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Hunedoara County (Judet,ul Hunedoara) is situated in the centre-west Romania in the province of Transylvania and has an area of 2,712 sq mi (7,063 sq km) and a population of over half million people. (See maps of the Hunedoara county and the interactive map of Hunedoara county). Lying on the mid Mures-river course the county is guarded by the Western Transylvanian Alps (Apuseni Mountains) in the North, Orãstiei and S,urianu mountains in the South-East, the Retezat Mountains, the Godeanu, Vâlcan and Parâng Mountains in the South and the Poiana Ruscãi Mountains in the South-West. Hunedoara county is crossed by the rivers Strei, Râul Mare (Big River), Cris,ul Alb (White Crish), and Jiu and has two large plateaux, the Hatzeg Country (T,ara Hat,egului) and Zarand Country (T,ara Zarandului). Two large areas are the Mures, River Valley and Jiu Valley. The fertile river valleys and the rich hills and mountains made possible a very intense life pulsating since ancient times. Historical evidence, particularly rich and old, begins with traces of human habitation since early Palaeolithic times to the second half of the Iron age. This was the cradle of the Dacian (Thracian tribes) civilisation with a complex of fortresses from the Orãstiei Mountains, Piatra Ros,ie and Bãnit,a, the Roman conquest and the Daco-Roman civilisation. During the reign of King Decebalus , the capital of the kingdom was located at Sarmizegetusa Regia , today the ruins of Grãdis,te. After the Daco-Roman wars and the Roman conquest (105-106 AD) the capital moved to Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, in the Hatzeg Country (T,ara Hat,egului). Pre-state formations emerge during the 1st millennium at Deva, Strei, Dobra, Hunedoara. At the beginning of the XIII c. Hunedoara became a royal county at the border between the Principality of Transylvania and the Banat region. Among historical personalities born in the Hunedoara county one can mention, John Huniady (Ioannus Corvinus, Iancu de Hunedoara, cca 1387-1456) Prince (Voevode) of Transylvania, Count of Temes, Ban of Severin, and father of King Mathias I Corvinus of Hungary (Matei Corvin), then Nicolaus Olahus (1493-1568) a mediaeval humanist scholar, Ioan Budai Deleanu a representative of the Transylvanian Scholastic Movement (Scoala Ardeleana), the great inventor and engineer Aurel Vlaicu, pioneer of modern aviation and many others. The area is rich in useful minerals, gold and silver ore from the Western Transylvanian Alps have been worked since Roman times, and the Romans used the natural thermal waters from the spas of Geoagiu, Cãlan and Vat,a de Sus. Non-ferrous ores are also abundant in the Brad area, known as Metalliferous Mountains. Iron ore and coal extraction from Poiana Ruscãi Mountains and Jiu Valley mirrored the English Industrial Revolution, Hunedoara county was one of the first European regions where cast iron and later steel were industrially produced since the XIV-XV centuries. Hunedoara county has 526 localities (see complete list- in construction):
With a vast tourist potential, Hunedoara county offers a variety of attractions, a historical rich culture with a variety of sites of great natural beauty. The Retezat National Park is located in the Retezat Mountains, a natural reserve area exceeding 275 sq mi (700 sq km.), with over 60 peaks over 7,500 feet (2,300 m), more than 80 glaciary lakes (the Bucura Lake is the largest with over 11 ha), also rare and endangered alpine flora and fauna species, breathtaking scenery. (see the page with Hunedoara County protected areas).  ©
Copyright, Dr Radu
Rautiu, 1996-2004 |
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Hunedoara County
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