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Romania

Culture Overview

Romanian culture is influenced by Hungarian, Turkish, Greek, Slavic, Serbian and Ukrainian cultures. Besides Central and Eastern European influence, Western countries such as France and Germany made a great impact on the culture of Romania.

LITERATURE

Famous writers, poets:

  • Mihai Eminescu: a famous and popular Romanian poet from the 19th century
  • George Coşbuc
  • Tudor Arghezi
  • Mihail Kogălniceanu: famous writer, politician and the first prime minister of Romania from the middle of the 19th century
  • Vasile Alecsandri: politician, poet, playwright
  • Andrei Mureşanu: publicist and the writer of the Romanian National Anthem
  • Nicolae Bălcescu: historian and writer
  • Ion Luca Caragiale: popular playwright
  • Ion Creangă: best known tale writer
  • George Enescu: popular composer, national musician, the Bucharest symphony orchestra was named after him
  • Popular modern writers: Eugen Ionescu, Mircea Eliade, Emil Cioran, Tristan Tzara and Mircea Cărtărescu

ARCHITECTURE

Romania is rich in World Heritages such as Saxon villages with fortified churches in Transylvania, the painted churches of northern Moldavia, the Wooden Churches of Maramures, the citadel of Sighişoara and the Dacian Fortresses of the Orăştie Mountains. The city of Sibiu will be the European Capital of Culture.

MUSIC

The traditional Romanian folk music is tarafs. Besides tarafs, the most famous styles of folk music are doina (melancholic music played in slow rhythm), bocet (played in free rhythm and sung by one or more people), cântec batrânesc (traditional form of ballad).

CUISINE

Romanian cuisine is famous for meats such as pork, beef and lamb, fish, vegetables, dairy products, fruit and wine and it is influenced by Hungarian, Slavic and Turkish cuisines.
A traditional Romanian meal consists of an appetizer, a soup following by fish and entree and finally a dessert.

Appetizer
different kinds of cheese, cold cuts and vegetable

Soup
"ciorba taraneasca" = vegetable soup, with or without meat, "ciorba de burta" = tripe soup

Fish
"Saramura" = grilled carp in brine
"nisetru la gratar" = grilled Black Sea sturgeon
"scrumbie la gratar" = grilled herring

Entree
"Tocanita" = stew meat with onions and spices
"ghiveci" = vegetables cooked in oil
"sarmale" = cabbage stuffed with minced meats, rice and spices
"mititei" = grilled sausages

Dessert
"Papanasi" = cottage cheese donuts with sour cream and fruit preserve
"clatite cu branza" = crepes filled with cottage cheese, raisins and spices
"cozonac" = traditional holiday sweet bread filled with walnuts, poppy seeds or cream cheese

Drink
"tuica" = plum brandy
several kinds of Romanian wine

Regions

All regions

General information

Official name
Romania

Geographic Location
Southeast Europe

Capital and largest city
Bucuresti

Largest cities
Bucuresti, Iasi, Galati, Timisoara, Constanta

Area
230,340 sq km

Population
22 Million

Time Zone
GMT + 2

Currency
Leu

Official language
Romanian (official), Hungarian, German, others

Neighbouring countries
Moldavia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia, Ukraine

Highest point
Moldoveanu 2,544 m

Lowest point
Black Sea 0 m

Longest river
Danube

Landing place
Bucuresti, Iasi, Timisoara, Constanta

Electricity
220 volt, 50 Hz

Ethnic groups
Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, Other 0.4%

Religion
Romanian Orthodox, Catholic, others