Miorita Landscape Travel

ROMANIA - GEOGRAPHY

Romania is located in the central south-eastern part of Europe, at similar distances from the continents' extremities. The surface measures 238.391 kms2, holding 12th place in Europe, in this regard. Its neighbors are Bulgaria in the south, Serbia in the south-west, Hungary in the north-west, Ukraine in the north and east and the Republic of Moldavia the east, with the Black Sea shore located in the south-east.

The Romanian land is known for its diversity and proportionality, forming a whole, in an almost perfect harmony. Romania has all landforms: mountain, sea, delta, lakes, hills, valleys, caves, waterfalls, ravines...

A third of the geographical relief is represented by the Carpathian Mts., that belong to the Alpine-Carpathian-Himalayan chain. The mountains are laid out as a crown, in the middle harboring the Transylvanian Plateau. The other two thirds are equally divided between hills and plateaus, on one hand, and planes on the other.

Romania is situated on the inferior course of the Danube, that discharges in the Black Sea through the Danube Delta, an area with impressive landscape and a rich fauna. This is why, in 1991, the delta was included in the UNESCO heritage as a natural reservation. Having and opening to the Black Sea is a privilege, the Romanian seashore measuring almost 245 kms. Tourists can enjoy a large number of resorts, some built on the ruins of ancient Greek colonies (Tomis, Callatis, etc).

From the Carpathian Mts., often called 'the water fortress', spring most of the rivers and creeks in our country, which is 98% of the hydrographic network. Concurrently, in its depths, Romania conceals an impressive number of caves (around 12.000), whose galleries measure 1000 kms, each with its own legend.

In Romania, one can find almost 3500 lakes of various types: volcanic (St. Ana), glacial (Bucura, Zanoaga, Balea), carst (Iezerul Ighiu), saline (Lake Fara Fund, Lake Ursu), man-made aggregation lakes (Portile de Fier, Izvorul Muntelui, Bicaz,Vidraru, Vidra, pe Lotru and Scropoasa).

Moreover, in Romania, mineral waters, because of their balneary value and potential, are important attractions.

From a geographic perspective, the country is divided into several areas: Banat, Crisana and Maramures, Transylvania, Oltenia, Muntenia, Dobrogea, Moldavia and Bukovina.

ROMANIA - HISTORY

In a balanced and diversified environment and also because of a temperate climate, our land was inhabited from early on, with the oldest traces of human life dating from almost 2 million years ago.

Near the end of the Palaeolithic, the existent populace created an impressive culture, represented by the Cucuteni ceramics, unique in Europe because of its polychromy (mainly red, white and black), shape, variety and by the Hamangia culture, whose representative item is the statue complex (hominoid idols) 'The Thinker' and 'The Sitting Woman' discovered in Cernavoda, a beautiful Danube port-city.

At the end of the Palaeolithic, in the second millennium, when we can already talk about the Bronze Era, some Thracian Indo-European tribes arrived in the area. Among them, in the beginning of the 1st millennium BC, Strabo (Greek historian and geographer) marks out some Dacian and Getic tribes that were apparently speaking the same language. The only difference between the two was their location: the Getic tribe lived in the Danubian planes and in the areas outside the Carpathian Mt., while the Dacians inhabited the mountain areas and the plateau of Transylvania.

In the above-mentioned areas, a number of items from that age have been preserved and are now touristic attractions. In the same millennium, on the west coast of the Black Sea, the Miletus colonists founded the cities of Histria (today's Istria) and Tomis (today's Constanta). Moreover, the Megara colonists founded the Callatis citadel (nowadays known as Mangalia resort), implementing Greek ways of life, politics and the Mediterranean culture.

Because of the Celtic and Roman threats and by the creation of a centre of power around Burebista (tribal leader, 82-44 BC), the tribes blend, sometime around the middle of the 1st century BC, in a vast state, that will eventually disappear. The unity of the Dacian state, whose political and administrative centre was at Sarmizegetusa Regia (in the Orastie Mt), is rebuilt by king Decebal (87-106 BC). During his reign, as a consequence of the Roman Wars (101-102 BC; 105-106 BC), the Roman emperor Trajan transformed these territories into the Roman province of Dacia and established the capital at Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa (40 km away from the previous). The ruins of both capitals are important attractions nowadays.

