Satu Mare (ˈsatu ˈmare; sz a; ; ) is a city with a population of 113,688 and the capital of
Satu Mare CountySatu Mare County is a county of Romania. The capital city is Satu Mare. Besides Romanians , Satu Mare features a significant ethnic minority of Hungarians .-Demographics:...
,
RomaniaRomania 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...
.
The city is an important academic, cultural, industrial and business centre in
northwestern RomaniaNord-Vest is a development region in Romania, created in 1998. As other development regions, it does not have any administrative powers, its main function being to co-ordinate regional development projects and manage funds from the European Union.-Counties:The Nord-Vest region is made up of the...
.
Geography
Satu Mare is situated in
Satu Mare CountySatu Mare County is a county of Romania. The capital city is Satu Mare. Besides Romanians , Satu Mare features a significant ethnic minority of Hungarians .-Demographics:...
, in northwest Romania, on the
Someş RiverThe river Someş flows through Romania and Hungary.It rises from two headstreams, the Someşul Mare, in the Rodna Mountains in Bistriţa-Năsăud County and the Someşul Mic in the Apuseni Mountains of Cluj County...
, 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) from the border with Hungary and 27 kilometres (16.8 mi) from the border with
UkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. The city is located at an altitude of 126 metres (413.4 ft) on the
Lower Someş alluvial plainThe river Someş flows through Romania and Hungary.It rises from two headstreams, the Someşul Mare, in the Rodna Mountains in Bistriţa-Năsăud County and the Someşul Mic in the Apuseni Mountains of Cluj County...
. From a geomorphologic point of view, the city is located on the
Someş MeadowThe river Someş flows through Romania and Hungary.It rises from two headstreams, the Someşul Mare, in the Rodna Mountains in Bistriţa-Năsăud County and the Someşul Mic in the Apuseni Mountains of Cluj County...
on both sides of the river, which narrows in the vicinity of the city and widens
upstreamThe source or headwaters of a river or stream is the place from which the water in the river or stream originates.-Definition:There is no universally agreed upon definition for determining a stream's source...
and
downstreamThe source or headwaters of a river or stream is the place from which the water in the river or stream originates.-Definition:There is no universally agreed upon definition for determining a stream's source...
from it; flooded during heavy rainfall, the field has various geographical configurations at the edge of the city (sand banks, valleys, micro-depressions).
The formation of the current terrain of the city, dating from the late
PlioceneThe Pliocene Epoch is the period in the geologic timescale that extends from 5.332 million to 2.588 million years before present. It is the second and youngest epoch of the Neogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Pliocene follows the Miocene Epoch and is followed by the Pleistocene Epoch...
in the
TertiaryThe Tertiary is a deprecated term for a geologic period 65 million to 2.6 million years ago. The Tertiary covered the time span between the superseded Secondary period and the Quaternary...
period, is linked to the clogging of the
Pannonian SeaThe Pannonian Sea was a shallow ancient sea located in the area today known as the Pannonian Plain in Central Europe. The Pannonian Sea existed during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs, when three to four kilometres of marine sediments were deposited in the Pannonian Basin.-History:The Pannonian Sea...
. Layers of soil were created from deposits of
sandSand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
,
loessLoess is an aeolian sediment formed by the accumulation of wind-blown silt, typically in the 20–50 micrometre size range, twenty percent or less clay and the balance equal parts sand and silt that are loosely cemented by calcium carbonate...
and
gravelGravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
, and generally have a thickness of 16 metres (52.5 ft)–18 metres (59.1 ft). Over this base, decaying vegetation gave rise to
podsolIn soil science, podzols are the typical soils of coniferous, or boreal forests. They are also the typical soils of eucalypt forests and heathlands in southern Australia...
ic soils, which led to favorable conditions for crops (
cerealCereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
s,
vegetableThe noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
s,
fruit treeA fruit tree is a tree which bears fruit that is consumed or used by people — all trees that are flowering plants produce fruit, which are the ripened ovaries of flowers containing one or more seeds. In horticultural usage, the term 'fruit tree' is limited to those that provide fruit for...
s).
The water network around Satu Mare is composed of the
Someş RiverThe river Someş flows through Romania and Hungary.It rises from two headstreams, the Someşul Mare, in the Rodna Mountains in Bistriţa-Năsăud County and the Someşul Mic in the Apuseni Mountains of Cluj County...
, Pârâul Sar in the north and the
Homorod RiverThe Homorod River or Homorodul Nou River is a tributary of the Someş River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971...
in the south. The formation and evolution of the city was closely related to the Someş River, which, in addition to allowing for the settlement of a human community around it, has offered, since the early
Middle AgesThe 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...
, the possibility of international trade with coastal regions, a practice that favored
millingA grinding mill is a unit operation designed to break a solid material into smaller pieces. There are many different types of grinding mills and many types of materials processed in them. Historically mills were powered by hand , working animal , wind or water...
,
fishingFishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and other economic activities.
Because the land slopes gently around the city, the Someş River has created numerous branches and
meanderA meander in general is a bend in a sinuous watercourse. A meander is formed when the moving water in a stream erodes the outer banks and widens its valley. A stream of any volume may assume a meandering course, alternately eroding sediments from the outside of a bend and depositing them on the...
s (before 1777, in the perimeter of the city there were 25 meanders
downstreamThe source or headwaters of a river or stream is the place from which the water in the river or stream originates.-Definition:There is no universally agreed upon definition for determining a stream's source...
and 14
upstreamThe source or headwaters of a river or stream is the place from which the water in the river or stream originates.-Definition:There is no universally agreed upon definition for determining a stream's source...
). After systematisation works in 1777, the number of meanders in the city dropped to 9
downstream-Science:* In geography, away from the source of a stream or river* In meteorology, away from the source of an air parcel or mass, along the normal direction of water or air flow* Downstream , in computer or telecommunications networks...
and 5
upstreamThe source or headwaters of a river or stream is the place from which the water in the river or stream originates.-Definition:There is no universally agreed upon definition for determining a stream's source...
, the total length of the river now being at 36.5 kilometres (22.7 mi) within the city. Systematisation performed up to the mid-19th century configured the existing Someş riverbed;
embankmentsA levee, levée, dike , embankment, floodbank or stopbank is an elongated naturally occurring ridge or artificially constructed fill or wall, which regulates water levels...
were built 17.3 kilometres (10.7 mi) long on the right bank and 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) on the left. In 1970, the embankments were raised by 2 metres (6.6 ft)–3 metres (9.8 ft), protecting 52,000 hectares within the city limits and restoring nearly 800 ha of agricultural land that had previously been flooded.
The city's largest park, the Garden of Rome, features some rare trees that are uncommon to the area, including
Styphnolobium japonicumStyphnolobium japonicum Schott , the Pagoda Tree is a species of small tree or shrub in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae....
, native to East Asia (especially China);
Pterocarya, also native to Asia; and
Paulownia tomentosaPaulownia tomentosa is a deciduous tree in the genus Paulownia, native to central and western China, but invasive in the US...
, native to central and western China.
Flora and fauna
The flora associated with the town of Satu Mare is characteristic for the meadow area with trees of soft essence like
wickerWicker is hard woven fiber formed into a rigid material, usually used for baskets or furniture. Wicker is often made of material of plant origin, but plastic fibers are also used....
, indigenous poplar,
mapleAcer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
and
hazelnutCorylus avellana, the Common Hazel, is a species of hazel native to Europe and western Asia, from the British Isles south to Iberia, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, north to central Scandinavia, and east to the central Ural Mountains, the Caucasus, and northwestern Iran. It is an important component of...
. Grassland vegetation is represented by
Agrostis stoloniferaAgrostis stolonifera is a perennial grass species in the Poaceae family. It is stoloniferous and may form mats or tufts...
