Porumbenii
Encyclopedia
Porumbenii Mari is a commune in Harghita County
, Romania
. It lies in the Székely Land
, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania
, and is composed of two villages: Porumbenii Mari (the commune center; Nagygalambfalva) and Porumbenii Mici (Kisgalambfalva).
Porumbenii Mari is generally referred to as Galambfalva in Hungarian and was originally called Golumba Mare in Romanian.
commune, the two villages broke off in 2004 with a population of 1,771. The commune has an absolute Székely
Hungarian majority. (For ethnic composition check demographics for Mugeni
).
pottery and ceramic fragments from the Bronze Age, the Age of Migrations, and the Middle Ages have been discovered in sites along the Áj and Nagy brooks. The archaeological record proves a settlement existed during the period of the Árpáds, but the current settlement was documented only in 1332.
The villages belonged first to the Székely seat of Udvarhelyszék, then, from 1876 until 1918, to Udvarhely County in the Kingdom of Hungary
. After WWI, by the terms of the Treaty of Trianon
of 1920, it became part of Romania
. As a result of the Second Vienna Award
, it belonged to Hungary again between 1940 and 1944. After WWII, it came under Romanian administration and became part of Romania in 1947. Between 1952 and 1960, it formed part of the Hungarian Autonomous Province, then, of the Mureş-Hungarian Autonomous Province until it was abolished in 1968. Since then, the commune has been part of Harghita County. Its economy is based on agriculture and animal husbandry, with small sectors in milling flour, baking bread, and other commercial activities.
The medieval church, today used by the village's Hungarian Reformed
community, first appeared in the papal annals of 1332-1337. An originally Gothic structure with elements from subsequent periods, the church's medieval features were largely destroyed during the reconstruction of the building in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Harghita County
Harghita is a county in the center of Romania, in eastern Transylvania, with the county seat at Miercurea-Ciuc.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 326,222 and a population density of 52/km².*Hungarians- 85%...
, 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...
. It lies in the Székely Land
Székely Land
The Székely Land or Szekler Land refers to the territories inhabited mainly by the Székely, a Hungarian-speaking ethnic group from eastern Transylvania...
, an ethno-cultural region in eastern 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...
, and is composed of two villages: Porumbenii Mari (the commune center; Nagygalambfalva) and Porumbenii Mici (Kisgalambfalva).
Porumbenii Mari is generally referred to as Galambfalva in Hungarian and was originally called Golumba Mare in Romanian.
Demographics
Formerly part of MugeniMugeni
Mugeni is a commune in Harghita County, Romania. It lies in the Székely Land, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania.- Component villages :The commune is composed of eight villages:...
commune, the two villages broke off in 2004 with a population of 1,771. The commune has an absolute Székely
Székely
The Székelys or Székely , sometimes also referred to as Szeklers , are a subgroup of the Hungarian people living mostly in the Székely Land, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania, Romania...
Hungarian majority. (For ethnic composition check demographics for Mugeni
Mugeni
Mugeni is a commune in Harghita County, Romania. It lies in the Székely Land, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania.- Component villages :The commune is composed of eight villages:...
).
History
Porumbenii Mari Commune has attracted interest from archaeologists, who have uncovered numerous material proofs of human settlement in the area beginning in prehistory. DacianDacians
The Dacians were an Indo-European people, very close or part of the Thracians. Dacians were the ancient inhabitants of Dacia...
pottery and ceramic fragments from the Bronze Age, the Age of Migrations, and the Middle Ages have been discovered in sites along the Áj and Nagy brooks. The archaeological record proves a settlement existed during the period of the Árpáds, but the current settlement was documented only in 1332.
The villages belonged first to the Székely seat of Udvarhelyszék, then, from 1876 until 1918, to Udvarhely County in 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...
. After WWI, by the terms of the Treaty of Trianon
Treaty of Trianon
The Treaty of Trianon was the peace agreement signed in 1920, at the end of World War I, between the Allies of World War I and Hungary . The treaty greatly redefined and reduced Hungary's borders. From its borders before World War I, it lost 72% of its territory, which was reduced from to...
of 1920, it became part of 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...
. As a result of the Second Vienna Award
Second Vienna Award
The Second Vienna Award was the second of two Vienna Awards arbitrated by the Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Rendered on August 30, 1940, it re-assigned the territory of Northern Transylvania from Romania to Hungary.-Prelude and historical background :After the World War I, the multi-ethnic...
, it belonged to Hungary again between 1940 and 1944. After WWII, it came under Romanian administration and became part of Romania in 1947. Between 1952 and 1960, it formed part of the Hungarian Autonomous Province, then, of the Mureş-Hungarian Autonomous Province until it was abolished in 1968. Since then, the commune has been part of Harghita County. Its economy is based on agriculture and animal husbandry, with small sectors in milling flour, baking bread, and other commercial activities.
The medieval church, today used by the village's Hungarian Reformed
Reformed Church in Romania
The Reformed Church in Romania is the organization of the Calvinist church in Romania. The majority of its followers are of Hungarian ethnicity and Hungarian is the main church language...
community, first appeared in the papal annals of 1332-1337. An originally Gothic structure with elements from subsequent periods, the church's medieval features were largely destroyed during the reconstruction of the building in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.