Buzau
County
The territory of Buzau, a cradle of yore of Romanian culture and civilisation,
preserves vestiges attesting to human life in the area since time
immemorial. Ground stone or bone tools and weapons have been unearthed
in several places on the county territory, as well as ceramic objects
from the Neolithic and the Bronze Age belonging to the Boian, Gumesti
and Monteoru cultures. Vestiges of the Bronze Age have been discovered
in the hilly region, which, along with the ruins of the roman camp
of Pietroasele and the ruins of several Dacian settlements, probate
the continuity of life and civilisation in this expanse. The toponym
Mousaios (Buzau) was first mentioned in writing in the letter the
Roman governor of Dobrogea sent in 376 AD to Vasile cel Mare, the
Christian bishop of Capadochia. The letter mentioned the existence,
on the banks of the Mousaios river, of an urban settlement (polis)
named Mousaios (Buzau) as well. The document can be found in the Vatican
Library. Here are some of the unique tourist attractions of the county
of Buzau: the mud volcanoes of Paclele-Berca, the Oil Mine of Sarata
Monteoru, the Open-air Sculpture Exhibition of Ciolanu-Magura, the
amber collection of Colti, the Active Fires of Lopatari, the Cave
Shelters of Bozioru, the salt cave of Meledic, the Communal Palace
of Buzau, the Episcopal Palace of Buzau.
[ back to TOP ]
Geographical
Outline
The county of Buzau is located in the south-east of Romania, between
44°44’ and 45°49’ N Lat. and between 26°04’ and 27°26’ E Long. The
county stretches over most of the hydrographic basin of the Buzau
river whose springs are in the Curve Carpathians. The harmonious disposition
of three relief contours characterises the county of Buzau: to the
north, there are the Buzau mountains, part of the Curve Carpathians;
to the south, there is a plain belonging to the Great Romanian Plain;
in between, a hilly region covered with extensive orchards. Some of
the hills look to the south, which makes them enjoy a south-Mediterranean
climate favourable to viticulture – the Pietroasele region is famous
for its wines. The county of Buzau, belonging historically and geographically
to Muntenia (Wallachia), is located in fact at the cross-roads of
four major Romanian provinces: Transylvania, Moldavia, Muntenia and
Dobrogea, which has been highly consequential for both the history
and the economic development of the area. The climate is temperate-continental,
as everywhere else in the country: mean temperatures vary between
12°C and 14°C. Maximum temperatures go in July up to 37°C, while minimum
temperatures are registered in February, -26°C. Annual waterfalls,
rather poor, range between 400 mm and 500 mm. The subsoil is rich
in salt deposits, natural gas, coal, mineral waters, amber. The county
area is 6,103 sq. km. The county population numbers 520,000 inhabitants.
The town of Buzau is the county seat, located on the right bank of
the Buzau river. The town is a turn-table for the four major Romanian
provinces, Muntenia, Moldavia, Transylvania and Dobrogea. Buzau is
125 km away from Bucharest and 250 km away from the Black Sea coast
on the E85 European highway. Its geographical location at the cross-roads
of the main routes in the four Romanian provinces has been of great
consequence for the evolution of the town as it has constantly been
an important trade centre.
[ back to TOP ]
Touristic
Information
Situated in the South-Eastern part of Romania, this county covers
the main part of the hydrographic basin of the Buzau River and
gathers harmoniously three kinds of relief: mountains to the North,
plains to the South and between them a hilly sub-Carpathians area.
The capital city is the municipality of Buzau. The geographical
configuration, the variety of the land, and the multitude of rivers
created good conditions for peoples' settling and continuity in
this region since the oldest time. The natural landscape varied
especially in mountain and hilly zones as well as historic, ethnographic
and folk elements offer special attractions for tourists. The
Buzau and Vrancea Mountains situated in the Northern part of this
county with their century-old forests and large pastures, with
their rich fauna are points of interest for tourists to take a
rest here as well as for hunters and fishers. The Buzau Mountains
consist in five massives - the Penteleu being the greatest and
highest (1772 m above sea level). The Siriu (1659 m above sea
level) is easier to be climbed and more attractive thanks to its
picturesque landscape with slowly summits and alpine clearings.
From its top the nature offers a wonderful view. Here there is
the Eagles Lake (Lacul Vulturilor) named also the Bottomless Lake
dating from the Periglacial and being an impressive phenomena
on the high altitude. In the hilly zone known under the name of
the Buzau Sub-Carpathians, with altitudes between 400 and 800
m above sea level, the vineyards are all over. The Dealul Mare
Vineyard is the most known. In this zone there is also an unique
phenomenon: the Muddy Volcanos on the Dealurile Paclelor. On the
Slanic Valley, near by Lopatar, there is other impressive phenomenon
at 700 m above sea level: the so-called alive tire". In fact
there are blue flames which burn in the deep cracks of soil. In
the Buzau county the lakes are an interesting point of tourist
attraction: Joseni, Policiori Lakes, situated on the Grabicina
Valley; the Melediu Lake at Odaile; the Amara and Balta Alba lakes
known for their therapeutically mud. To cure the tourists are
able to spend their holidays is spas like Sirata-Monteom (mineral
waters for rheumatism) and the Fisici and Siriu Spas. The main
cultural, historic and architectural monuments are as follows:
Roman camp and thermae in the village of r Pietroasele; rupestral
places at Alunis-Colli and Fisici-Bozioru: the Dormition of the
Holy Virgin Centre in Brancoveanu's style in the town of Ramnicu
Sarat; "Vasile Voiculescu" Library in Buzau, founded
in 1893; the Museum of Amber in Colti; Magura open-air sculpture
camp with its 256 stone sculptures made by sculptors in its 16
editions. Also there are other important places: the Communal
Palace built in 1899-1903 and being the Townhall of Buzau now:
the Episcopal Cathedral built in 1649; the Theological Seminary
built in 1838, the Law Court built in 1911 -1912; the Museum of
the Buzau county; the Dumbrava Graveyard in Buzau where there
are two of Brancusi's sculptures (Prayer and PetreStanescu's bust).
An important page of history in this county is the Hatching hen
and its chickens golden Treasure discovered in 1837 by two stone
hewers in Dealul Istrita.
[ back to TOP ]
Economy
Profile
[ back
to TOP ]
Copyright (C) 1999-2000 SC Computer Club SRL. All rights reserved.
[Please send any comments to webmaster@clubromania.ro.]
|
