Brasov history

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Located in the centre of Romania, Brasov is one of the greenest and most visited cities in the country. The main gateway towards the natural attractions and luxurious ski resorts along Prahova Valley, Brasov offers the curious tourists a living example of tenacity and courage. Archeological discoveries have revealed that the area around Brasov was inhabited 60 000 years ago. Brasov is first mentioned by official documents in 1235, under the name “Corona”. However, by the end of the century, Brasov appears with its present name: a charter issued by Ladislaw IV in 1288 bears the inscription: “Datum in Braso”.

Brasov History – Brasov in the Middle Ages

In the Middle Ages, Brasov was a flourishing medieval town, having all the privileges of a city-state. The Saxon traders and craftsmen who colonized Brasov had managed to establish commercial relationships with Vienna, Budapest and Istanbul. The craftsmen guilds were basically leading the city: they were the ones in charge with the city’s development, constructions, and politics. It is no wonder Brasov had its first school in 1388, first hospital in 1413 and the majestic gothic cathedral called “Biserica Neagra”, the largest building of its kind in Eastern Europe, finished by 1477. But Brasov history during those times was not only milk and honey: the Romanian natives suffered much oppression from the colonists, they were not recognized as citizens of the city, nor was their religion (Orthodoxy) accepted.

Brasov History – Brasov in the 18th and 19th Centuries

The situation changed as the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires began to show signs of weakness. By the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, all the regions of Romania were symbolically united by a wave of patriotic awakening. Romanians had schools, churches and a newspaper in their native language, and were even granted citizenship for several decades – they soon lost it as a consequence of the Bourgeois Revolution on 1848. By this time, the major ethnic groups living in Brasov were mainly Saxons and Romanians, followed by Hungarians, Jews and Greeks.

Brasov History – Modern-day Brasov

Brasov history entered a new chapter when the city became a part of Romania in 1918, when Transylvania was incorporated by the United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia. After World War II, when the communist party came in power, Brasov was the site of a second wave of persecutions: the Saxons were either deported to Siberia, or forced to immigrate. Brasov was transformed into a major industrial city and renamed “Stalin”. There hasn’t been too much publicity around the events that took place in 1987 at “Tractorul” plant, when the employees went on strike and protested against the communist regime, although it was one of the most significant anti-communist actions in Romania (anticipating the events that took place in ‘89 in Bucharest and Timisoara).