Brasov History

Brasov was first mentioned as "Corona" ( which means, crown, hence the coat of arms of the city which is a crown with oak roots) in 1235, when the Saxon population settled here. Later on the town was known as Brasco, Brasso, Kronstadt, Brassovia Citadel and Stalin.

For centuries, the city was (and still is) Transylvania's gateway towards the South and East. As the renowned Harvard professor Samuel Huntington shows in his work "The Clash of Civilizations", this is where (ideologically) Europe ends. The fault line between the western and the eastern civilization runs indeed through Brasov, separating Transylvania from the rest of Romania.

Due to its geographical position, at the crossroads of Moldavia and Wallachia, Brasov has had a fast economic growth, becoming one of the most important markets in Transylvania. On the 14th century Brasov became one of the most economical and political strongholds in the Southeast of Europe and on the 16th century also a cultural center. Johannes Honterus, a great German humanist, worked most of the time in Brasov and Deaconu Coresi printed the first Romanian book also in Brasov.

As one might expect, the city had a troubled history. The Brasov defense fortifications were built between the 15th and the 17th centuries, as a consequence of the repeated invaders coming from the east and south. A significant part of the citadel walls are still standing.

On March, 1600, Mihai Viteazu visited Brasov and summoned "The Diet of Transylvania" recognizing the rights of Tara Birsei's inhabitants.

In 1688 when the Austrian army conquered Transylvania, Brasov was the last Bastion standing. 1689 was a one of the toughest years in the history of Brasov. On April, 21, a big fire destroyed most of the town and killed 3,000 people. Most of the houses were destroyed and Saint Maria Church, smoked by the fire, would become "The Black Church". The citizens rapidly rebuild the city.

In 1838 George Baritiu edited the first Romanian publications in Brasov: "Gazeta de Transilvania" and the "Paper for Mind, Heart and Literature". It was also issued a literary review that was promoting the Romanian writers and poets in Transylvania.

In the period following the 1st World War, Brasov became a strong economical center in Europe, but the town was partly destroyed during the 2nd World War. It was rebuilt and the historical buildings were restored. During the second half of the 20th century, the communist administration forcefully industrialized the city, bringing here workers from the rest of Romania, and determining population of German or Jewish origin to leave the city in droves.