To celebrate his victory against the Dacians, Trajan builds two representative monuments: one in our country, at Adamclisi (Tropaeum Traiani) and the other in Italy, at Rome (Trajan's Column). Another relic of the wars is embodied by the ruins of the bridge across Danube built by Apollodor of Damascus, ruins that can be visited in Drobeta Turnu-Severin.

In the year 271, the roman emperor Aurelian, withdraws his troupes and administrative personnel from Dacia, leaving behind a populace influenced by the Roman Empire in terms of politics, economy, culture and religion. Although an oppressed religion those day, Christianity already began to spread in the empire and was eventually adopted by the Roman people and provinces somewhere between 2nd – 4th centuries, the Romans becoming the first Christian people in the region.

After the Romans left, for a few centuries (4th -13th), the natives had to cope with the waves of peregrines that had temporary authority over the area, delaying the national unification and the economic and social development.

In former Dacia, a number Germanic (Ostrogoths, Visigoths), Asian (the Huns, Hungarians) and Slavic peoples arrived, this eventually leading, at the beginning of the 8th century, to the destruction of the Danubian walls and the invasion of the Balkan Peninsula. In the 8th century, the Tartars were threatening all of Europe, our lands included.

In the geographic area inhabited by the Romanians, within time, the so called 'historical regions' were sketched, regions that belonged entirely or partially to the voidvoiships founded in the 10th century in Transylvania or in the 14th century in Moldavia, Tara Romaneasca (Wallachia) and Dobrogea. These regions were also called countries but their borders and names changed throughout history.

As noticed, the proper founding of the Romanian medieval states outside the mountains – Tara Romaneasca and Moldavia, happened relatively late, in the 14th century, but, alongside Transylvania, are one of the few states in that part of Europe that lasted until the modern age as independent, neighbour states. One of the reasons that led to this was the existence of some strong neighbours that stopped the states from uniting and even occupied certain territories.

As a result, the voidoiships in Transylvania had to face the Hungarian kingdom's expansionist policy. Despite all efforts, the Hungarians managed to absorb the territory as an independent voidvoiship, through an occupation process that started in the 10th century and ended in the 12th century.

Regarding Tara Romaneasca and Moldavia, they also had to fight with the same intentions of the Hungarian and Polish kingdoms, but in the end managed to keep hold of their independence by establishing vassalage relations.

Beginning with the second half of the 14th century, a strong threat is haunting Europe and the Romanian territories: the Ottoman Empire. Highly representative for this matter is the second half of the 15th century, when Iancu de Hunedoara (1441-1448), voivod of Transylvania, Vlad Tepes, lord of Wallachia (1448, 1456-1462, 1476) and Stefan the Great, lord of Moldavia (1457-1504) led a crusade against the Ottomans. Achieving great victories against the Muslims, these Romanian leaders managed to retain the autonomy of their territories but also to stop the Ottoman expansion towards the centre of Europe.

One of the first attempts of creating a union of the three Romanian territories – Transylvania, Tara Romaneasca (Wallachia), Moldavia – happened in 1600, during Mihai Viteazul's reign, a Wallach leader. It was a fugacious union that the Ottoman and the Habsburg Empires, alongside Poland opposed. In the end, this tragically ended with the assassination of Mihai Viteazul in 1601.

At the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century, the European politics severely changed, with the authority and power belonging to others, changes that also affected the Romanian territory.

The Ottoman Empire, while losing its influence, was desperately trying to defend its long standing emplacements. They decide to establish Greek rulers in Tara Romaneasca and Moldavia, chosen from Fanar, a district of Istanbul, because they were considered loyal to the Turks. So begins the so called 'fanariot ruling', a period of corruption during which the Ottoman political control and the economical exploiting amplified, this lasting until 1821.

Despite all these, there were some positive aspects of the 'fanariot ruling' regarding social and administrative reformation, inspired from the European 'age of enlightenment'.

In terms of the actual nascence of the Romanian nation, after a complex process that began a while back, this took place in the 19th century with the founding of a common market, a national economy and a national state. This happened through the unification of the two Romanian princedoms, Moldavia and Tara Romaneasca, under the reign of Alexandru Ioan Cuza (1859). In 1862, the national Romanian state was named Romania and the capital was set in Bucharest. After Cuza's resignation, in 1866, Carol of Hohenzollern – Sigmaringen was acclaimed leader. He was part of the royal Prussian family and in 1881 he became king of Romania, under the name of Carol I.

