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'Craiova' () is a Romanian city, the capital of the county of Dolj, situated near the East bank of the river Jiu in central Oltenia. It is a long time political center, and is located at approximately equal distances from the Southern Carpathians (north) and the Danube (south). Craiova is the chief commercial city west of Bucharest.

Contents

History

Population

Economy

Transportation

Landmarks

Education

Sport

Natives

Politics

Sister cities

References

External links

Notes

History

Craiova, which occupied the site of the Dacian and Roman city ''Pelendava'', was formerly the capital of Oltenia. Its ancient ''bans'', the highest ranking boyars of the Wallachian state, initially those of the Craioveşti family. The ''bans'' had the right of minting coins stamped with their own effigies - the origin of the Romanian word ''ban'' as used for coins.
In 1395 Craiova was probably the scene of a victory won by the Wallachian Prince Mircea I of Wallachia over Bayezid I, Sultan of the Ottomans (''see Battle of Rovine'').
Frequently referred to as "a city" after the first half of the 16th century, the Craiova area was always regarded as an important economic region of Wallachia and Romania at large. During the 1718-1737 Habsburg occupation of Oltenia, Craiova's status declined due to economic pressures and increased centralism, partly leading to an increase in ''hajduk'' actions, in parallel with protests of Craiovan boyars. In 1761, under Prince Constantine Mavrocordatos, the ''bans'' relocated to Bucharest, leaving behind ''kaymakams'' to represent them in Craiova.
Under Prince Emanuel Giani Ruset, Wallachia's seat was moved to Craiova (1770-1771), viewed as a place of refuge during the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774. A large part of the city was burned down by the rebel pasha Osman Pazvantoğlu in 1800.

During the Wallachian uprising of 1821, inhabitants of the present-day Dolj County joined Tudor Vladimirescu's ''Pandurs'' in great numbers, contributing to the expedition on Bucharest. During the first two decades of the 19th century, Craiova witnessed economic prosperity, centered on handicraft trades and public services. During Imperial Russian occupation and the early stages of ''Organic Statute'' rules (1828-1834), the city increased its economic output; in 1832 there were 595 shops, 197 made of which were barracks and 398 were houses built of brick. At the time, Craiova exported wheat, furs, leather, live animals and other products into the Austrian and Ottoman Empires.
Costache Romanescu, a citizen of Craiova, was among the leaders of the Provisoral Government during the 1848 Wallachian revolution. Wallachia's last two rulers, Gheorghe Bibescu and Barbu Dimitrie Ştirbei, came from an important boyar family residing in Craiova – the Bibescu family.
Around 1860, there were 4,633 buildings in Craiova, which were comprised of 3,220 houses, 26 churches, 11 schools, and 60 factories and workshops. In all, the city also housed about 90 industrial establishments, of which 12 were mills, 3 beer factories, 2 gas and oil factories, 4 tanning yards and 2 printing presses; 57% of the total number of craftsmen of Dolj County lived in Craiova (1,088 craftsmen, 687 journeymen and 485 apprentices).
The period following the Independence War was a time of economic and cultural progress. As a result, at the end of the 19th century, the city of Craiova, with its 40,000 inhabitants, had developed small factories (producing chemicals, farming utilities, and construction materials) and textile factories. On October 26, 1896, the Craiova power station entered service (with AEG equipments working at 310 CP, supplying 365 streetlights on 39 streets, forming a 30 km-long network); Craiova was the first city in the country to be supplied with electric power by internal combustion engines.
In 1900, Craiova had 43.1% of the industrial units of Oltenia; these numbered 924 industrial companies (including 20 large industrial establishments, employing 1,078 workers). The number of large industrial establishments rose to 40 by 1925. Banking also developed at the beginning of the 20th century (when 6 banks and 2 exchange offices were already operating).
In the interwar period, Craiova, as the center of an agricultural region, experienced little further industrialization; the number of industrial workers remained comparatively small. In 1939, Craiova had 7 industrial units with over 100 workers: the cloth industry companies ''Oltenia'' and ''Scrisul Românesc'' were well-known all over the country and abroad.
After ca. 1960, under the Communist regime, the city become a noted center for the automotive and engine building industries, as well as for aerospace manufacturing, chemical industry, food industry, construction, electrical engineering, mining industry, and the electrical power industry.
After the 1989 Revolution brought the reestablishment of a free market and decentralization in overall management, several industries became subject to privatization,while the market opened itself to private initiatives. Industry, although affected by economic changes, remains an important branch, representing ca. 70% of Craiova's output.

Population

The municipality of Craiova has a population of 302,601 (Census 2002).
Ethnic composition:

★ Romanians: 292,487 (96.66%)

★ Hungarians: 218 (0.07%)

★ Germans: 173 (0.06%)

★ Serbs: 34 (0.01%)

★ Roma: 8.820 (2.91%)

★ Italians: 178 (0.06%)

★ Greeks: 188 (0.06%)

★ Ukrainians: 32 (0.01%)
and 471 others.

Economy

During the post-Revolution period, telecommunication services, banking and insurance, management consulting (CDIMM, Romanian-American Center) began expanding. The number of joint ventures and the value of invested capital at county level have increased to large numbers — Dolj County being the first in respect to these aspects. According to total vested interest values, South-Korean companies rank first, with the Daewoo Automobile Romania plant; they are followed by businesses from Italy, Belgium, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Greece, Israel and other nations.
Of the working population (about 110,000 persons), 38% are employed in industry, 15% in trade and repair services, 10% in transport and storage, 8% in education, 5.7% in the medical field.

