Cluj - Turda Salt Mine - Turda Gorge - Rimetea village - Cluj
The bear cave and felix thermal baths
Cluj-Napoca
The area has been of strategic importance, due
to the fact that people would gather to trade goods at country
fairs, which in turn developed into the medieval cities of
Some history
The name Cluj comes from Latin, from the word 'CLUSIUM', meaning 'a narrow place, surrounded by hills'.
The Roman Empire conquered Dacia in AD 101 and 106, during the rule of Trajan, and the Roman settlement Napoca, established thereafter, is first recorded on a milestone discovered in 1758 in the vicinity of the city. Trajan's successor Hadrian granted Napoca the status of municipium as municipium Aelium Hadrianum Napocenses. Later, in the 2nd century AD, the city gained the status of a colonia as Colonia Aurelia Napoca. Napoca became a provincial capital of Dacia Porolissensis and thus the seat of a procurator. The colonia was evacuated in 274 by the Romans. There are no references to urban settlement on the site for the better part of a millennium thereafter.
Although the precise date of the conquest of
Many craft guilds were established in the
second half of the 13th century, and a patrician stratum based in
commerce and craft production displaced the older landed elite in
the town's leadership. Through the privilege granted by Sigismund of
Luxembourg in 1405, the city opted out from the jurisdiction of
voivodes, vice-voivodes and royal judges, and obtained the right to
elect a twelve-member jury every year. In 1488, King Matthias
Corvinus (born in Klausenburg in 1440) ordered that the centumvirate—the
city council, consisting of one hundred men—be half composed from
the homines bone conditiones (the wealthy people), with craftsmen
supplying the other half; together they would elect the chief judge
and the jury. Meanwhile, an agreement was reached providing that
half of the representatives on this city council were to be drawn
from the Hungarian, half from the Saxon population, and that
judicial offices were to be held on a rotating basis. In 1541,
Klausenburg became part of the independent Principality of
Transylvania after the Ottoman Turks occupied the central part of
the
In terms of religion, reforming ideas first appeared in the middle of the 16th century. During Gáspár Heltai's service as preacher, the Lutheran trend grew in importance, as did the Swiss doctrine of Calvinism. By 1571, the Turda (Torda) Diet had adopted a more radical religion, Ferenc Dávid's Unitarianism, characterised by the free interpretation of the Bible and denial of the dogma of the Trinity. Stephen Báthory founded a Jesuit academy in Klausenburg in order to promote an anti-Reform movement; however, it did not have much success. For a year, in 1600–1601, Cluj became part of the personal union of Michael the Brave. With the Treaty of Carlowitz in 1699, Klausenburg became part of the Habsburg Monarchy.
In the 17th century, Cluj suffered from great
calamities, being subjected to plague and devastating fires. The end
of this century brought the end of Turkish sovereignty, but found
the city bereft of much of its wealth, municipal freedom, cultural
centrality, political significance and even population. It gradually
regained its important position within
Beginning in 1830, the city became the centre
of the Hungarian national movement within the principality. This
erupted with the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, where at one point
the Austrians were gaining control of Transylvania, trapping the
Hungarians between two flanks. However, the Hungarian army, headed
by the Polish general Józef Bem, launched an offensive in
After the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867,
Klausenburg and all of Transylvania were again integrated into the
On September 26, 1895, Emperor Franz Joseph
visited nearby Bánffy-Hunyad following the end of the Hungarian Army
manoeuvres in
In the autumn of 1918, as World War I drew to a
close, Cluj became a centre of revolutionary activity, headed by
Amos Frâncu who, on October 28, 1918, made an appeal for the
organisation of the "union of all Romanians". In 1940, Cluj, along
with the rest of Northern Transylvania, was given back to
During the Communist period, the city recorded a high industrial development, as well as enforced construction expansion. On October 16, 1974, when the city celebrated 1850 years from its first mention as Napoca, the Communist government changed the name of the city by adding "Napoca" to it.
During the Romanian Revolution of 1989,
An academic city
There are 120,000 students in Cluj, studying at
the prestigious
City tours
We will walk on the steps of the history and we
will visit churches, museums, the old fortress of Cluj, Matei Corvin
memorial house. During the night you can see the
nightlife of
Note: the programs are flexible according to your time of departure, the weather conditions and nevertheless, your own suggestions.
Sibiu
It possesses a history of more than 800 years.
Along the centuries, the town opened its gates to the world and became home for people of many cultures, speaking different languages and practicing different forms of religion.
Here, you can find The Brukental Museum, the
oldest in
The Museum of painted icons on glass from
Sibiel is the largest of this type in
Note: the programs are flexible according to your time of departure, the weather conditions and nevertheless, your own suggestions.
Cluj - Turda Salt Mine - Turda Gorge - Rimetea village - Cluj
A day trip to Salina Turda (Turda Salt Mine) is
a must for any visitor to
The microclimate in the mine is characterized by yearly variations of temperature between 11 - 12° C; the average humidity level inside is 80% and the air pressure is between 747-752 mm Hg. The lack of pathogen bacterium and a moderate air ionization is therefore favorable to breathing treatments.
Another "must-see" is Cheile Turzii (Turda
Gorge). A beautiful natural reserve with a unique landscape, it is
1.5 km long and has almost vertical, up to 300 m high walls.
The natural reserve was founded in 1938 and almost 1000 special plants live there. Also, the entrances of more than 60 caves can be seen on the walls.
Turda Gorge is an excellent place for free
climbing, having more than 100 routes, for all difficulty levels.
