Information
WIKI REFRESH Blaj (Hungarian: Balázsfalva;
German: Blasendorf) is a city in Alba County, Transylvania,
Romania. It has a population of 20,758 inhabitants.
Administration
The municipality of Blaj is made up of the town
proper and of 6 localities - Tiur, Petrisat, Mănărade, Spătac, Deleni
and Obârşie.
Population breakdown
According to the
2002 census:
by Ethnicity
- Romanians -
17,099
- Hungarians - 1,675
- Romas - 1,911
- Germans - 60
by Religion
- Romanian Orthodox - 14,752
- Greek-Catholic - 3,411
- Roman Catholic - 734
- Reformed Church - 985
- Baptist - 408
- Pentecostal - 220
Geography
Blaj lies at the confluence of the two Târnava
Rivers and by the Sebeş River, in a wine-growing region. The town has
a continental temperate climate, characteristic for the Transylvanian
Plateau, with moderate precipitations of around 550 mm/mp.
History
Blaj is first mentioned in 1271 as
Villa
Herbordi, after the deed of a Count Herbod. In 1313, the domain
passed to Herbod's son Blasius Cserei, one of the nobles that owned
the land on which it was established. Started as a hamlet for the 20
families of servants of the noble's court, it was awarded town status
on May 19 1737. The first public school in Romanian was established in
Blaj in 1754. Blaj was the first place to have Romanian written with
Latin alphabet instead of the Cyrillic alphabet in which it had
traditionally been written. Blaj was also a center for the Romanian
Age of Enlightenment, being the founding site of the Şcoala Ardeleană
society.
Tourism
The castle of the Bethlen dynasty
is a popular tourist site near Blaj.Other sights worth visiting
include the Metropolitan Palace, the Holy Trinity Cathedral, the
"
Buna Vestire" Monastery, the Greeks'Church, the "Liberty
Field", Mihai Eminescu's linden tree, and Avram Iancu's oak.
See also
- Bethlen Castle
- Câmpia
Libertăţii
Municipalities in RomaniaAlba County