Covasna

Covasna
Kovászna
—  Town  —
The main square

Coat of arms
Location of Covasna
Covasna
Location of Covasna
Coordinates:
Country  Romania
County Covasna County
Status Town
Government
 • Mayor Lőrincz Zsigmond (UDMR)
Area
 • Total 155.11 km2 (59.9 sq mi)
Population (2004)
 • Total 11,369
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
 • Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)
Website Town website

Covasna (Romanian pronunciation: [koˈvasna]; Hungarian: Kovászna, Hungarian pronunciation: [kovaːsnɒ]; German: Kowasna) is a town in Covasna county, Transylvania, Romania, at an altitude of 550–600 m.

Known as the "town of 1,000 mineral springs," Covasna is famous for its mineral waters. Each spring has a different mixture of minerals, chiefly carbon dioxide, sulfur, and ammonia. Its name is derived from the Slavic word Cvaz, meaning sour, referring to the taste of its mineral waters.

Contents

Chiuruş

The town administers one village, Chiuruş (Hungarian: Csomakőrös). The village has a population of 451 and has an absolute Székely Hungarian majority.

Demographics

According to the 2002 Census, Covasna has 11,369 inhabitants. It has a Hungarian majority: 7,549 or 66.4%. 3,672 (32.3%) Romanians also live in the town.

Demographic movement according to the censuses:


History

Famous natives

The famous Hungarian explorer and linguist Sándor Kőrösi Csoma was born in Chiuruş/Csomakőrös in 1784. Kőrösi is widely seen as the founder of Tibetology, he was the compiler and author of the first Tibetan-English dictionary and grammar book. He died in Darjeeling, India in 1842.

A statue in his honour was erected in the centre of the village in 1972 and there is an exhibition in the cultural centre.

External links