Petroşani

The city of Petroşani was founded in the 17th century (around 1640). In 1720, the German cartographer Fridrich Schwantz mentions that the entire Jiu Valley was intensly populated and settlements could be seen from one end to the other.

During the 1818 census, Petroşani had 233 inhabitants, while the entire Valley counted 2550. During this time, the main activity of the people was shepherding and no urban settlement had appeared yet.

In 1840, the first surface exploitation of coal started in Petroşani, Vulcan and Petrila.

The population encountered a massive increase only in the XXth century during the communist regime, as many workers were moved from Moldavia by the former Communist dictator, Nicolae Ceauşescu.

[edit] Geography

Petroşani is located in the Jiu Valley, which is the entrance to the Retezat National Park and provides access to the Vâlcan, Parâng and Retezat mountains.

[edit] Landmarks

Sfinţii Arhangeli Church ("Holy Archangels Church"), built in the 18th century.
The "I. G. Duca" school, built in 1935
The Hungarian school - built in 1873 by Germans and inhabited by a group of 50 catholic nuns from a monastery near München
The Old Theater, built in 1886
The Lutheran Church, built between 1892 and 1896
The Mining Museum, built in 1900
The actual Sports School building, built in 1919
The "I. D. Sîrbu" Theater Hall, built in 1905
The Justice Court building, built in 1910
The actual Student's cultural house, built in 1922
The Unitarian Church, built between 1924 and 1928
The University of Petroşani, built in 1948