During his regency, in 1877, Romania declared its independence, this leading to a period of stability and progress the lasted until 1914 - the burst out of the 1st World War. However, the actual accomplishment of a united national country happened in 1918 when the territories of Basarabia, Bucovina, Transylvania and Banat were given back to their mother country, some of them being lost again during the 2nd World War, in 1940.

After the 2nd World War, Romania entered the Soviet Union's circle, becoming a People's Republic in 1947, after the enforced resignation of king Mihai I. As a consequence, the dictatorship of the Communist Party was installed, based on a long and painful process of communizing and nationalization, as well as the elimination of the intelligentsia.

Regarding the economy, the party's main objective was implementing the Stalin-like industry. With the instalment of the Romanian Communist Party (later governing the state) whose leader was Nicolae Ceausescu (1965-1989), the country gradually spaces from Moscow and tends to look more towards the external affairs and politics. These measures were meant to consolidate Ceausescu's position so that he could completely control the Party and the eventually, the country. In the course of time, he implements an neo-Stalinist regime that deeply degrades the people's standard of living and social life. In the end, the dictatorship is violently removed with the revolution in 1989.

In 1991, a new Constitution was adopted, that established a democratic regime. In 1993, Romania became a member of the European Council and in 2004 a part of NATO. In 2007, Romania received full membership in the European Union.

ROMANIA - FOLKLORE

A people's folklore represents its way of thinking, living and feeling, embodying its very essence and identity. Romania has a rich folklore, a great number of kept traditions that were transmitted by word of mouth from one generation to another and that were converted, with the passing of time, into this folk's calling card. The anonymous creators of these places, wanting to express under various forms the binding between man and nature, have created, in their own ways, genuine Romanian cultural treasures.

The immaterial heritage of Romania is formed by a variety of items and symbols that were created and accepted by the archaic rural society; we are referring to customs, traditions, beliefs, forms of literary art (legends, fairytales, sayings, riddles, ect.), musical (songs, ballads, instrumental music) and kinetic (dances, plays) expressions, ways of organizing rural activities (agriculture, shepherding, fish farming, ect.), traditional crafts (pottery, weaving, wood carving, ect.).

The village is the core of this archaic world that is full of traditions and customs that are hundreds of years old. Visiting the Romanian village means enjoying a rarely encountered hospitality, experiencing unique adventures, becoming a character form a tale in a world that is pure, simple and unbelievably beautiful.

Depending on the region they are located in, villages differ from one another through architecture, traditions, but mostly people, so that in every part of the country you will get to learn something new from the elders and you will discover special things.

Maramures

Maramures region is viewed by many as the place for the typical Romanian village. Visitors have the chance to take a step back in time and witness a different way of living.

In these places, culture, traditions and the archaic lifestyle have been sacredly kept. There a few customs that have changed in the past centuries. Families live in the same villages as their ancestors did, customs and crafts are being transmitted from one generation to another and the handmade attires are worn with pride.

Maramures is mostly known for the crafts that have wood as the starting material, with the local sculptures being spectacular and inedited.

Old churches are representative for the knack of the carvers but the architectural originality can also be seen in households, from impetuous wooden gates to the ornamental elements of houses.

Whether it is a holiday or just a normal day, the locals proudly wear the folk costume, that stands out through complexity and elegance. The clothes are made of cotton, flax or hemp and are manually weaved using ancient techniques that were passed on from one generation to another.

Ceramic is also important for the culture in Maramures, in areas like Sacel, Valea Izei or Lapus having been created, through time, high quality recipients of various forms. This craft is still being practised in some areas, using processing and adorning methods like in the old days.

When it comes to the great Christian holidays, people of Maramures stringently keep the customs, fast end-to-end and cook traditional food; on holy days, the whole family puts on the folk costume and goes to church. After the service is over, usually the entire village takes part in dances and spectacles. The most impressive spectacles are being held on Christmas day and New Year's Eve, when special masks are prepared, masks that personify religious characters from local legends.

The people and places, the traditions and legends, they all interlace in a story whose beginning dates from distant times, with pages that are still being written, the story of a place called Maramures.