,
Poa trivialisPoa trivialis , is a perennial plant, and is regarded in the USA as an ornamental plant and is of the Poa family.-Description:...
,
Alopecurus pratensis and other types of vegetation.
Fauna is represented by species of rodents (
hamsterHamsters are rodents belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae. The subfamily contains about 25 species, classified in six or seven genera....
and
european ground squirrelThe European ground squirrel , also known as the European souslik, is a species from the squirrel family Sciuridae and is besides the speckled ground squirrel the only European representative of the genus Spermophilus...
), reptiles, including
Vipera berusVipera berus, the common European adder or common European viper, is a venomous viper species that is extremely widespread and can be found throughout most of Western Europe and all the way to Far East Asia. Known by a host of common names including Common adder and Common viper, adders have been...
in the Noroieni forest, and as avifauna species of
duckDuck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
s,
geeseThe word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
,
egretAn egret is any of several herons, most of which are white or buff, and several of which develop fine plumes during the breeding season. Many egrets are members of the genera Egretta or Ardea which contain other species named as herons rather than egrets...
s, during passages and systematic occasional wanderings.
Climate
Satu Mare has a
continental climateContinental climate is a climate characterized by important annual variation in temperature due to the lack of significant bodies of water nearby...
, characterised by hot dry summers and cold winters. As the city is in the far north of the country, winter is much more colder than the national average, with an average temperature of -17 C, lower than values recorded in other cities in western Romania like
OradeaOradea is the capital city of Bihor County, in the Crișana region of north-western Romania. The city has a population of 204,477, according to the 2009 estimates. The wider Oradea metropolitan area has a total population of 245,832.-Geography:...
(-15 C) or
TimişoaraTimișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
(-17 C). The average annual temperature is 9.6 °C (49 °F), or broken down by seasons:
SpringSpring is one of the four temperate seasons, the transition period between winter and summer. Spring and "springtime" refer to the season, and broadly to ideas of rebirth, renewal and regrowth. The specific definition of the exact timing of "spring" varies according to local climate, cultures and...
10.2 °C (50 °F),
SummerSummer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice...
19.6 °C (67 °F),
AutumnAutumn is one of the four temperate seasons. Autumn marks the transition from summer into winter usually in September or March when the arrival of night becomes noticeably earlier....
10.8 °C (51 °F) and
WinterWinter is the coldest season of the year in temperate climates, between autumn and spring. At the winter solstice, the days are shortest and the nights are longest, with days lengthening as the season progresses after the solstice.-Meteorology:...
1.7 °C (35 °F). Atmospheric humidity is quite high. Prevailing wind currents blow in from the northwest, bringing spring and summer rainfall.
Etymology
The origin of the name of the town is
HungarianHungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
. The Hungarian name
Szatmár comes from an old Hungarian personal name,
Zotmar. Until 1925, in Romanian, the name
Sătmar was used, which is the Hungarian name transcribed to Romanian orthography. Since 1925, the name of the town in Romanian is officially
Satu Mare, which is similar in pronunciation to the original name, but also conveys meaning in Romanian, namely "the great village".
History
Archaeological evidence from
Ţara OaşuluiOaş Country is an etnographic region of Romania located in the North-East part of Satu Mare County, 50 km from the city of Satu Mare...
,
ArdudArdud is a town in north-western Romania, in Satu Mare County. It administers five villages: Ardud-Vii, Baba Novac, Gerăuşa, Mădăras and Sărătura.-History:...
,
Medieşu AuritMedieşu Aurit is a commune of 7,299 residents in Satu Mare County, Romania. It is composed of seven villages:-Demographics:Ethnic groups :*Romanians: 78.50%*Hungarians: 18.44%*Romanies : 2.53%...
,
HomoroadeHomoroade is a commune of 2,600 inhabitants situated in Satu Mare County, Romania. Its center is Homorodu de Mijloc, and the commune is composed of six villages:...
, etc. clearly shows settlements in the area dating to the
Stone AgeThe Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
and the
Bronze AgeThe 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...
. There is also evidence that the local
DacianThe Dacians were an Indo-European people, very close or part of the Thracians. Dacians were the ancient inhabitants of Dacia...
population remained there after the Roman conquest in 101/106 AD. Later, these lands formed part of
MenumorutFor the residential district named after him, see Menumorut, Satu MareMenumorut or Menumorout ruled, according to the 13th century Gesta Ungarorum , the land between the rivers Tisa, Mureş and Someş when the Magyars invaded the Carpathian Basin around 895...
's holdings; one of the defensive citadels dating to the 10th century was at Satu Mare (
Castrum Zotmar), as mentioned in the
Gesta HungarorumGesta Hungarorum is a record of early Hungarian history by an unknown author who describes himself as Anonymi Bele Regis Notarii , but is generally cited as Anonymus...
. The city centre,
Villa Zotmar, was inhabited by natives, but Teutonic colonists settled on the periphery, brought there in 972 by Queen Gisela of Hungary; later, they were joined by German colonists from beyond the
Someş RiverThe river Someş flows through Romania and Hungary.It rises from two headstreams, the Someşul Mare, in the Rodna Mountains in Bistriţa-Năsăud County and the Someşul Mic in the Apuseni Mountains of Cluj County...
, in Mintiu.
In 1543, the
BáthoryThe Báthory were a Hungarian noble family of the Gutkeled clan. The family rose to significant influence in Central Europe during the late Middle Ages, holding high military, administrative and ecclesiastical positions in the Kingdom of Hungary...
family took possession of the citadel, proceeding to divert the Someş' waters in order to defend the southern part of the citadel; thus, the fortress remained on an island linked to the main roads by three bridges over the Someş. In 1562 the citadel was besieged by Ottoman armies led by
Pargalı İbrahim PashaPargali Ibrahim Pasha , also known as Frenk Ibrahim Pasha , Makbul Ibrahim Pasha , and referred to him as Maktul Ibrahim Pasha after his murder in the Topkapı Palace, was the first Grand Vizier in the Ottoman Empire appointed by Suleiman the Magnificent...
of
BudaFor detailed information see: History of Buda CastleBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian.Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's...
and pasha Maleoci of
TimişoaraTimișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
. Then the
HabsburgsThe Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
besieged it, leading the fleeing
TransylvaniaTransylvania 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...
n armies to set it on fire. The Austrian general Lazar Schwendi ordered the citadel to be rebuilt after the plans of Italian architect Ottavio Baldigara; using an Italian system of fortifications, the new structure would be pentagonal with five towers. In the Middle Ages, Satu Mare and Mintiu were two distinct entities, but between 1712 and 1715 the two gradually united their administration. On 2 January 1721, Emperor
Charles VICharles VI was the penultimate Habsburg sovereign of the Habsburg Empire. He succeeded his elder brother, Joseph I, as Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia , Hungary and Croatia , Archduke of Austria, etc., in 1711...
recognised the union, at the same time granting Satu Mare the status of
royal free cityRoyal free city or free royal city was the official term for the most important cities in the Kingdom of Hungary from the 15th century until the early 20th century...
. A decade earlier, the
Treaty of SzatmárThe Treaty of Szatmár was signed at Szatmár on April 30, 1711 between Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI, Hungarian Commander-in-Chief Sándor Károlyi and Imperial Field Marshal János Pálffy. Based on the terms of the accord, Charles promised to maintain the integrity of both Transylvanian and...
was signed in the city, ending
Rákóczi's War for IndependenceRákóczi's War for Independence was the first significant attempt to topple therule of Habsburg Austria over Hungary. The war was fought by a group of noblemen, wealthy and high-ranking progressives and was led by Francis II Rákóczi Rákóczi's War for Independence (1703–1711) was the first...
.
