Hunedoara county

Hunedoara is a county located in the Transylvania region, in Romania. The county is part of the Western Development Region and its seat is the municipality of Deva.

In European terms, the county is part of the DKMT Euroregion.

History

The first human settlements in Hunedoara Land date back to the Paleolithic, tens of thousands of years ago. From the Neolithic there are many traces of the "Starcevo-Criș ancient culture, one of the oldest Neolithic cultures in Europe. The "Turdaș" culture is represented by the most extensive traces of habitation (at Valea Nandrului, near Hunedoara, approx. 10 ha.) . This culture probably used writing for the first time, over a thousand years before the Sumerians. Then followed the "Petrești" (4500-5000 years ago) and "Coțofeni" cultures (period in which it was extracted and processed for first copper and gold), then the "Bronze Age", the "Iron Age" and - finally - the "Dacic Age". All these cultures have left traces like nowhere else in the world.

Sarmizegetusa Regia, the capital of the Dacian state and the fortification complex around the holy mountain (Kogaionon) is located in the Orăștie Mountains, near the present town of Grădiște, near Hunedoara.

In 1983, in the publication Faclia, archaeologist Hristache Tatu stated that he had discovered the fortified site of the Daco-Roman battle at Tapae in Hunedoara county.

In the 13th century, Hunedoara becomes a county, and in the following centuries there are many battles to avoid the conquest of the neighboring populations (among them are the anti-Ottoman battles of Iancu de Hunedoara, the uprising of Horea, Cloșca and Crișan, the Revolution of 1848) . and the fight for union with Romania.

Geography

General

Hunedoara County is located on the middle course of the Mureș River, in the vicinity of the Apuseni Mountains (N), Orăștiei and Șureanu (S-E), Retezat-Godeanu, Vâlcan and Parâng (S) and Poiana Ruscă (S-W). The most important rivers that cross it are Mureș, Strei, Râul Mare, Crișul Alb, and Jiul. The extensive depressions of Hațeg and Zarand are located on the territory of the county.

Resources

Hunedoara County is rich in mineral resources. Gold-silver ores, coals (especially coal, in Valea Jiului) are extracted here. Other well-represented industries are those manufacturing machines, chemicals, electricity, furniture, and construction materials. The thermal water resorts of Geoagiu and Călan are also found here.

Roadways

The main road in the county is the DN7 road, which connects the county with the western part of Romania (Arad, Timișoara, Oradea). Another national road that crosses the county is DN66, which connects with the southern part of the country, through the Jiului gorge.

Railways

Hunedoara county is transited by the CFR 200 railway line Brașov - Sibiu - Simeria - Deva - Arad - Curtici, which is partly part of the European corridor IV (Dresden) - Budapest - Curtici - Sighișoara - Bucharest - Constanța. Another important line is the CFR 202 Simeria - Petroșani - Filiași highway that provides the connection between Transylvania and Oltenia, as well as the Ilia - Lugoj and Brad - Arad lines. It should be noted that the last two are non-electrified railways.

Ethnographic areas

"The beauty and variety of the natural setting, as well as the wealth of cultural elements (artistic, ethnographic, historical) give Hunedoara county a remarkable tourist potential, the objectives being grouped into 5 main areas: the Land of the Forests "Pădurenilor", Zarand Country, Mureș Valley, Hațegului Country, Jiului Valley.

Population

Hunedoara County covers an area of 7,063 km² (2.9% of Romania's territory). In 2021, it had a stable population of 361,657 inhabitants.

Tourism

Retezat National Park and other picturesque regions make it one of the most beautiful counties in Romania. Also in the UNESCO world heritage are the Dacian Fortresses in the Orăștiei Mountains. The county is the third on the Via Transilvanica route, a tourist route that crosses the Carpathian Mountains and the Transylvanian Plateau.

The main tourist attractions from the county are:

• Dinosaur Geopark "The Land of Hațeg"
• Grădiștea Muncelului Natural Park - Cioclovina
• Dacian fortresses in Orăștiei Mountains
• Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa - the capital of the province Dacia Romans.
• Medieval buildings from Densuș, Deva, Hunedoara, Santamaria-Orlea, Strei.
• The Castle of the Corvins in Hunedoara
• The medieval watchtower from Crivadia

Administrative divisions

The county consists of 69 administrative-territorial units: 7 municipalities, 7 cities and 55 communes. The list below contains the administrative-territorial units of Hunedoara county.

Name Type of locality Population

Municipalities and towns

Brad municipality  14.495

Deva county seat municipality 61.123

Hunedoara municipality  60.525

Lupeni municipality 23.390

Orăștie municipality 18.227

Petroșani municipality  37.160

Vulcan municipality 24.160

Aninoasa town 4.360

Călan town 11.279

Geoagiu town 5.294

Hațeg town 9.685

Petrila town 22.692

Simeria town 12.556

Uricani town 8.972

Commune

Baia de Criș commune 2.611

Balșa commune 871

Baru commune 2.696

Beriu commune 3.138

Blăjeni commune 1.192

Boșorod commune 2.062

Bretea Română commune 3.052

Brănișca commune 1.767

Buceș commune 1.961

Bucureșci commune 1.553

Bulzeștii de Sus commune 271

Bunila commune 306

Burjuc commune 873

Băcia commune 1.827

Băița commune 3.712

Bănița commune 1.211

Bătrâna commune 127

Cerbăl commune 474

Certeju de Sus commune 3.126

Crișcior commune 3.841

Cârjiți commune 681

Densuș commune 1.577

Dobra commune 3.345

General Berthelot commune 896

Ghelari commune 1.983

Gurasada commune 1.492

Hărău commune 2.231

Ilia commune 3.662

Lelese commune 406

Lunca Cernii de Jos commune 905

Luncoiu de Jos commune 1.815

Lăpugiu de Jos commune 1.659

Mărtinești commune 956

Orăștioara de Sus commune 2.079

Pestișu Mic commune 1.207

Pui commune 4.122

Rapoltu Mare commune 1.960

Ribița commune 1.347

Romos commune 2.604

Râu de Mori commune 3.153

Răchitova commune 1.330

Sarmizegetusa commune 1.209

Sântămăria-Orlea commune 3.251

Sălașu de Sus commune 2.359

Teliucu Inferior commune 2.344

Tomești commune 1.075

Toplița commune 715

Totești commune 1.893

Turdaș commune 1.801

Vața de Jos commune 3.728

Vețel commune 2.872

Vorța commune 876

Vălișoara commune 1.197

Zam commune 1.875

Șoimuș commune 3.371