Crasna, Sălaj
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Crasna or Kraszna (Romanian: Crasna; Hungarian: Kraszna) is a commune in Sălaj County, northwestern Romania. It lies 14 km northwest of Zalău and 11 km southeast of Şimleu Silvaniei, on the Crasna River. It has 6,373 inhabitants (2002). It is the administrative centre of the commune which also includes Marin and Ratin.
[edit] History
Its name originates from the Slavic word krasna, meaning "beautiful". The village was first mentioned in 1213, as Karasna. It had a castle which was still inhabited in the 17th century. It was the county seat of the historical Kraszna county of the Kingdom of Hungary until 1876. Later it belonged to the Kraszna district of Szilágy county until the Treaty of Trianon, which gave it to Romania.
In 1910 it had 3884 residents, with a significant Hungarian majority (3790 people). In 2002 Crasna, together with Marin and Ratin, had 6373 inhabitants: 4066 Hungarians, 1786 Romanians, 514 Roma, and 7 others.
[edit] Sights to see
- Protestant church, built in the late 14th century; with 4 spires and a painted sunken panel ceiling which was made in the 17th century.
[edit] References
This article is based on a translation of the equivalent article from the Hungarian Wikipedia on 22 February 2007.