Due to the economic and commercial benefits it began to receive in the 13th century, Satu Mare became an important centre for craft guilds. In the 18th century, intense urbanisation began; several buildings survive from that period, including the old city hall, the inn, a barracks, the
Greek CatholicThe Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic is an Eastern Catholic Church which is in full union with the Roman Catholic Church. It is ranked as a Major Archiepiscopal Church and uses the Byzantine liturgical rite in the Romanian language....
church and the
ReformedThe 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...
church. A
Roman Catholic dioceseThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Satu Mare, Romania was established on 23 March 1804 by Francis I, King of Hungary, an act recognised by Pope Pius VII that 9 August. At the time, the diocese was part of the Kingdom of Hungary and covered a larger territory, including land in present-day Hungary and...
was established there in 1804. In 1823, the city's systematization commission was established in order to direct its local government. In 1844, paving operations begun in 1805 were stepped up. The first industrial concerns also opened, including the steam mill, the brick factory, the Neuschloss Factory for wood products, the lumber factory, the Princz Factory and the Unio Factory. Due to its location at the intersection of commercial roads, Satu Mare (then called
Szatmárnémeti) became and important rail hub. The Satu Mare–
Carei line was built in 1871, followed in 1872 by the Satu Mare–
Sighetu MarmaţieiSighetu Marmației , formerly Sighet, is a city in Maramureş County near the Iza River, in north-western Romania. It administers five villages: Iapa, Lazu Baciului, Șugău, Valea Cufundoasă and Valea Hotarului.-Geography:...
line, an 1894 link to
Baia MareBaia Mare is a municipality in northwestern Romania and the capital of Maramureş County. The city is situated about 600 kilometres from Bucharest, the capital of Romania, 70 kilometres from the border with Hungary and 50 kilometres from the border with Ukraine...
, 1900 to
ArdudArdud is a town in north-western Romania, in Satu Mare County. It administers five villages: Ardud-Vii, Baba Novac, Gerăuşa, Mădăras and Sărătura.-History:...
and 1906 to
BixadBixad is a commune of 7,678 inhabitants situated in Satu Mare County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Bixad, Boineşti and Trip ....
.
Since the second half of the 19th century, it underwent important economic and socio-cultural changes. The city's large companies (the Unio wagon factory, the Princz Factory, the Ardeleana textile enterprise, the Freund petroleum refinery, the brick factory and the furniture factory) prospered in this period, and the city invested heavily in communication lines, schools, hospitals, public works and public parks. The banking and commerce system also developed: in 1929 the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as the commodities stock market were established, with 25 commercial enterprises and 75 industrial and production firms as members. In 1930 there were 33 banks.
After the collapse of
Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, Romanian troops captured the town during their offensive launched on April 15, 1919. The
Treaty of TrianonThe 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...
recognised the
Union of Transylvania with RomaniaUnion of Transylvania with Romania was declared on by the assembly of the delegates of ethnic Romanians held in Alba Iulia.The national holiday of Romania, the Great Union Day occurring on December 1, commemorates this event...
and Satu Mare officially ceased to be part of Hungary becoming part of the
RomaniaThe Kingdom of Romania was the Romanian state based on a form of parliamentary monarchy between 13 March 1881 and 30 December 1947, specified by the first three Constitutions of Romania...
. In 1940, the
Second Vienna AwardThe 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...
gave back
Northern TransylvaniaNorthern Transylvania is a region of Transylvania, situated within the territory of Romania. The population is largely composed of both ethnic Romanians and Hungarians, and the region has been part of Romania since 1918 . During World War II, as a consequence of the territorial agreement known as...
, including Satu Mare, to Hungary. During World War II, its then considerable
JewishThe Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
population suffered persecution as part of
The HolocaustThe Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
. In October 1944, the city was captured by the Soviet Red Army. After 1945, the city became again part of Romania. Soon afterwards, a
Communist regimeCommunist 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...
came to power, lasting until the
1989 revolutionThe Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a series of riots and clashes in December 1989. These were part of the Revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several Warsaw Pact countries...
.
Jewish community
Among the notable members of the local Jewish community have been historian Ignác Acsády, parliamentary deputies Ferenc Corin and Kelemen Samu, politician
Oszkár JásziOszkár Jászi , known in English as Oscar Jászi, was a Hungarian social scientist, historian, and politician and founder of the Grand Orient rhyte Freemason Lodge of Budapest: the Martinovics Lodge- Early years :...
, writers Gyula Csehi,
Rodion MarkovitsRodion Markovits was an Austro-Hungarian-born writer, journalist and lawyer, one of the early modernist contributors to Magyar literary culture in Transylvania and Banat regions...
, Sándor Dénes and Ernő Szép, painter Pál Erdös, and director György Harag.
The Jewish community in Satu Mare traces its origins to 1623, when the prince of
TransylvaniaTransylvania 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...
,
Gabriel BethlenGabriel Bethlen was a prince of Transylvania , duke of Opole and leader of an anti-Habsburg insurrection in the Habsburg Royal Hungary. His last armed intervention in 1626 was part of the Thirty Years' War...
, brought Jews there and permitted them to settle in the city. The first Jewish community organisation was established in 1842 and in 1858 the first synagogue was built in the city. On the site of the first synagogue, in 1893 the
Decebal Street SynagogueThe Satu Mare Synagogue or Decebal Street Synagogue located in Satu Mare, Romainia, was built in Moorish style at the end of the 19th century. It has a tripartite facade, with the prayer house and the temple beside the facade....
was built. The largest Jewish presence was recorded in 1910, when 29,468 Jews were recorded in the city.
In 1944, the Jewish population was deported to the territory of
Nazi GermanyNazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
as a part of
The HolocaustThe Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
. Six trains left Satu Mare for
Auschwitz-BirkenauConcentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
starting May 19, 1944, each carrying approximately 3300 persons. The trains passed through Kassa (
KošiceKošice is a city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary...
) on May 19, 22, 26, 29, 30 and June 1. In total, 18,863 Jews were deported from Satu Mare, including individuals from
Carei and the surroundings; of these, 14,440 Jews were killed. The survivors who returned mainly emigrated to
IsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. The 2002 census numbered 30 Jews in the city; in 2004, a Holocaust memorial was dedicated in the Decebal Street Synagogue's courtyard. Aside from the synagogues, two Jewish cemeteries also remain.
Demographics
| Historical population of Satu Mare |
| Year |
Population |
Romanians |
Hungarians |
| 1880 |
20,531 |
7.9% |
83.1% |
| 1890 |
21,874 |
8.1% |
89.9% |
| 1900 |
28,339 |
7.8% |
89.01% |
| 1910 |
36,460 |
6.3% |
91.4% |
| 1920 |
38,807 |
15.2% |
63.6% |
| 1930 |
53,010 |
28.9% |
57.1% |
| 1941 |
53,406 |
6.6% |
90.2% |
| 1956 |
53,672 |
36.5% |
58.2% |
| 1966 |
69,769 |
44.2% |
54.9% |
| 1977 |
103,544 |
51.04% |
47.2% |
| 1992 |
131,987 |
55.8% |
43.2% |
| 2002 |
115,142 |
57.9% |
39.3% |
| 2007 |
113,668 |
n/a |
n/a |
Source (if not otherwise specified):
Árpád E. Varga |
According to the
last censusThis article presents the demographic history of Romania through census results. See Demographics of Romania for a more detailed overview of the country's present-day demographics....
, conducted on 31 May 2002, the population of Satu Mare was 115,142, making it the 19th largest city in Romania. The historic changes in population is shown in the side table. The ethnic makeup is as follows:
- Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
: 66,638 (57.9%)
- Hungarians: 45,287 (39.3%)
- Roma: 1,115 (0.9%)
- German: 1,110 (0.9%)
- Swabians
The Satu Mare Swabians are a German ethnic group that lives near the city of Satu Mare in Romania, and forms part of the broader group known as Danube Swabians. Most were originally farmers in Upper Swabia who came to Hungary/Partium during the 18th century East Colonisation...
