| The Transylvanian Plateau surrounded by
forests that make it look a "natural fortress" covers one third
of Romania.
The high Southern Carpathians also called Transylvanian Alps, bordering
it to the south form an east-west extension of the Carpathians
Mountains. Transylvania - "trans silva"(beyond the forests)
can be reached by rather few passes "protected" by thick leafy and
coniferous woods.
The
Geographies called this area "the waters home" as the most important
rivers in Romania have their souring there: Olt, Mures, Somes,
Jiu, Bistrita, such large cities as: Brasov,
Sibiu, Cluj
Napoca, Alba
Iulia.
The
plateau boasts wonderful natural sights: a carstic area and mineral
springs in the western Carpathians glacial lakes and wild gorges
in the Southern Carpathians and salt lakes-in the plateau itself.
The
rich Transylvania, blessed with a mild climate has always been
much desired land. In antiquity it was a Roman province, Dacia
Felix. Following the Roman retreat, it was frequently attacked
and shattered by the migratory peoples. The Hungarians who had
come from Asia in the 9th century settled in the Panonian Field.
As
their expansion attempt westward was a failure (955 the battle
at Lechtfeld, near Augsburg) they concentred on the militarily
weaker eastern lands. Little by little they started advancing
to the interior of the Carpathian arch. As their newly conquered
territory was permanently by other migratory peoples (Tartars,
Mongolians), The Hungarians brought border guards horse people
from the Asian steppes, who settled there: the Szeklers, today
a Hungarian population.
The
German colonists were brought later to protect the Hungarian Crown.
They came as guests ("hospites tectonic et flandrenses") from
the banks of the Rhine and the Moselle from Flamandia (Flanders)
and from the today Luxemburg.
In
the 14th century when the Turks the retained Europe, the town
started being protected by walls, towers and moats. The villages
were likewise consolidated. About 200 fortified churches were
built mainly on the so-called royal land where the fee peasant
lived. The biggest and strongest one was Tartlan/Prejmer in the
southeast Transylvania.
The
Hungarian noblemen had their residences strengthened top most
of the Romanian, the majority ethnic group for a long time, were
Hungarians' serfs, with very few rights. The numerous peasants'
uprising was cruelly suppressed. In the Middle Ages, Transylvania
was an independent principality and party remained so even after
the Turkish conquest.
Unlike
the Hungarian Kingdom and its Banat, Transylvania did not, become
a province of the Ottoman Empire, a "pashalyk" but had to pay
a tribute. Between the 17th century and the end the First World
War Transylvania belonged to the Habsburg Empire. On December
1, 1918, the dear dream of all the Romanians came true: Transylvania
joined Moldova and Wallachia, the other Romania provinces unified
in 1859.
Most
ethnic groups living in Transylvania keep their own characteristics,
religions and languages. The most representative towns are Brasov,
Sibiu, Sighisoara,
Cluj Napoca, Bistrita,
Fagaras, Medias, Sebes, Alba Iulia
Fagaras
(first mentioned in 1291) is dominated by its partly ruined fortress,
built in the 15th century on the ashes of an earlier citadel razed
by Vlad the Impaler. It was several times residence to the princes
of Transylvania. Fagaras Fortress is considered one of the most
powerful fortifications in Transylvania, and the number one attraction
of the region.
Medias
the second largest city in the Sibiu county (80 000 inhabitants)
on the bank of the Greater Tarnava . Industrial and touristically
interesting. The archaeological discoveries testify a continuous
colonization starting with the Stone Age. In 1270, part of the
German colonists settled in Medias. In 1318 the town was an independent
commune of the royal lands. During the Middle Ages, Medias was
a prosperous town of merchants and craftsmen. Many houses with
Baroque Classical fronts still guard the old town square. The
so-called "Schuller Haus" in a Renaissance style was and turned
into the headquarters of the German's Democratic Forum and the
center for training the school and kindergarten teachers who teach
in German. Tourist attractions: the Church Castle and Margareta
Evangelical Church.
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