Culture & History

The Dacians and the Roman Empire

Romania's history begins with the Dacians — a Thracian people who established a powerful kingdom in the Carpathians in the 1st century BC under King Decebalus. The Dacians were cultured, built stone fortresses (the ruins of Sarmizegetusa Regia are a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and resisted the Roman Empire.

Emperor Trajan needed two bloody campaigns (101–102 and 105–106 AD) to subdue Dacia. The famous Trajan's Column in Rome tells the story of these wars in 155 scenes. The Roman province of Dacia was intensely colonized — and it is precisely this Romanization that is why Romanian is a Romance language today: a Latin island amid Slavic and Hungarian neighbors. Romanians are proud to be descendants of the Romans and Dacians.

Middle Ages: Three Principalities

In the Middle Ages, three Romanian principalities emerged:

• Wallachia (Țara Românească) — In the south, between the Carpathians and the Danube. Most famous ruler: Vlad III Drăculea (the Impaler).
• Moldavia (Moldova) — In the northeast. Under Ștefan cel Mare (Stephen the Great, 1457–1504), Moldavia experienced its golden age: 34 battles, 32 won, and the establishment of painted monasteries.
• Transylvania (Siebenbürgen) — Under Hungarian, then Habsburg rule, with three "privileged nations" (Hungarians, Székelys, Saxons), while the Romanian majority had few rights for centuries.

Ottoman Era and Independence

Wallachia and Moldavia were for centuries Ottoman vassal states — never directly occupied (like the Balkan states), but tributary. The princes (voivodes) were often appointed by the Sultan. It was not until 1859 that Moldavia and Wallachia united under Alexandru Ioan Cuza — the birth of modern Romania. In 1878, Romania gained full independence after the Russo-Turkish War.

Greater Romania and the World Wars

In 1918, after World War I, Greater Romania (România Mare) was formed: Transylvania, Bukovina, and Bessarabia were annexed — the country doubled its size. The interwar period was a cultural bloom (Bucharest as the "Paris of the East"), but also marked by political instability. In World War II, Romania initially fought alongside the Axis powers, switched sides in 1944, and fell under Soviet control after the war.

The Ceaușescu Era (1965–1989)

Nicolae Ceaușescu ruled Romania for 24 years — and turned the country into one of the darkest communist regimes in Europe. What began as national independence (Ceaușescu defied Moscow and condemned the invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968) became a dictatorship from the 1970s:

• Securitate: The secret service had a network of informants that permeated every aspect of life. Estimates suggest that every fifth Romanian was an informant.
• Systematization: Ceaușescu's plan to demolish 8,000 villages and relocate the population into apartment blocks. Partially implemented — an entire district of Bucharest was destroyed for the Palace of the Parliament.
• Austerity: In the 1980s, Ceaușescu paid off foreign debts — at the expense of the population. Heating, electricity, and food were rationed. In winter, people froze while the palace basked in marble.
• Decree 770: In 1966, Ceaușescu banned contraception and abortion to increase the population. The result: overcrowded orphanages with tens of thousands of neglected children — one of the darkest chapters.

The Revolution of 1989

On December 16, 1989, the uprising began in Timișoara — triggered by the planned eviction of the Hungarian pastor László Tőkés. The protests spread. On December 21, Ceaușescu gave a speech from the balcony of the Central Committee in Bucharest — and the crowd began to boo. On December 22, he fled by helicopter. On December 25, Ceaușescu and his wife Elena were executed after a summary trial. Romania was the only Eastern European country where the revolution was bloody: Over 1,100 people died.

The revolution is still controversially discussed today: Was it a popular uprising or a coup from within? The truth probably lies somewhere in between. The scars are palpable — in the distrust of institutions, in emigration, and in the complex processing of the past.

Since the EU accession in 2007, Romania has changed significantly — and yet not enough, as many Romanians say. The economy is growing, cities are rapidly modernizing (Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara are dynamic tech hubs), and a young, well-educated generation is pushing forward. At the same time, the country struggles with corruption, rural depopulation, and brain drain: Over 4 million Romanians live and work abroad — one of the largest diasporas in Europe.

Multicultural Heritage

Romania is ethnically more diverse than most visitors expect: 6% of the population are Hungarians (mainly in Transylvania and the Székely Land), along with Roma, Germans (the remaining Transylvanian Saxons and Banat Swabians), Turks, Tatars, and Ukrainians. This diversity is reflected in the architecture, cuisine, and traditions.

Religious Life

Romania is one of the most religious countries in Europe: 81% are Romanian Orthodox, and the church plays a central role in daily life. Monasteries are not museums but vibrant places of faith. At Easter (the Orthodox Easter often falls on a different date than the Western one), the country shines with festivity: Midnight services, candlelights, and the Easter greeting ritual "Hristos a înviat!" (Christ is risen!).

Hospitality

Romanian hospitality is not a tourist show — it is genuine and deeply rooted. In rural areas, you will be invited to eat, served with schnapps (Țuică), and treated like a friend, even if you cannot communicate. The most important thing: Accept. Refusing is considered impolite. And bring a small gift (chocolate, coffee from Germany) — it will be received with joy.