: 487 (0.4%)
- Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
: 271 (0.2%)
- Others: 0.4%
As of 2007, Satu Mare has an estimated population of 113,668.
The city day is May 14, which commemorates the
devastating floodsThe 1970 floods in Romania, brought on by river swelling caused by torrential rains, high winds and a heat wave that melted snow in the Carpathian Mountains, were the worst in modern Romanian history in loss of life, and caused the most damage up to the 2006 floods: at least $500 million; perhaps...
that affected the city in 1970, although it is also a day of rebirth.
No religious group can claim a majority in Satu Mare, but there is a plurality of
Romanian OrthodoxThe 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...
believers (48.59%). Other important communities are
Roman CatholicThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
(19.79%),
Hungarian ReformedThe 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...
(19.51%), and
Eastern CatholicThe Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic is an Eastern Catholic Church which is in full union with the Roman Catholic Church. It is ranked as a Major Archiepiscopal Church and uses the Byzantine liturgical rite in the Romanian language....
(8.41%).
Satu Mare is the origin of the
SatmarerSatmar is a Hasidic movement comprising mostly Hungarian and Romanian Hasidic Jewish Holocaust survivors and their descendants. It was founded and led by the late Hungarian-born Grand Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum , who was the rabbi of Szatmárnémeti, Hungary...
Hasidic JewsHasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
, who lived there until World War II and now reside in New York City, Jerusalem, London, and other places.
Administration
The city government is headed by a
mayorIn many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
. From 2004, the office is held by
Iuliu IlyésIuliu Ilyés is a Romanian engineer and politician of Hungarian ethnicity. A member of the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania he has been the mayor of Satu Mare since 2004 . Between 1996 and 2004 he was the active vice-mayor of the city...
, who was re-elected
in 2008Local elections were held in Romania on June 1, 2008, with a runoff for mayors on June 15, 2008.On June 1 where elected:* all the villages, communes, cities, and municipal cluncils , and the Sectors Local Councils of Bucharest...
. Decisions are approved and discussed by the
local councilLocal government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
(
consiliu local) made up of 23 elected councillors. The city is divided into
12 districts (
cartiere) laid out radially. One of these, Sătmărel, is a separate village administered by the city.
- 14 Mai
14 Mai is a residential district of Satu Mare in Romania. It is named after the date of the devastating floods that affected the city in 1970.-References:...
- Carpaţi I
Carpaţi I is a residential district of Satu Mare in Romania. It is named after the Carpathian Mountains....
- Carpaţi II
Carpaţi II is a residential district of Satu Mare in Romania. It is named after the Carpathian Mountains....
- Centru Nou
Centru Nou is a residential district of Satu Mare in Romania. It was built in the late 1970s and includes the Administrative Palace, one of the tallest buildings in Romania....
|
Cloşca Cloşca is a residential district of Satu Mare in Romania. It is named after the Romanian revolutionary Cloşca also known as Ion Oargă....
CrişanCrişan is a residential district of Satu Mare in Romania. It is named after the Romanian revolutionary Crişan also known as Marcu Giurgiu....
GeluGelu is a residential district of Satu Mare in Romania. It is named after the Romanian duke Gelou....
HoreaHorea is a residential district of Satu Mare in Romania. It is named after the Romanian revolutionary Horea also known as Vasile Ursu Nicola....
|
Menumorut
Sătmărel Sătmărel is a residential district of Satu Mare in Romania. Legally a village administered by the city, it was a separate commune until the 1980s.-References:...
Soarelui
Solidarităţii |
Additionally, as Satu Mare is the capital of
Satu Mare CountySatu Mare County is a county of Romania. The capital city is Satu Mare. Besides Romanians , Satu Mare features a significant ethnic minority of Hungarians .-Demographics:...
, the city hosts the palace of the prefecture, the headquarters of the
county councilA county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
(
consiliu judeţean) and the
prefectPrefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
, who is appointed by Romania's central government. The prefect is not allowed to be a member of a
political partyA political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
, and his role is to represent the national government at the local level, acting as a liaison and facilitating the implementation of National Development Plans and governing programmes at the local level. The current prefect of Satu Mare County (as of 2008) is Giurca Radu. Like all other local councils in Romania, the Satu Mare local council, the county council and the city's mayor are elected every four years by the population.
The Satu Mare Municipal Council, elected in the
2008 local government electionsLocal elections were held in Romania on June 1, 2008, with a runoff for mayors on June 15, 2008.On June 1 where elected:* all the villages, communes, cities, and municipal cluncils , and the Sectors Local Councils of Bucharest...
, is composed of the following parties:
| |
Party |
Seats in 2008 |
Current Council |
| |
Democratic Union of Hungarians in RomaniaThe Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania, is the main political organisation representing the ethnic Hungarians of Romania....
|
11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Social Democratic Party The Social Democratic Party is the major social-democratic political party in Romania. It was formed in 1992, after the post-communist National Salvation Front broke apart. It adopted its present name after a merger with a minor social-democratic party in 2001. Since its formation, it has always...
|
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Democratic Liberal Party The Democratic Liberal Party is a populist, centre-right party in Romania. It was formed on 15 December 2007, when the Democratic Party merged with the Liberal Democratic Party. From 2004 to 2007, the Democratic Party was part of the governing Justice and Truth Alliance...
|
4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
National Liberal Party The National Liberal Party , abbreviated to PNL, is a centre-right liberal party in Romania. It is the third-largest party in the Romanian Parliament, with 53 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 22 in the Senate: behind the centre-right Democratic Liberal Party and the centre-left Social...
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Justice system
Satu Mare has a complex judicial organisation, as a consequence of its status of
countySatu Mare County is a county of Romania. The capital city is Satu Mare. Besides Romanians , Satu Mare features a significant ethnic minority of Hungarians .-Demographics:...
capital. The Satu Mare Court of Justice is the local judicial institution and is under the purview of the Satu Mare County Tribunal, which also exerts its jurisdiction over the courts of
Carei,
ArdudArdud is a town in north-western Romania, in Satu Mare County. It administers five villages: Ardud-Vii, Baba Novac, Gerăuşa, Mădăras and Sărătura.-History:...
,
Negreşti-OaşNegrești-Oaș is a town in northwestern Romania, in the county of Satu Mare. It has about 15,057 inhabitants as of 2007 and is located near the Ukrainian border...
,
TăşnadTăşnad is a town in Satu Mare County, northwestern Romania. It administers five villages: Blaja, Cig, Raţiu, Sărăuad and Valea Morii.-Population:According to the last census from 2002 there were 9,528 people living within the city....
and
LivadaLivada ; in German: Weisenhaid) is a town in north-western Romania, in Satu Mare County. It received town status in 2006...
. Appeals from these tribunals' verdicts, and more serious cases, are directed to the Satu Mare Court of Appeals. The city also hosts the county's commercial and military tribunals.
Satu Mare has its own municipal police force,
Poliţia Municipiului Satu Mare, which is responsible for policing of crime within the whole city, and operates a number of special divisions. The Satu Mare Police are headquartered on Mihai Viteazul Street in the city centre (with a number of precincts throughout the city) and it is subordinated to the
County's Police InspectorateThe Romanian Police is the national police force and main civil law enforcement agency in Romania. It is subordinated to the Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reform.-Duties:The Romanian Police are responsible for:...
on Alexandru Iioan Cuza Street. City Hall has its own community police force,
Poliţia Comunitară located on Universului Alley, dealing with local community issues. Satu Mare also houses the
County's Gendarmerie InspectorateJandarmeria Română is the military branch of the two Romanian police forces .The gendarmerie is subordinated to the Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reform and does not have responsibility for policing the Romanian Armed Forces...
.
