts, the monasteries in northern Moldavia, and the well-preserved wooden churches of Maramureş. 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 23 °C (73 °F). Brașov benefits from a winter tourism season centered on winter sports and other activities. Poiana Brașov is the most popular Romanian ski resort
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...

 and an important tourist center preferred by many tourists from other European states.

Sights

  • Biserica Neagră
    Biserica Neagra
    Biserica Neagră or Black Church is a cathedral in Brașov, a city in south-eastern Transylvania, Romania. It was built by the German community of the city and stands as the main Gothic style monument in the country, as well as being the largest and one of the most important Lutheran places of...

    ("The Black Church"), a celebrated Gothic
    Gothic architecture
    Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....

     site - the building dates from 1477, when it replaced an older church (demolished around 1385). Its acquired the name after being blackened by smoke from the 1689 great fire.
  • 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
    St. Nicholas Church, Brasov
    Saint Nicholas Church is a Romanian Orthodox church in Braşov, dominating the historic district of Şchei.The church was established in 1292. It was mentioned in a Papal bull issued in 1399 by Pope Boniface IX. Starting in 1495, the church was rebuilt in stone by the locals, with help from Vlad...

    ), dating back to the 14th century.
  • The First Romanian School
    First Romanian School
    The First Romanian School is located on the grounds of the 16th century church of St. Nicholas, itself located in the historic district of Şchei, now part of the city of Braşov....

    , a museum with the first Romanian printing press among many other firsts.
  • The Rope Street
    Strada sforii
    Strada sforii is the narrowest street in the city of Braşov, Romania. It is believed to be one of the narrowest streets in Europe ....

    , the narrowest street in Romania.
  • Şchei, the historically Bulgarian but then Romanian neighborhood outside of the old walled city.
  • Catherine's Gate
    Catherine's Gate
    Catherine's Gate in Braşov, Romania, was built by the Tailors’ Guild, in 1559 for defensive purposes instead of an old gate destroyed by the flood in 1526. It is named after St. Catherine's Monastery that was situated here in former times. It is the only original city gate to have survived from...

    , the only original city gate to have survived from medieval times.
  • Şchei Gate
    Şchei Gate
    Şchei Gate in Braşov, Romania, is right next to Catherine's Gate. It was built in between 1827 and 1828 in order to let through heightened traffic. Catherine's gate was built up then and since then used as storage....

    , next to Catherine's Gate, built in 1827.
  • The Orthodox church of the Dormition of the Theotokos, built in 1896.
  • Muzeul Prima Carte Românească, a museum exhibiting the first book printed in the Romanian language.
  • Tâmpa
    Tâmpa, Brasov
    Tâmpa is a mountain, part of the Postăvarul Massif, located in the southern part of the Eastern Carpathians and almost entirely surrounded by the city of Braşov...

    , 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" - Cetăţuia Brașovului
  • The nearby Bran Castle
    Bran Castle
    Bran Castle , situated near Bran and in the immediate vicinity of Braşov, is a national monument and landmark in Romania. The fortress is situated on the border between Transylvania and Wallachia, on DN73...

    , attracting many fans of Dracula
    Dracula
    Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...

     and often (but incorrectly) said to have been the home of Vlad the Impaler.
  • Poiana Brașov, mainly a ski resort but also a sightseeing spot.
  • Râşnov Fortress, above the nearby town of Râşnov
    Râsnov
    Râşnov is a town in Braşov County, Romania with a population of under 16,000.It is located at about 15 km from the city of Braşov and about the same distance from Bran, on the road that links Wallachia and Transylvania....

    , is a restored peasant fortress
  • Prejmer Fortress, in the nearby town of Prejmer
    Prejmer
    Prejmer is a commune in Braşov County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Lunca Câlnicului, Prejmer and Stupinii Prejmerului. Located 18 km northeast of Braşov, the Olt River passes through the commune.-History:...


Twin cities

Tampere
Tampere
Tampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in any of the Nordic countries. The city has a population of , growing to approximately 300,000 people in the conurbation and over 340,000 in the metropolitan area. Tampere is the third most-populous municipality in...

, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

 Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...

, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 Győr
Gyor
-Climate:-Main sights:The ancient core of the city is Káptalan Hill at the confluence of three rivers: the Danube, Rába and Rábca. Püspökvár, the residence of Győr’s bishops can be easily recognised by its incomplete tower. Győr’s oldest buildings are the 13th-century dwelling tower and the...

, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...

 Rishon LeZion, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...

 Holstebro
Holstebro
Holstebro Municipality is a municipality in Region Midtjylland on the Jutland peninsula in west Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 790 km², and has a total population of 57,020 . Its mayor is H. C...

, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...

 Musashino
Musashino
Musashino may refer to:* Musashino , a train service in Japan* Musashino, Tokyo, a city in Greater Tokyo, Japan* Musashino Line, a railway line in Greater Tokyo, Japan* 3249 Musashino, an asteroid* Musashino Terrace...

, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

 Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...

, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

 Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...

, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...

, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...

 Trikala
Trikala
Trikala is a city in northwestern Thessaly, Greece. It is the capital of the Trikala peripheral unit, and is located NW of Athens, NW, of Karditsa, E of Ioannina and Metsovo, S of Grevena, SW of Thessaloniki, and W of Larissa...

, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

 Venaria Reale
Venaria Reale
Venaria Reale is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 8 km northwest of Turin....

, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...


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, universiade
Universiade
The Universiade is an International multi-sport event, organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation . The name is a combination of the words "University" and "olympiad"...

s and daciades (derived from "dacian") were held, where local sportmen 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.

The only football champion team based in the city was Colţea Brașov
Coltea Brasov
Colţea Braşov was a football club based in Braşov, in central Romania. It was founded in 1920 and it soon became one of the best teams in the country, winning one Romanian Championships in 1928. The club was dissolved in 1931.-History:...

, winning the championship in 1928 and managing second place in 1927, in only 10 years of existence (1921–1931). Is was succeeded by Brașovia Brașov.
Brașov hosted the Group A fixtures of the 2008 IIHF World Championship Division II
2008 IIHF World Championship Division II
The 2008 IIHF World Championship Division II was an international Ice hockey tournament run by the International Ice Hockey Federation. The tournament was contested from April 7–13, 2008. Participants in this tournament were separated into two separate tournament groups. The Group A...

 ice hockey tournament. There were 15 games held between April 3 and April 13.

Brașov is set to host the 2013 European Youth Winter Olympic Festival.

Local teams

  • FC Brașov
    FC Brasov
    Fotbal Club Brașov is a professional football club based in the city of Brașov, Romania. They were founded in 1936, and since then they have spent 41 season in the top-flight. Brașov kits are yellow-black, and they play their home matches on the Silviu Ploeșteanu stadium.-Early modern football in...

     soccer club
  • ASC Corona Brașov
  • Rulmentul Brașov
    Rulmentul Brasov
    Rulmentul Braşov is a women handball club from Braşov, Romania, which plays in Romanian Women's Handball League.-History:The team was founded on the 13th of September 1960 near the close-by bearing factory with the name Asociaţia sportivă "Rulmentul"....

     handball
    Team handball
    Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...

     club
  • CSU Brașov
    CSU Braşov
    CSU Braşov is a Romanian professional basketball club, based in Braşov, Romania. The club competes in the Romanian Basketball Division A, is coached by Romanian national team coach Dan Calancea, and plays its home games at Sala Sporturilor Dumitru Colibaşi....

     basketball team
  • SCM Fenestela Brașov ice hockey
    Ice hockey
    Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...

     club
  • CFR Brașov rugby football
    Rugby football
    Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...

     club
  • Bridge Club Brașov
    Bridge Club Brasov
    Bridge Club Braşov is a bridge club based in the city of Braşov, Romania. Established in 1972, it has 4 teams in Romania's Second Division.Each November, the Club holds the "International Bridge Festival Braşov"....

     contract bridge
    Contract bridge
    Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...

    club

Sports venues

Name Capacity Built Usage
Municipal Stadium 30,000 (on benches) ~1975 1 May and 23 August parades; rarely used for football matches;
closed and demolished in 2008
Brașov Arena 23,000 seats planned 2010 football stadium;
construction started in 2008 with the demolishing of the old stadium;
Tineretului / "Silviu Ploiesteanu" Stadium 12,670 seats 1960 football stadium; currently, the capacity is ~10,000 people, as one of the main stands is being remodeled;
floodlights only installed in 2009;
"D.P. Colibasi" Sports Hall 2,300 seats ~1970 indoor sports: handball, basketball, volleyball, sometimes others
Brașov Olympic Skating Rink 2,000
(1,600 seats + 400 standing)
2010 mainly ice hockey;
inaugurated February 18, 2010

External links

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