Oltenia

Oltenia is a region of great historical and cultural importance and the art and local crafts come into prominence by means of ingenuity and originality.

The rural architecture in Oltenia is based on wood and stone and houses from Gorj or Valcea bear witness to the local craftsmanship. The dwellings have a high base, a veranda and are adorned with various wooden sculptures. Equally representative are the gateways that catch one's eye through a rich decor that makes them true architectural monuments.

The folk costume is one of the most representative and complex elements of the local art in Oltenia and it differs from one area to another.

In Valcea area, women's costume has bright hues of red and blue, while the men's costume is not that coloured, the main colour being white.

In Romanati-Olt area, the folk attire is made of several pieces and fabrics like sleave, silk or cotton. Men wear a straw hat that is made in their own households or by local craftsmen and the women's costume is probably the most decorated outfit in Oltenia; it is made from a variety of pieces and fabrics, the main colours being black, blue or red.

The traditional attires are worn on holidays but also on weddings or funerals.

Concerning crafts, aside from wood, people in Oltenia are also skilled in the texture and ceramic areas.

The local carpets are among the most valuable weaves in Romania. The colours that are mostly used are blue, green, red and other related hues and the creations contain traditional motifs and symbols.

Pottery has been a part of locals' lives for decades and as a testimony, there are three ceramic centres in Oltenia (Hurezu, Slatioara, Oboga), each with its own identity and special manufacturing and decoration techniques.

Another representative aspect of this region is the local cuisine. Villagers, in general, prefer food that is based on greens (the leek being an intensely used ingredient) and that is slightly pungent. For Easter, housewives prepare a special cake and red eggs and the Christmas food is mostly based on pork.

Dobrogea

Dobrogea is an ancient province, an unique land, filled with history and that has been inhabited from the early days.

One of the oldest occupations of the locals is clay processing. Ceramic is well represented here by the Hamangia, Giumelnita and Boian cultures and the potters have created household recipients of various shapes and colours that are still being used.

Another craft, equally old and popular in Dobrogea, is knitting, the area being favourable for materials that are used for this type of art. Items are made of bulrush, rye, oat and wheat straws or of willow. Craftsmen use these materials to knit decorative objects, baskets, hats or mats that cover the floors.

In terms of household architecture, the materials that are used for building houses are: wood, adobe, twigs and reed. Older dwellings also have a veranda and, in general, houses have wooden decorations and white or blue walls.

The folk attire in Dobrogea is not as popular as in other regions in the country and is worn only on holidays or at services and especially by the elders. Being a region where several minorities live, the folk costume reflects this ethnical plurality. The outfit is made of cloth, silk and sheep fur, is richly wrought and has geometrical and vegetal motifs.

As is the case with the folk costume, the local cuisine was influenced by the ethnical diversity. The main ingredient is meat, especially fish but also game, beef, pork and poultry, meat that comes from animals that are being raised by the villagers.

Bukovina

Bukovina is one of the places where legend meets history. The natural picture and the very hospitable people will make you fall irrecoverably in love with these realms.

Also known as 'Beech Land', Bukovina is a region where wood processing is very popular. Households, furniture, various tools and utensils, all were made of wood, with different techniques. All of these items have a diversity of floral and geometrical shapes.

However, the local folk culture stands out because of egg painting, a craft that has been passed on from one generation to another. The chromatic palette usually has three or four colours, each with its own symbolic. Also, the patterns have different meanings, like time, life or death.

Being a region with a strong religious background, in Bukovina we have wood and glass paintings that depict old engravings, frescos from the local monasteries or traditional icons. These works, of a rare beauty, are carefully made by the local artists that use in the creation process the famous 'Voronet blue' or gold leafs.

Ceramic is also well represented here, the potters in Radauti and Marginea being well known for their creations. If the specific of Radauti recipients consists in the decorating colours (brown, green yellow and red), Marginea ceramic is black, a testimony of Dacian provenance, the manufacturing technique being similar to the one used hundreds of years ago.

The folk costume is also an identifying aspect of the local culture, displaying symbols like the sun, the cross and the spike. The attire is adorned with floral and geometrical motifs, it has a version for each season and it differs from one area to another.

If we talk about the winter holidays in Bukovina, we talk about the folk masks. These are made of various furs (sheep, goat, bear), wood, metal and beads. These mask are used during the winter customs and they personify characters from the local mythology.