Road
Satu Mare has a complex system of transportation, providing road, air and rail connections to major cities in Romania and Europe. The city is an important road and rail hub located near the borders with Hungary and
UkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. The city is connected to other major Romanian cities by road (
European route E81European route E 81 is a road part of the International E-road network. It begins in Constanța, Romania and ends in Mukacevo, Ukraine. The road is 389.4 miles long.The Romanian section follows the route :...
,
European route E671European route E 671 is a road part of the International E-road network. It begins in Timişoara, Timiş County, Romania and ends in Livada, Satu Mare County. It is long.The road follows: Timişoara - Arad - Oradea - Satu Mare - Livada...
and
European route E58European route E 58 is a road part of the International E-road network. It begins in Vienna, Austria and ends in Rostov-na-Donu, Russia....
) and by rail (
CFR Main Line 400Line 400 is one of CFR's main lines in Romania having a total of 560 km and passing through important cities like Braşov, Sfântu Gheorghe, Târgu Secuiesc, Gheorgheni, Miercurea Ciuc, Dej, Jibou, Baia Mare and Satu Mare.-Secondary lines:...
). The total number of automobiles registered in Satu Mare was 82,000 in 2008. The city has around 400 streets with a total length of 178 kilometres (110.6 mi) and cover an area of 1.3 square kilometre.
Railway
Satu Mare Rail StationSatu Mare railway station is the main station in Satu Mare, Romania. It is located near the city center.- Current situation :The station is situated on the Căile Ferate Române Line 400 , on Line 402 and on Line 417...
, located about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north of the city centre, is situated on the
Căile Ferate Române Line 400Line 400 is one of CFR's main lines in Romania having a total of 560 km and passing through important cities like Braşov, Sfântu Gheorghe, Târgu Secuiesc, Gheorgheni, Miercurea Ciuc, Dej, Jibou, Baia Mare and Satu Mare.-Secondary lines:...
(
BraşovBrașov is a city in Romania and the capital of Brașov County.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....
-
SiculeniSiculeni is a commune in Harghita County, Romania. It lies in the Székely Land, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania. It is composed of a single village, Siculeni. The Siculicidium took place here.-Demographics:...
– Deda –
DejDej is a city in northwestern Romania, 60 km north of Cluj-Napoca, in Cluj County. It lies where the Someşul Mic River meets the river Someşul Mare River...
–
Baia MareBaia Mare is a municipality in northwestern Romania and the capital of Maramureş County. The city is situated about 600 kilometres from Bucharest, the capital of Romania, 70 kilometres from the border with Hungary and 50 kilometres from the border with Ukraine...
), on Line 402 (
OradeaOradea is the capital city of Bihor County, in the Crișana region of north-western Romania. The city has a population of 204,477, according to the 2009 estimates. The wider Oradea metropolitan area has a total population of 245,832.-Geography:...
-
SăcueniSăcueni is a town in Romania. It administers five villages: Cadea, Ciocaia, Cubulcut, Olosig and Sânnicolau de Munte.-Geography:It is located around 42 km north-east of Oradea, in the proximity of the Hungarian border in Bihor County, western Transylvania, Romania.-History:The first written...
-
Carei - Satu Mare -
HalmeuHalmeu is a commune of 7,062 inhabitants situated in Satu Mare County, Romania. It is composed of five villages:Until World War II, the village was home to a Jewish community, which numbered 479 souls in 1877...
) and on Line 417 (Satu Mare -
BixadBixad is a commune of 7,678 inhabitants situated in Satu Mare County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Bixad, Boineşti and Trip ....
). CFR provides direct rail connections to all the major Romanian cities and to
BudapestBudapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. The city is also served by another secondary rail station, the
Saw Station (
Gara Ferăstrău).
Public transport
The main public transportation system in Satu Mare consists of bus lines. There are twenty-three urban and suburban lines with a total length of 190.1 kilometres (118.1 mi), the main operator being
Transurban S.A.Transurban S.A. is the local public transport company of Satu Mare, Romania. The company runs an extensive public transport network within the city using mainly buses. The company operates 42 buses on 23 urban and sururban lines....
In addition, there are various taxi companies serving the city.
Airport
The city is served by the
Satu Mare International AirportSatu Mare International Airport is located in north west Romania, it is located south of Satu Mare municipality and county. The airport is located in a "high density" airports area, with many airports on an radius ....
, located 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) south of the city, with a concrete runway, one of the longest in Romania, and the only operator is
TAROMS.C. Compania Națională de Transporturi Aeriene Române TAROM S.A., doing business as TAROM Romanian Air Transport, is the flag carrier and oldest currently operating airline of Romania. The brand name is an acronym for...
with regular flights to
OradeaOradea is the capital city of Bihor County, in the Crișana region of north-western Romania. The city has a population of 204,477, according to the 2009 estimates. The wider Oradea metropolitan area has a total population of 245,832.-Geography:...
,
BucharestBucharest 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....
and
AntalyaAntalya is a city on the Mediterranean coast of southwestern Turkey. With a population 1,001,318 as of 2010. It is the eighth most populous city in Turkey and country's biggest international sea resort.- History :...
.
Sports
Football (soccer) is the most popular recreational sport in Satu Mare. There are two major football clubs in Satu Mare: Olimpia and Someşul, with Olimpia playing in the Romanian
Liga IIILiga III is the third level of the Romanian football league system. Its name was changed from Divizia C into Liga III before the start of the 2006-07 season.-Relegation:...
in the 2009/2010 season and Someşul playing in the
Liga IVLiga IV is the fourth level of the Romanian football league system. Its name was changed from Divizia D into Liga IV before the start of play for the 2006-07 season.- Current format :...
. There are two football stadiums in Satu Mare:
Stadionul OlimpiaOlimpia Stadium is a multi-use stadium located in Satu Mare, Romania. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of Olimpia Satu Mare....
with 18,000 seats and Someşul Stadium with 3,000 seats.
Other popular recreational activities include
fencingFencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
,
handballHandball 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...
,
bowlingBowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
,
women's basketballWomen's basketball is one of the few women's sports that developed in tandem with its men's counterpart. It became popular, spreading from the east coast of the United States to the west coast , in large part via women's colleges...
,
karateis a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
and
chessChess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
.
The local women's basketball team CSM Satu Mare is one of the best in the Romanian league; it finished third in the 2008/2009 season playoffs. The team plays its home matches in the largest
indoor arenaAn arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
in the city, the
LPS ArenaLPS Arena is an indoor arena in the north-western Romanian city of Satu Mare. It was built in 1983.It is the home for the matches of the CSM Satu Mare sports club that includes volleyball, basketball and handball....
, which has a capacity of 400 seats.
The
CypriotCyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
professional
tennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player
Marcos BaghdatisAt the French Open, Baghdatis lost in the second round in five sets to Frenchman Julien Benneteau, 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 7-6, 4-6.At Wimbledon, Baghdatis defeated British player Andy Murray in the fourth round in straight sets. In the quarterfinals, Baghdatis beat the 2002 champion and former world no. 1...
was brought to Satu Mare in 1998 for a month and a half by his former coach Jean Dobrescu to train and to participate in local tennis competitions alongside his fellow
Davis Cup team memberThe Cyprus Davis Cup team represents Cyprus in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the Cyprus Tennis Federation.Cyprus currently compete in the Europe/Africa Zone of Group II. They began at the Group I level, and have yet to return.-History:...
,
Rareş CuzdrioreanRareş Cuzdriorean born July 31, 1986, Satu Mare, is a Romanian professional tennis player with Cypriot citizenship. He qualified to play for the Cyprus Davis Cup team after defeating fellow Cypriot Christopher Koutrouzas 6-1/6-4 in a playoff tournament held in Limassol.-External links:*...
, who is also a Satu Mare native with Cypriot citizenship.