Transportation

The public transportation in Craiova consists of 3 trolley tram lines and 17 bus lines. It is operated by the Regia Autonomă de Transport Craiova (RAT Craiova), a corporation ran by City Hall. A ticket for one travel is around 0.5€.
Craiova is also a major railway center and is connected to all other major Romanian cities, as well as local destinations, through the national Căile Ferate Române network. Check the national railway timetable for an appropriate connection.
The town taxicabs are very cheap. For an usual travel you don't pay more than 4€ (around 0.3€/km).
The city is served by the Craiova Airport.

Landmarks

★ 'Madona Dudu Church' - built between 1750 and 1756, renovated in 1844, after being destroyed by an 1831 earthquake. Murals were completed by Gheorghe Tattarescu.

★ 'Dumitru.jpg St. Demetrius Church'

★ 'The Church of Coşuna Monastery' - the oldest building preserved in Craiova, dating from 1483.

★ 'Băniei House' - the oldest non-religious building that exists in Craiova, dating from 1699. Today it hosts the Museum of Ethnography and Folk Art.

★ 'Craiova Art Museum' - the building that houses the museum was built in 1896, following the plans of the French architect Paul Gotereau. Its main attraction is the art gallery dedicated to Constantin Brancusi, exhibiting six of his early sculptures (including variants of his best-known works): ''The Kiss'' (1907), ''Vitellius'' (1898), ''Woman Torso'' (1909), ''The Vainglory'' (1905), ''Boy's Head'' (1906), ''Miss Pogany'' (1902).

★ 'Museum of Oltenia' - founded in 1915 and divided into three sections: ethnography, history and natural science. The collection is based on donations made in 1908.

★ 'Nicolae Romanescu Park' - the largest and most well-known park in Craiova. Through the initiative of Nicolae P. Romanescu, the mayor of Craiova at that time, the park was designed by French architect Émile Rendont. Plans for the park were awarded the gold medal at the 1900 World Fair; work began in 1901 and was completed in 1903.

★ 'Botanical Garden' - The garden was laid out by the botanist Alexandru Buia and was opened in 1952. The main purpose of the garden was to facilitate the students' activities and research for the academic staff of the Agriculture and Horticulture Faculties of the University of Craiova. The Botanical Garden is organized in six areas: plant systematics, floral provinces of the globe, cultivated plants, seed beds, phyto-geography of the Oltenia region, and a greenhouse.

★ 'Jiu Meadow'

Education

First school in Craiova was founded in 1759 by Constantin Obedeanu. In the spring of 1826 Obedeanu's school takes the name ''Şcoala Naţională de Limba Română'' which means ''National School of Romanian Language''. This is the second Romanian high school after ''Saint Sava'' high school in Bucharest (founded in 1818).
'Primary Schools'

★ Obedeanu School

★ Traian School
'High Schools'

★ Carol I High School (former Nicolae Balcescu high school).

★ Fratii Buzesti High School

★ Elena Cuza High School

★ Stefan Odobleja High School

★ Traian Vuia High School

★ Nicolae Titulescu High School

★ Stefan Velovan High School

★ Henri Coanda High School
'Universities:'

★ University of Craiova

★ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Craiova

Sport

★ FC Universitatea Craiova - a Liga I football club

Natives

★ Constantin Argetoianu, former Prime Minister

★ Corneliu Baba, painter

★ Gheorghe Bibescu, former (Prince) of Wallachia

★ Lola Bobesco, violinist

★ Adrian Cioroianu, historian, politician

★ Constantin Coandă, former Prime Minister

★ Nicolae Coculescu

★ George Constantinescu, scientist, engineer and inventor

★ Grigore Gabrielescu

★ Dimitrie Gerota, anatomist and physician

★ Titu Maiorescu, former Foreign Minister and Prime Minister

★ Ludovic Mrazek

★ Jean Negulesco, film director and screenwriter

★ Petrache Poenaru, inventor of the world's first fountain pen

★ Eduard Prugovečki, physicist, mathematician

★ Constantin Sănătescu, former Prime Minister

★ Francisc Şirato, painter

★ Sabba Ştefănescu, professor of paleontology at the University of Bucharest

★ Nicolae Titulescu, the only politician ever who was president of the League of Nations two times: 1930 and 1931

★ Ion Ţuculescu, painter

★ Nicolae Vasilescu-Karpen, engineer, pioneer in telegraphy and telephony

★ Varujan Vosganian

Politics

The Craiova Municipal Council, elected in the 2004 local government elections, is made up of 27 councillors, with the following party composition:

	Party	Seats	Current Council
	Social Democratic Party	'12'
	Justice and Truth Alliance	'8'
	Greater Romania Party	'4'
	Conservative Party	'2'
	Independents	'1'

Sister cities

★ Kuopio

★ Nanterre

★ Shiyan

★ Skopje

★ Vratza

★ Lyon

★ Uppsala

References

★ ''Istoria Craiovei'', Titu Georgescu, Constantin Barbacioru, Florea Firan, Virgil Joita, Constantin Mocanu, Luchian Deaconu, Ion Dogaru, Editura Scrisul Românesc, 1977

★ Florea Firan, Alexandru Firescu, ''Craiova , Ghidul oraşului'', Editura Sport-Turism, 1982

★ ''Documentare statistică privind evoluţia economică şi socială a municipiului Craiova'', Dolj County Statistical Office, 1992

External links

★ Official site

★ Census 2002: ''Craiova''

★ University of Craiova

★ University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova

★ Musical Fountain of Craiova

★ The Old Craiova in images

Notes

1. Recensământ 2002, Population of Craiova
2. National Institute of Statistics, Population of counties, municipalities and towns, July 1, 2004