Everything about Craiova totally explained
Craiova (/kra'jo.va/), the fifth largest
Romanian city, and the capital of
Dolj County, is situated near the east bank of the river
Jiu in central
Oltenia. It is a longstanding 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.
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:
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. The
Automobile Craiova factory, formerly owned by
Daewoo and renationalised after Daewoo's bankruptcy, was sold in September 2007 to
Ford.
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.
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:
Sister cities
Kuopio, Finland
Nanterre, France
Shiyan, People's Republic of China
Skopje, Macedonia
Vratza, Bulgaria
Lyon, France
Uppsala, SwedenFurther Information
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