Brașov

Brașov is a city in Transylvania, Romania, and the administrative centre of Brașov County. According to the 2021 census, it is the 6th most populous city in Romania, with 237,589 inhabitants. The metropolitan area was home to 371,802 residents.

The city is located in the central part of the country, about 166 km north of Bucharest and 380 km from the Black Sea. It is surrounded by the Southern Carpathians and is part of the historical region of Transylvania.

Historically, Brașov was the centre of Burzenland, once dominated by the Transylvanian Saxons, and a significant commercial hub on the trade roads between Austria and Turkey. It is also where the national anthem of Romania was first sung.

Names

Brassovia, Brassó, Brașov, etc.

The city of Brașov has many names throughout history. Some believe its name comes from a nearby river called Bârsa. Others think it may have come from a word meaning "white water." The name was first recorded in a document from the year 1252.

Corona, Kronstadt

Brașov was also called Corona, a Latin word meaning "crown." This name may have come from an old symbol of the city. Another name used was Kronstadt, which means "Crown City" in German. These names were used together a long time ago.

Stephanopolis, Orașul Stalin

Brașov was once called Stephanopolis, which means "crown city." In 1950, the city was renamed Orașul Stalin, or "Stalin City," but it returned to its old name, Brașov, in 1960.

History

Brașov has a long and rich history. People have lived in the area since around 9500 BCE. Important groups such as the Dacians and Romans also lived here long ago.

Transylvanian Saxons were important for Brașov’s growth. They were invited by Hungarian kings to build towns and work the land. In 1211, Teutonic Knights built a town called Kronstadt on the site of modern Brașov. Germans became important in trade and crafts. They built strong walls around the city and many towers.

In 1689, a big fire destroyed much of the city, and it took many years to rebuild. Brașov had people from many backgrounds, including Romanians, Bulgarians, and Hungarians. In the 19th century, Romanians in Brașov started their own schools and newspaper.

During World War I, Romanian troops briefly took control of Brașov in 1916. After World War I, Brașov became part of Romania. In the years that followed, the city grew and developed, especially during the communist period when many new factories were built.

Economy

Brașov began growing its industries between the world wars, with a big factory making airplanes, including the first fighter planes from Romania used in World War II. After 1944, the factory shifted to fixing trucks and then making tractors, with the IAR 22 being the first tractor made in Romania. Later, airplane making started again in a nearby town.

During the Communist time, the city focused strongly on heavy industry, which brought many workers from across the country. Today, Brașov still makes many things, such as trucks, car parts, tools, furniture, clothes, and shoes, though some industries have been shrinking. The city also has a big brewery.

Geography

Brașov is a city in central Romania, about 85 kilometres (53 miles) northwest of Ploiești. It sits at the foot of the Transylvanian Alps.

Climate

Brașov has a humid continental climate. The hottest temperature ever recorded there was 37.3°C on July 5, (/wiki/2000), and the coldest was -33.3°C on January 8, (/wiki/2015). The temperature difference between the hottest and coldest days is 70.6°C, which is quite large for Europe.

Demographics

Brașov is a big city with 237,589 people, according to the count from 2021. Most of the people there are Romanians, but there are also Hungarians, Germans, Romani people, and people from other backgrounds living in the area.

The area around Brașov, called the Brașov metropolitan area, has even more people—371,802 as of 2021.

Administration

Brașov is run by a mayor and a local council. As of October 21, 2024, the mayor is George Scripcaru, who belongs to the National Liberal Party (PNL).

The Brașov Local Council was elected in the 2024 Romanian local elections. It has 27 counselors from different parties.

Education

Brașov has many schools where children can learn and grow. There are 30 primary schools for younger students.

The city also has many high schools, including famous ones like Colegiul Național "Andrei Șaguna" and Colegiul Național "Dr. Ioan Meșotă". There are also special schools for music, art, sports, and nature sciences.

Brașov is also home to several universities, such as Transilvania University of Brașov and Spiru Haret University, where older students can continue their education.

Transportation

Brașov has a busy local transport network with 44 urban bus and trolleybus lines and 19 metropolitan bus lines. These buses also go to Poiana Brașov, a nearby winter resort, and are all run by RAT Brașov. The Brașov railway station is one of the busiest in Romania, with trains going to most places in the country.

