Simonesti
Encyclopedia
Şimoneşti is a commune in Harghita County
, Romania
. It lies in the Székely Land
, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania
.
area of Transylvania
. Mózes Székely
, prince of Transylvania, had the center of his estates here. The villages belonged to Udvarhelyszék district until the administrative reform of Transylvania in 1876, when they fell within Udvarhely County in the Kingdom of Hungary
. After the Treaty of Trianon
of 1920, they became part of Romania
and fell within Odorhei County
during the interwar period. In 1940, the second Vienna Award
granted the Northern Transylvania
to Hungary and they were held by Hungary until 1944. After Soviet occupation, the Romanian administration returned and the villages became officially part of Romania in 1947. Between 1952 and 1960, the commune fell within the Magyar Autonomous Region, between 1960 and 1968 the Mureş-Magyar Autonomous Region. In 1968, the province was abolished, and since then, the commune has been part of Harghita County.
Hungarians, was first mentioned in a tithe list from 1332. In terms of religious affiliations, it belonged to the Unitarian part of Udvarhelyszék. The original church was destroyed at the beginning of the 19th century, and the new church was built in a different place in the centre of the village.
village, next to Cristuru Secuiesc
on the Nyikó creek. It is populated by Hungarian Calvinists
and Unitarians
. It has a Gothic
Calvinist Church with a few remaining Gothic mural
s painted before the Reformation
which were uncovered in the 20th century.
(Hungarian) majority. According to the 2002 census it has a population of 3,738 of which 99.11% or 3,705 are Hungarians.
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...
.
Component villages
The commune is composed of fourteen villages:| In Romanian Romanian language Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova... | In Hungarian 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.... |
|---|---|
| Benţid | Bencéd |
| Cădaciu Mare | Nagykadács |
| Cădaciu Mic | Kiskadács |
| Ceheţel | Csehétfalva |
| Chedia Mare | Nagykede |
| Chedia Mică | Kiskede |
| Cobăteşti | Kobátfalva |
| Medişoru Mare | Medesér |
| Mihăileni | Székelyszentmihály |
| Nicoleni | Székelyszentmiklós |
| Rugăneşti | Rugonfalva |
| Şimoneşti | Siménfalva |
| Tărceşti | Tarcsafalva |
| Turdeni | Tordátfalva |
History
The villages were historically part of the Székely LandSzékely Land
The Székely Land or Szekler Land refers to the territories inhabited mainly by the Székely, a Hungarian-speaking ethnic group from eastern Transylvania...
area 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...
. Mózes Székely
Mózes Székely
Mózes Székely was a Transylvanian nobleman of Székely descent and briefly ruled as Prince of Transylvania.- Biography :...
, prince of Transylvania, had the center of his estates here. The villages belonged to Udvarhelyszék district until the administrative reform of Transylvania in 1876, when they fell within 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 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, they 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...
and fell within Odorhei County
Odorhei County
Odorhei was a county in the Kingdom of Romania. The county seat was Odorheiu Secuiesc.-Geography:Odorhei County covered 2,977 km2 and was located in central part of Greater Romania, in Transylvania. Currently, the territory that comprised the greater part of Odorhei County is now part of Harghita...
during the interwar period. In 1940, 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...
granted the Northern Transylvania
Northern Transylvania
Northern 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...
to Hungary and they were held by Hungary until 1944. After Soviet occupation, the Romanian administration returned and the villages became officially part of Romania in 1947. Between 1952 and 1960, the commune fell within the Magyar Autonomous Region, between 1960 and 1968 the Mureş-Magyar Autonomous Region. In 1968, the province was abolished, and since then, the commune has been part of Harghita County.
Nicoleni
The village, populated by UnitarianUnitarian Church of Transylvania
The Unitarian Church of Transylvania is a church of the Unitarian denomination, based in the city of Cluj in the Principality of Transylvania, present day in Romania...
Hungarians, was first mentioned in a tithe list from 1332. In terms of religious affiliations, it belonged to the Unitarian part of Udvarhelyszék. The original church was destroyed at the beginning of the 19th century, and the new church was built in a different place in the centre of the village.
Rugăneşti
Rugăneşti is a SzékelySzékely
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...
village, next to Cristuru Secuiesc
Cristuru Secuiesc
Cristuru Secuiesc is a town in Harghita County, Romania. It lies in the Székely Land, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania.The town administers two villages:*Beteşti / Betfalva, part of Mugeni until 2004*Filiaş / Fiatfalva- History :...
on the Nyikó creek. It is populated by Hungarian Calvinists
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...
and Unitarians
Unitarian Church of Transylvania
The Unitarian Church of Transylvania is a church of the Unitarian denomination, based in the city of Cluj in the Principality of Transylvania, present day in Romania...
. It has a 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....
Calvinist Church with a few remaining Gothic mural
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
s painted before the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
which were uncovered in the 20th century.
Demographics
The commune has an absolute SzékelySzékely
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. According to the 2002 census it has a population of 3,738 of which 99.11% or 3,705 are Hungarians.