Fencing
Satu Mare has a tradition in
fencingFencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
dating to 1885, and is the city that has supplied the most world and Olympic champions in Europe. Names like Ecaterina Stahl, Marcela Moldovan, Suzana and Ştefan Ardeleanu, Petru Kuki, Rudolf Luczki, Samuilă Melczhner, Geza Tere and in particular Alexandru Csipler figure prominently in the annals of Romanian fencing. The last four also formed the core of the city's fencing school, winning major local and international tournaments. Top results for which there is evidence date to 1935, when the local
foilA foil is a type of weapon used in fencing. It is the most common weapon in terms of usage in competition, and is usually the choice for elementary classes for fencing in general.- Components:...
team, Olimpia Satu Mare, lost against CFR Timişoara by a score of 15-10 in the national final, while Rudolf Luczki won the
sabreThe sabre is one of the three weapons of modern sport fencing, and is alternatively spelled saber in American English. The sabre differs from the other modern fencing weapons, the épée and foil, in that it is possible to score with the edge of the blade; for this reason, sabreur movements and...
finals held in
Cluj-NapocaCluj-Napoca , commonly known as Cluj, is the fourth most populous city in Romania and the seat of Cluj County in the northwestern part of the country. Geographically, it is roughly equidistant from Bucharest , Budapest and Belgrade...
. In 1973, the first signaling device in Romania was used in Satu Mare; this has been characterised as "a veritable revolution" for Romanian fencing.
Economy
Satu Mare benefits from its proximity to the borders with Hungary and
UkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, which makes it a prime location for logistical and industrial parks.
Companies that have established production facilities in Satu Mare are
VoestalpineVoestalpine AG is an international steel company based in Linz, Austria. The company is active in steel, automotive, railway systems, profilform and tool steel industries....
,
Dräxlmaier GroupDräxlmaier Group based in Vilsbiburg, Germany, is an automotive corporation, one of the biggest in Germany.The company has 51 production sites in 20 countries on 4 different continents:-Germany:*Vilsbiburg *Achim*Böblingen*Bruchsal*Emden...
,
Gotec GroupGotec Group based in Wülfrath, Germany, is an automotive corporation from Germany which has production and sales locations in 7 different countries including Poland, Spain, Brazil, Turkey, United States, Germany and Romania....
,
Anvis GroupAnvis Group based in Steinau an der Strasse, Germany, is an automotive corporation from Germany which has production and sales locations in 8 different countries including France , Spain , Czech Republic , Romania , Mexico , Russia , China and South Africa ....
, Schlemmer,
Casco SchützhelmeCasco Schützhelme based in Bretnig-Hauswalde, Germany, is a protection headwear producing company from Germany which has two production sites located in Bretnig-Hauswalde and Satu Mare, Romania and is specialised in producing helmets and safety glassess. Amongst famous people who used the company's...
and
Zollner ElektronikZollner Elektronik AG ranks among the top 15 EMS providers with headquarters in Zandt. The company has locations in six countries.- Operations :...
in the industrial sector; FrieslandCampina in the food sector;
Radici GroupRadici Group based in Gandino, Italy, is a large Italian corporation active in several industries like textiles, chemicals and plastic with factories in Italy, Germany and Romania. In 2006 the company bought several parts of the German company Steilmann....
in the textile sector; and
Saint-GobainSaint-Gobain S.A. is a French multinational corporation, founded in 1665 in Paris and headquartered on the outskirts of Paris at La Défense and in Courbevoie. Originally a mirror manufacturer, it now also produces a variety of construction and high-performance materials.The company has its head...
and Boissigny in the wood industry.
Currently the largest private employer in Satu Mare is the German automotive company
Dräxlmaier GroupDräxlmaier Group based in Vilsbiburg, Germany, is an automotive corporation, one of the biggest in Germany.The company has 51 production sites in 20 countries on 4 different continents:-Germany:*Vilsbiburg *Achim*Böblingen*Bruchsal*Emden...
which owns since 1998 an electric engine components factory in the city and has around 3,600 employees. The factory supplies automotive wiring especially to the German car manufacturer Daimler AG but it also supplied wiring to another car manufacturer
PorschePorsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
for its
Porsche PanameraThe Porsche Panamera is a four-door a coupe. It is front-engined with rear-wheel drive, with four-wheel drive versions also available....
model.
The
SwedishSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
company
ElectroluxThe Electrolux Group is a Swedish appliance maker.As of 2010 the 2nd largest home appliance manufacturer in the world after Whirlpool, its products sell under a variety of brand names including its own and are primarily major appliances and vacuum cleaners...
owns a
kitchen stoveA kitchen stove, cooking stove, cookstove, or cooker is a kitchen appliance designed for the purpose of cooking food. Kitchen stoves rely on the application of direct heat for the cooking process and may also contain an oven, used for baking.In the industrialized world, as stoves replaced open...
factory in the city acquired in 1997, that has a surface area of 52000 sqm and 1,800 employees. The facility has an annual production capacity of around 1.2 million units and the majority of the
ZanussiZanussi is an Italian producer of home appliances that in 1984 was bought by Electrolux. Zanussi is a leading brand for domestic kitchen appliances in Europe. Products have been exported from Italy since 1946.-History:...
brand kitchen stoves in Europe are manufactured there.
The Austrian company
VoestalpineVoestalpine AG is an international steel company based in Linz, Austria. The company is active in steel, automotive, railway systems, profilform and tool steel industries....
owns, since 2004, a steel tubes production facility with an annual capacity of 50 million units per year.
The German company
ArcandorArcandor AG is a holding company located in Essen, Germany that oversees companies operating in the businesses of mail order and internet shopping, department stores and tourism services. It was created in 1999 through the merger of Karstadt Warenhaus AG, which was founded in 1920, and Quelle...
has its main Romanian office established in Satu Mare. The subsidiary, accounting for the region formed by Romania and Hungary, is the most important amongst the 16 subsidiaries in Europe in terms of the percentage of sales through online orders having in 2008 total orders of €19.3 million. The company also owns a 40000 sqm logistic facility and a call center in the city.
Satu Mare's retail sector is fairly well-developed; a number of international companies such as
RealReal is a European hypermarket, member of the German trade and retail giant Metro AG.In 2006 Metro acquired Wal-Mart's 85 stores in Germany and in Poland, bought 26 hypermarkets Géant from the French retail group Groupe Casino...
,
KauflandKaufland is a German hypermarket chain part of the same group as Lidl and Handelshof. It opened its first store in 1984 in Neckarsulm and quickly expanded to become a leader in what was formerly East Germany...
, Billa,
PlusPlus was a German supermarket chain founded in 1972. It operated 2,840 stores in Germany with an approximate 27,000 employees and about 1,200 stores in several other European countries...
,
Metro Point-Romania:METRO Cash and Carry was one of the first international food and non-food retail chains to enter the Romanian market, opening its first store in 1996 in Bucharest, near Henri Coandă International Airport....
and
InterexLes Mousquetaires is a privately owned retailing symbol group based in France and operating internationally. Its head office is in Bondoufle, France....
have
supermarketA supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
s or
hypermarketIn commerce, a hypermarket is a superstore combining a supermarket and a department store. The result is an expansive retail facility carrying a wide range of products under one roof, including full groceries lines and general merchandise...
s in the city. There is also a DIY store, a
PraktikerPraktiker is a German hypermarket chain offering home improvement and do-it-yourself goods. It is based in Kirkel, Saarland, and opened its first store in 1978. Initially owned by ASKO, the chain became a division of Metro AG after the merger of ASKO with Metro Cash & Carry in 1995...
