Transylvania

Transylvania, a historical and cultural region of Central Europe, is located in central Romania. Its land size is about 100,000 square kilometers, and its population is roughly 6.5 million. Natural fortifications formed by the Carpathian Mountains to the east and south and the Apuseni Mountains to the west have defined their history and culture for eons.

The threads of many civilizations that have called the area home over millennia entwine the rich mosaic of history and culture found here. From ancient Dacians to Romans, Hungarians to Saxons, each group has left their mark on the landscape and character of Transylvania. Representing this cultural variety are the architecture, customs, and even name—which has different variants in Romanian (Transilvania or Ardeal), Hungarian (Erdély), and German (Siebenbürgen or Transsilvanien).

Transylvania’s appeal stems from its natural beauty as much as from its historical legacy. The region’s undulating valleys and rich plains are strikingly set against the snow-capped mountains with their thick woods. Transylvania is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers since this varied topography has produced a great biodiversity.

Magnificent towns and cities scattered around the area seem to have been frozen in time, each telling a unique tale of Transylvania’s complex past. The second-biggest city in Romania, Cluj-Napoca, is the official capital as well as a vibrant center of learning and culture. By their well-preserved medieval architecture and defenses, other cities, including Brașov, Sibiu, and Sighișoara, transport visitors back to the Middle Ages.

Transylvania boasts a well-known cultural past featuring seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites within its boundaries. While Sighișoara’s Historic Center offers a glimpse into the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, the historical figure who inspired the Dracula legend, Transylvania’s towns with fortified churches honor the Saxon immigrants who came in the 12th century. Whereas the Roșia Montană Mining Cultural Landscape honors the lengthy history of gold mining in this nation, the Dacian Fortresses of the Orăștie Mountains throw light on the ancient civilization that once flourished in this country.

The past of Transylvania is a colorful tapestry of migration, conquest, and cultural contact. Originally home to the Agathyrsi, it joined the Dacian Kingdom. Between 106 and 271 AD, the Roman Empire made its imprint; then, a succession of peoples including the Goths, Huns, Gepids, Avars, and Slavs followed. The area was under the First Bulgarian Empire’s rule before the arrival of the Hungarian tribes in the late 9th and early 10th centuries.

King Stephen I included Transylvania into the Kingdom of Hungary in 1002, hence launching a protracted period of Hungarian rule. Along with the arrival of Saxon immigrants who would be crucial for Transylvania’s expansion, this time saw the building of many of the region’s distinctive fortified churches and castles.

Transylvanian history underwent a sea change when the Battle of Mohács in 1526 resulted in the founding of the Principality of Transylvania in 1570. Often serving as a barrier between Ottoman and Habsburg interests, the principality stayed in a delicate equilibrium for much of the 16th and 17th centuries.

Under Habsburg control in the late 17th century, Transylvania saw efforts at centralizing and religious reform. Transylvania was momentarily reunited with Hungary under the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, but Habsburg sovereignty was rapidly reinstated. Part of the dual monarchy, the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 returned Transylvania to Hungarian control.

Artistic groups like the Transylvanian School and political petitions like the Supplex Libellus Valachorum point to the emergence of Romanian national consciousness in Transylvania in the 19th century likewise. These developments cleared the path for the events to transpire following World War I.

Major changes in Transylvania accompanied the end of World War I. Transylvania’s merger with Romania was decided upon by the National Assembly of Romanians from Transylvania on December 1, 1918; this ruling was confirmed by the Treaty of Trianon in 1920. The region’s situation remained difficult nonetheless, with Northern Transylvania briefly returning to Hungarian authority from 1940 to 1944 in response to the Second Vienna Award, then returning to Romania following World War II.

As the backdrop for Bram Stoker’s 1897 book “Dracula,” Transylvania has become somewhat well-known all over. Many people have been both fascinated and misled by this relationship with vampires and the supernatural regarding the true character of this varied and historically important site. Though the real person who mostly inspired Stoker’s persona is thin at best, the link to Vlad the Impaler has added to Transylvania’s appeal to visitors from all around the world.