There is an international airport in nearby Ghimbav called Brașov-Ghimbav International Airport. It was the first airport built in Romania after the communist time and opened its first commercial flight in June 2023. Plans are also in place to build a rail line connecting the airport to the Brașov railway station.

Tourism

Brașov is a great place to visit because it is in the middle of Romania, making it easy to travel to other popular spots like the Black Sea resorts, monasteries in northern Moldavia, and wooden churches in Maramureș. The city is surrounded by mountains, and you can enjoy the old city by taking a cable-car up Tâmpa Mountain for a great view.

From May to September, temperatures are warm, around 23 °C (73 °F). Brașov is also famous for winter tourism, with Poiana Brașov being a top ski resort in Romania. Many visitors from Europe come here to enjoy winter sports and other fun activities. Brașov is the second most visited city in Romania, after the capital, Bucharest.

Sights

Some of the places to see in Brașov include:

• Biserica Neagră ("The Black Church"), a famous Gothic building from 1477 that got its name because smoke from a fire in 1689 turned it black.
• Franciscan Church, Brașov
• Casa Sfatului, the old mayor's office where the city was governed for over 500 years.
• Biserica Sf. Nicolae (St. Nicholas Church), dating back to the 14th century.
• The First Romanian School museum, home to the first Romanian printing press.
• The Rope Street, known as the narrowest street in Romania.
• Turnul Negru and Turnul Alb, old city watch towers.
• Șchei, a neighborhood outside the old city walls.
• Catherine's Gate, the only surviving original city gate from medieval times.
• Șchei Gate, built in 1827 next to Catherine's Gate.
• Tâmpa Mountain, a small mountain in the city center great for sightseeing.
• The Brașov Citadel Fortress (Cetățuia Brașovului).
• Bran Castle, close to Brașov, popular with fans of Dracula stories.
• Poiana Brașov, a ski resort and sightseeing spot.
• Râșnov Fortress, a restored peasant fortress above the town of Râșnov.
• Prejmer Fortress, located in the nearby commune of Prejmer.

Sport

The city of Brașov has a long history with sports, with the first sport clubs starting in the late 1800s. Today, you can play many sports there, like football, rugby, tennis, cycling, handball, skiing, skating, and more. Every year, a tennis competition called the "Brașov Challenge Cup" happens at the "Olimpia" sports ground.

Brașov has hosted big sports events, such as the 2013 European Youth Winter Olympic Festival. The city also holds two trail semi-marathons each year.

Local teams

• SR Brașov – football club
• ASC Corona Brașov – football club, women's handball and ice hockey club
• CSU Brașov – basketball team
• CFR Brașov – rugby football club

Sports venues

• Under construction

• Sala Polivalentă – a big indoor arena that is currently being built

• Planned
  • Brașov Arena – a football stadium that is planned to be built
• Existing
  • Silviu Ploeșteanu Stadium – a football stadium with 8,500 seats
  • Dumitru Popescu Colibași Sports Hall – an indoor sports hall for handball, basketball, and volleyball
  • Brașov Olympic Ice Rink – an ice rink used for ice hockey and skating
• Demolished
  • Municipal Stadium – a big stadium that was torn down in 2008
• Others
  • Paradisul Acvatic – a swimming complex with a long pool and jumping platforms

Notable events

• Tess Rally Brașov – a car race in the Romanian Rally Championship
• BRD Brașov Challenger – a tennis tournament
• Braşov International Marathon – includes a full marathon, a half-marathon, and shorter runs

Media

Brașov has many local newspapers like Transilvania Express, Monitorul Express, Bună Ziua Brașov, and Brașovul Tău. There are also local television stations such as RTT, MIX TV, and Nova TV.

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Romania

Brașov has many friends in other countries. It is connected with cities like:

• Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Cleveland, United States
• Győr, Hungary
• Holstebro, Denmark
• Linz, Austria
• Musashino, Japan
• Rishon LeZion, Israel
• Tampere, Finland
• Tours, France
• Trikala, Greece