, and several small malls:
Grand MallGrand Mall is a shopping mall located in Satu Mare, Romania, at the intersection of the Ştefan cel Mare and Iuliu Maniu streets. The commercial complex has a floor area of and four levels.-External links:*...
of 6000 sqm,
Plaza EuropaPlaza Europa is a shopping mall located in Satu Mare, Romania. The structure of the building that now houses Plaza Europa was built between 1988 and 1989, as part of a hotel complex named Europa. Designed to house the hotel's restaurant, the building was abandoned and subject to degradation over 15...
of 3000 sqm and the largest,
Someşul MallSomeşul Mall is a shopping mall located in Satu Mare, Romania. The structure of the building that now houses the mall was built in 1985. The commercial complex has a floor area of and six levels.-External links:*...
, of 13000 sqm.
There is also an
industrial parkAn industrial park is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development...
called Satu Mare Industrial Park located at the edge of the city on a 70
haThe hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
surface.
Tourism
Major tourists attractions are:
- the Firemen's Tower
Firemen's Tower is a 47 m high tower in Satu Mare, Romania built in 1904 at the recommendation of bishop Gyula Meszlényi. The architect of the tower was Ferencz Dittler and the builder Lajos Vajnay....
, a 47 metres (154.2 ft) tall tower
- the Roman Catholic Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
- the Capitoline Wolf
The Capitoline Wolf is a bronze sculpture of a she-wolf suckling twin infants, inspired by the legend of the founding of Rome. According to the legend, when Numitor, grandfather of the twins Romulus and Remus, was overthrown by his brother Amulius, the usurper ordered the twins to be cast into...
statue
- the Chain Church
The Chains Church , a Reformed church in Satu Mare, Romania, is one of the oldest churches in the city.Located on Păcii Square, it was built based on the plans of Preinlich Sigismund, an engineer, between 1793 and 1802...
- the Administrative Palace
The Administrative Palace in a building in Satu Mare, Romania. At 97 metres, it is the highest building in Transylvania and the third highest in the country, after Tower Center International and Casa Presei Libere in Bucharest.-History:...
, a 97 metres (318.2 ft) tall building
- the Dacia Hotel
Dacia Hotel is a three star hotel in Satu Mare, Romania. The Secession style hotel, one of the few built in Transylvania, was built over the old city hall building which dated from 1768 - 1772....
- the Garden of Rome
The city spreads out from the
Administrative PalaceThe Administrative Palace in a building in Satu Mare, Romania. At 97 metres, it is the highest building in Transylvania and the third highest in the country, after Tower Center International and Casa Presei Libere in Bucharest.-History:...
at 25 October Square, one of the
tallest buildings in Romania. The boundaries of the municipality contain an area of 150.3 square kilometres (58 sq mi).
There are several hotels in the city: two 4-star hotels – Hotel Poesis and Villa Bodi; eleven 3-star hotels –
AstoriaAstoria Hotel is a three star hotel located in the historic center of Satu Mare, Romania. The hotel also has a restaurant, tavern, tourism agency and a conference hall....
, Leon, Villa Lux,
DaciaDacia Hotel is a three star hotel in Satu Mare, Romania. The Secession style hotel, one of the few built in Transylvania, was built over the old city hall building which dated from 1768 - 1772....
, Aurora, Dana I, Dana II, Select, Rania, Melody and Belvedere; and one 2-star hotel – Sport.
Universities
Satu Mare is home to the
Commercial Academy of Satu MareCommercial Academy of Satu Mare is a university founded in 1997 in Satu Mare, Romania, with branches in several other counties. The university is currently constructing a new campus on a plot located in the largest park in Satu Mare, the Garden of Rome that will be finished in 2010.-Academic...
and several other branches of important Romanian universities:
- Babeş-Bolyai University
The Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca is an university in Romania. With almost 50,000 students, the university offers 105 specialisations, of which there are 105 in Romanian, 67 in Hungarian, 17 in German, and 5 in English...
- 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...
- Technical University of Cluj-Napoca
The Technical University of Cluj-Napoca , Cluj-Napoca, Romania, is the second largest university in the city. The university has seven faculties, all in Romanian, and two in English.- Faculties :...
- University of Oradea
The University of Oradea is a public University, located in Oradea, in North-Western Romania.With its four colleges and 18 faculties, has a total of 123 fields of study for undergraduates and 151 post-graduate specialisation degrees...
- Vasile Goldiş West University of Arad
„Vasile Goldiș” Western University of Arad is a private research university located in Arad, Romania. It was founded in 1990.Its spiritual patron is Vasile Goldiș, a Romanian politician, member of the Romanian Academy and the ideologist of the Great Union taking place on 1 December 1918...
High schools
Satu Mare has 16 high schools, of which four are national colleges:
- Doamna Stanca National College
- Ioan Slavici National College
- Kölcsey Ferenc National College
- Mihai Eminescu National College
Gymnasiums
The city has 16 gymnasiums with the most important being:
- The Grigore Moisil Gymnasium Satu Mare was founded in 1903 and it is named after the Romanian mathematician, computer pioneer, and member of the Romanian Academy Grigore Moisil
Grigore Constantin Moisil was a Romanian mathematician, computer pioneer, and member of the Romanian Academy. His research was mainly in the fields of mathematical logic, , Algebraic logic, MV-algebra, algebra and differential equations...
.
- The Ion Creangă Gymnasium Satu Mare was founded in 1990 and it is named after the Romanian writer, storyteller and memoirist Ion Creangă
Ion Creangă was a Moldavian-born Romanian writer, raconteur and schoolteacher. A main figure in 19th century Romanian literature, he is best known for his Childhood Memories volume, his novellas and short stories, and his many anecdotes...
.
- The Lucian Blaga Gymnasium Satu Mare was founded in 1996 by Ioan Viman and it was named after the Romanian philosopher, poet and playwright Lucian Blaga
-Biography:Lucian Blaga was a commanding personality of the Romanian culture of the interbellum period. He was a philosopher and writer higly acclaimed for his originality, a university professor and a diplomat. He was born on May 9, 1895 in Lancrăm, near Alba Iulia, Romania, his father being an...
.
Newspapers
- Informaţia Zilei
Informaţia Zilei is a Romanian daily newspaper, issued by the Solpress company and focused mainly on politics, public affairs, sports and economy. The first edition was printed in 1993.-External links:*...
– daily local newspaper
- Gazeta de Nord-Vest
Gazeta de Nord-Vest is a Romanian daily newspaper focused mainly on politics, public affairs, sports and economy. The first edition was printed in 1990.-External links:*...
– daily local newspaper
- Cronica Sătmăreană – daily local newspaper
- Friss Újság
Friss Újság is a Romanian daily newspaper, issued in Hungarian language by the Inform Media company and focused mainly on politics, public affairs, sports and economy. The first edition was printed in 1990....
– daily local newspaper in Hungarian languageHungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
- Szatmári Magyar Hírlap – daily local newspaper in Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
Radio Stations
- Radio City Satu Mare
- Radio Unu
- Radio Transilvania
- Kiss FM Satu Mare
Kiss FM is a Top40/Hit Radio station from Romania, owned by ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG. The station was rebranded from the old Radio Contact, after being purchased by a Belgian radio network...
Natives
Romania Ioana Boitor Gavril Both
Vlad BujorVlad Bujor is a Romanian footballer currently playing for Zalaegerszegi TE in Nemzeti Bajnokság. He was formely under contract with Liga I side Universitatea Craiova.-External links:** at RomanianSoccer.ro...
Corina CiorbăCorina Monica Ciorbă , best known only as Corina, is a pop, dance, R&B singer from Satu Mare, Romania. She debuted in 2004 with the album Noi Doi, produced by Marius Moga. The main single from the album entitled Noi Doi reached fourth place in the Romanian Top 100...
Cosmin Costinaş
Raul CristianRaul Cristian is an ex-pornographic actor, director and producer of pornographic movies. Usually credited under the name Raul Cristian, he is also working under another pseudonym: Chris Rolie....
Daniel DavidDaniel David is an "Aaron T. Beck" professor of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at the Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, the head of Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy of the Babeş-Bolyai University and the vice-president of the Babeş-Bolyai University Council...