The variety of routes rank Cheile Turzii as one of the top areas
among the climbing sights and paragliding in
30 km away, is Remetea village. Remetea is an
old Hungarian village built by German miners who were brought here
for extracting iron. It was the Germans who built the remarkable
houses in the village center that have a unique architecture, and
are now part of European heritage. Because of its location at the
foot of Piatra Secuiului mountain, Remetea village is well known as
the place where the sun rises twice. Observed from a specific angle,
and only for a few weeks per year, the sun rises initially to the
left of the mountain. We go there for a great Hungarian lunch!! Also
to visit in the village is the local
Those who have enough courage can taste some adrenaline paragliding or climbing rocks in Turda Gorge or Rîmetea!
The cave was given its name as numerous "cave bears" (Ursus spelaeus) who lived 15.000 years ago were found here. The cave was undisturbed until September 17 1983, when it was discovered during quarry works. The one hour long visit will take you to the upper level of the cave where you can admire different sections of the site such as the Candles Gallery.
On the way back we will relax for several hours
in a thermal spa at Baile Felix, where the
Finally, on the way back to Cluj, if you all agree, we can choose to shop for handy-crafts in Izvorul Crişului village.
Don't forget your swimming costumes!
Note: the programs are flexible according to your time of departure, the weather conditions and nevertheless, your own suggestions.
Between 1970 and 1974, during the construction of the Fântânele dam, the old village was moved away from its original location in the valley to the nearby hills. Nowdays Belis lake (9,8 square km) covers the entire village, but occasionaly, on dry summers, the old church can be seen rising from the depths...
On the way back to Cluj, you have the choice of visiting Huedin's church, or doing some hand-craft shopping in Izvorul Crişului village, or maybe even both!
Note: the programs are flexible according to your time of departure, the weather conditions and nevertheless, your own suggestions.
Braşov
Situated in the heart of Romania, the city of Brasov benefits from the influence of an ancient history.
Much before the discovery of written documents, the archaeologists discovered traces of civilisation going back to the Bronze Age. Therefore the site discovered on Dealul Melcilor became well known in Europe. Other archaeological sites found in different places around Brasov prove that there lived a strong community of native population, mixed later on with Roman colonists developing into the Romanian population.
At the beginning 13th century the Saxons (German population coming from the region of Rhein and Mosel) colonised the region of Brasov, finding here a strong Romanian community.
The genuine character of the city will come from the mixture of two different cultures and mentalities.
The origins of Brasov as a town are lost in the dark times of medieval age. However it is known that it developed as different communities living here decided to come together into a city. The first written documents on Brasov go back to 1235, when the city was mentioned as CORONA, situated on the present location of the Black Church. Later on the city was known also as Brasco, Brasso, Stephanopolis, Kronstadt, and Brasov. However the most popular names of the city are the last two ones.
Thanks to its geographical position and the good connections to Moldavia and Valachia, Brasov will grow economically fast, becoming one of the most important centres of Transylvania.
The traders of Brasov will have special trade privileges with the other Romanian counties. The free right of bringing goods there will help them develop a very strong craftsmen community. In the 16th century there were more than 45 corporations, grouped according to their field of activity. The craftsmen and traders were the most influential people in Brasov. The economical welfare of the city will make Brasov develop into an architectural jewel. The most important historical monuments were built in that period: The Old City Hall, Podul Batusilor (today hosting the Cerbul Carpatin restaurant), The Old Granary (today the lovely Bistrot de l'Arte), the Black Church (14th century), and the St. Nicolae Church in Scheii Brasovului.
The 14th century found the Turkish armies just South of the Danube River. They were frequently attacking the region of Brasov. This situation determined the citizens of Brasov to start building a strong defensive city wall, fortresses and towers; the work will last till the 18th century. The town will be now one of the strongest cities in Transylvania. The various guilds had each its own towers and fortresses that they would have to maintain and defend throughout the centuries. Today you may see parts of the old city walls or visit the Weavers' Fortress (currently a museum).
The culture of Brasov will also develop during this period. Johannes Honterus, a great German humanist will work for most of the time in Brasov, and the deacon Coresi will print the first Romanian books here. Therefore in the 16th century Brasov will host several schools, libraries, and printing houses.
1688 will be one of the toughest years in the history of Brasov. It will have to fight in the same time with the uprising against the Austrian armies who were occupying Transylvania at the time, with a devastating fire that destroyed most of Brasov, and with outbreak of plague. Still hopeful, the citizens of Brasov will rapidly rebuild the city.
The 19th century, the age of progress, as we all know it, will mean a lot for Brasov. The city walls will be partly taken down, allowing a fast development. Manufacturers and factories will replace the old, conservative guilds. Once freed by medieval restraints, the trade will be better than ever for Brasov. This also helped a lot the development of education and media.
"Gazeta de Transilvania", the first Romanian political newspaper in Transylvania, was founded in 1838. This would be the main paper to fight for the independence of Transylvania, which was occupied at the time by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was also issuing a literary review that will promote the Romanian writers and poets living in Transylvania.
The first half of the 20th century and especially the period following the 1st world war were times when Brasov became the second strongest economical centre of Romania. However the town was partly destroyed during the bombardments of the 2nd world war.
Fortunately the town recovered every time things went wrong here, mainly because of the outstanding people living here. Thanks to them we are now able to live here and share this privilege with the visitors of the city.
Note: the programs are flexible according to your time of departure, the weather conditions and nevertheless, your own suggestions.