Mircea Florian
Florin GardoşFlorin Gardoş is a Romanian footballer who plays for Steaua Bucureşti. The 22 year-old is rated in the €4 million class by his Romanian club and is being tracked by Bayern and Inter.-Steaua:...
Gábor GerstenmájerGábor Gerstenmájer is a Romanian footballer of Hungarian descent, who won the Romanian Golden Boot award in 1992 while playing for Dinamo. Following his success with Dinamo a move to Swiss Super League took place and he played there until retirement from the game.-External links:*...
Alexandru KarikaşAlexandru Karikaş is a retired Romanian footballer who played for CA Câmpulung Moldovenesc, CCA Bucureşti, Progresul Oradea and FC Progresul Bucureşti between 1953 and 1964.-External links:*...
Dorel MoişDorel Moiş is a retired Romanian aerobic gymnast. He won three world championship medals and one gold European championships medal on the trio event. After retiring from aerobic gymnastics he founded a dance group called Xtreme.-External links:*...
Ioan Mircea Paşcu"Ioan Pascu" redirects here. For the actor, see Ioan Gyuri PascuIoan Mircea Pașcu is a Romanian politician, a Member of the European Parliament and a former Minister of Defense in the Adrian Năstase cabinet...
Vasile Paulovics
Ciprian ProdanCiprian Prodan is a Romanian footballer who plays for Liga I side Victoria Brăneşti. He is the younger brother of former Romanian football player Daniel Prodan.-External links:*...
Daniel ProdanDaniel Claudiu Prodan is a retired Romanian footballer who played mainly as a central defender.In a career marred by injuries, he played mainly for Steaua Bucureşti, representing the Romanian national team in one World Cup and one European Championship.-Club career:Born in Satu Mare, Prodan came...
Zoltan RitliZoltan Ritli is a retired Romanian footballer who played for FC Inter Sibiu, Steaua Bucureşti and U Cluj between 1991 and 2000.-External links:*...
Ovidiu Ioan SilaghiOvidiu Ioan Silaghi is a Romanian politician. A member of the National Liberal Party , he became Minister for Small and Medium Enterprises in the second Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu cabinet .-Biography:...
Sergiu SuciuSergiu Suciu is a Italian-Romanian professional football player who currently plays for Torino F.C.-Club Career:...
Josef Szepeschy Dan Zaviceanu
Hungary Dániel Antal Árpád Árvay
Antal BánhidiAntal Bánhidi was a Hungarian aviator.Bánhidi was born in Szatmárnémeti, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 1920, he fled Romania by swimming across the Szamos river and arrived in Hungary. He attended the Technical University of Budapest where he assisted in establishing EMESE, the...
László Bánhidi
László BotkaLászló Botka is a Hungarian politician. Botka is a member of the Hungarian Socialist Party and the current mayor of Szeged.-Biography:...
Gábor DarvasGábor Darvas was a Hungarian composer and musicologist. He was one of the first Hungarian composers to work in the field of electronic music. As a musicologist, his interest was primarily in music of the 15th and 16th centuries.He was born at Szatmárnémeti...
Arányi Dezső
András DomahidyAndrás Domahidy is a contemporary Hungarian-Australian, novelist and retired librarian. His novels are written in Hungarian.Born in Satu Mare, Romania, András Domahidy completed a PhD in Law at Budapest University and served in the Hungarian Army towards the close of World War II...
Jenő Dsida Mónika Esztán Emanuel Gyenes
Zoltán HorváthZoltán Horváth was a Hungarian basketball player. He had been part of the Hungary national basketball team from 2005 to 2009, and briefly played for PAOK Thessaloniki in the A1 Ethniki of Greece.Horváth began his career on senior level in 2003 with the team of the PVSK Panthers from Pécs...
József Kürthy
Gyula LengyelGyula Lengyel was a Hungarian politician, who served as Minister of Finance in 1919 . For all of the Hungarian Soviet Republic's economic policy, he arranged the conceptual and practical forming of his financial policy inside this, and the organizing of the public supply. After the fall of the...
Noémi Matsutani
Vince NagyVince Nagy de Losonc was a Hungarian politician, who served as Interior Minister between 1918 and 1919 during the Hungarian Democratic Republic. After the establishment of the Hungarian Soviet Republic he returned to Szatmárnémeti, where the occupying Romanian Army imprisoned him for 9 months....
Zoltán Pánczél
Aharon RothRabbi Aharon Roth, known as Reb Ahrele , was the founder of the Shomrei Emunim, Toldos Aharon and Toldos Avraham Yitzchak Hasidic dynasties...
Moshe Dovid WinternitzRabbi Moshe Dovid Winternitz, , was Head of Beth din in Satmar, Hungary and one of the greatest scholars of his time. People from around the globe would send him Halachic queries....
Canada Corneliu ChisuCorneliu Chisu is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. He represents the electoral district of Pickering—Scarborough East as a member of the Conservative Party.-Background:...
Ernest KleinErnest Klein, OC was a Romanian-born Canadian linguist, author, and rabbi.Klein was born in Szatmárnémeti , in Partium — a region of Austria-Hungary at the time, it is now in Romania; he received his PhD at the University of Vienna in 1925...
USA Ernie GrunfeldErnest "Ernie" Grunfeld is the General Manager of the Washington Wizards. He was also once a professional basketball player...
Aaron TeitelbaumRabbi Aaron Teitelbaum is one of two Grand Rebbes of Satmar, and the chief rabbi of the Satmar community in Kiryas Joel, New York...
Cyprus Rareş CuzdrioreanRareş Cuzdriorean born July 31, 1986, Satu Mare, is a Romanian professional tennis player with Cypriot citizenship. He qualified to play for the Cyprus Davis Cup team after defeating fellow Cypriot Christopher Koutrouzas 6-1/6-4 in a playoff tournament held in Limassol.-External links:*...
Twin towns — Sister cities
Satu Mare is twinned with:
SchwazSchwaz is a city in Tyrol, Austria. It is the administrative center of the Schwaz district . Schwaz is located in the lower Inn valley, and has a population of about 13,000....
, Austria, since 2007
WolfenbüttelWolfenbüttel is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, located on the Oker river about 13 kilometres south of Brunswick. It is the seat of the District of Wolfenbüttel and of the bishop of the Protestant Lutheran State Church of Brunswick...
, Germany, since 1974
Nyíregyháza- Tourist sights :Nyíregyháza also has several museums and exhibitions, showing the city's rich cultural heritage.* Collection of the International Medallion Art and Small Sculpture Creative Community of Nyíregyháza-Sóstó – periodic exhibitions of works of contemporary artists-Twin towns — Sister...
, Hungary, since 2000
Zutphen, Netherlands, since 1970
RzeszówRzeszów is a city in southeastern Poland with a population of 179,455 in 2010. It is located on both sides of the Wisłok River, in the heartland of the Sandomierska Valley...
, Poland, since 2007
BerehoveBerehove is a city located in the Zakarpattia Oblast in western Ukraine, near the border with Hungary.Serving as the administrative center of the Berehove Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast...
, Ukraine, since 2007
UzhhorodUzhhorod or Uzhgorod is a city located in western Ukraine, at the border with Slovakia and near the border with Hungary. It is the administrative center of the Zakarpattia Oblast , as well as the administrative center of the surrounding Uzhhorodskyi Raion within the oblast...
, Ukraine, since 2006
See also
- Satmar (Hasidic dynasty)
Satmar is a Hasidic movement comprising mostly Hungarian and Romanian Hasidic Jewish Holocaust survivors and their descendants. It was founded and led by the late Hungarian-born Grand Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum , who was the rabbi of Szatmárnémeti, Hungary...
- List of companies based in Satu Mare
- List of natives and inhabitants of Satu Mare
Official websites
Unofficial websites
City guide
Photos