Places in Roman

Photos by Manolache Beatrice

Hungarian-Romanian bilateral relations

Hungarian-Romanian bilateral relations have gained a powerful dynamics during the last years, becoming an example of cooperation in the Central-European region. Political, economic and security relations are covered by more than 150 agreements, treaties and conventions.

The joint meetings of the Government of Romania and the Government of the Republic of Hungary have become the driving force of the relationship between the two countries. It has been agreed that the topics tackled by the two executives be the more pragmatic, covering concrete fields of interests for the citizens of the two countries, such as the improvement of road, rail and fluvial infrastructure between Romania and Hungary, the development of border regions, the absorption of Community funds for the accession of Romania to the Schengen environment or the whole problem of energetic security and the Nabucco project.

The two heads of diplomacy on their regular meetings analyze the evolution of strategic partnership relations between the two countries. The two parties have reasserted their wish to consolidate Hungarian-Romanian cooperation on the political, economic levels and for the protection of rights of persons belonging to the national minorities within the two countries. „The discussions that I had and will continue to have showed once again the excellent relations that Romania has with Hungary, both in what we could name classical bilateral relations and cooperation within the EU" – declared foreign minister Lazar Comanescu. „Not least we talked about the role of the Hungarian minority in Romania and that of Romanian one in Hungary, real bridges for the further development of relationships with Hungary, the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania being a stabilizing element in our connections” – declared foreign minister Lazar Comanescu.

An important event in the bilateral relations was the October 23. 2008. meeting of presidents László Sólyom and Traian Basescu in Miercurea Ciuc to celebrate the anniversary of the 56 Hungarian revolution.

The History of Roman

1234 An official Roman Catholic act mentions a Schismatic (Eastern Orthodox) Bishopric on the spot.

The earliest appearance of the name Roman, in the Novgorod Chronicle (dated between 1387 and 1392).

1355 The first Armenian Orthodox church, more of a wooden chapel, is probably built on the place where the modern Armenian church sits.

1392 The city is mentioned in a Moldavian document, signed by Moldavia's Voivode Roman I, on March 30. The document is one of the first of documents of the then-young state of Moldavia, being the first which holds a fully legible version of the Moldavia seal, bearing the aurochs, the moon, the star, and the flower, still in use on Coat of Arms of Moldova.

1408 On September 14, Alexandru cel Bun established a new Bishopric.

1412 The representatives of the Catholic population of Roman, shepherded by the Bishop of Baia, attend the Council of Constance.

Ştefan cel Mare build a new stone fortress on the left bank of the Siret river, to replace the old earthen one.

1458, 1465, 1488 Ştefan cel Mare's official acts mention the Cathedral of Saint Paraskeva (Paraschiva) in Roman.

1467 The fortress resisted the siege of the Hungarian army under King Matthias Corvinus.

1476 An Ottoman army, led by Mohamed II, besieged the new fortress, with the Moldavians retreating after the Battle of Valea Albă.

1542 Petru Rareş ordered the construction of a new episcopal see on the same spot.

1561 - 1563 The last mention of the old fortress, under Despot Vodă (Ioan Iacob Heraclid).

1562 Ioan Belusiuş, an agent of the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I, writes his master from Roman, reporting the restoration of the Catholics' rights under Despot-Vodă (after the severe limitations under Alexandru Lăpuşneanu).

1569 Ruxandra Lăpuşneanu builds a church dedicated to the Holy Virgin (Precista Mare) on the same spot the omonim church is placed today.

1595 The church Sfinţii Voievozi is built.

1610 The current Armenian Orthodox Church is built.

1623 The Franciscan missionary Andreas Bogoslavici writes to Rome, describing Roman Catholics as Hungarian that understood and used Romanian. The Catholics appear to have a church dedicated to Saint Peter.

1641 The Vicar of Sofia, passing through Roman, counts 1,500 Eastern Orthodox, 450 Armenian Orthodox and 30 Hungarian Catholics. The Armenians had their own church, in place to this day.

1665 - 1671 Bishop Dosoftei of Roman translated the Psalter into Romanian.

1675 Dumitraşcu Cantacuzino, destroyed Roman fortress together with all other Moldavian fortresses, following Ottoman command.

1691 In December, Miron Costin, one of the first historians and writers in Romanian, is decapitated in Roman on the orders of Prince Constantin Cantemir (Dimitrie Cantemir's father). Costin was in custody, being carried from Bărboşi to Iaşi, where he hoped to prove his innocence; a few days earlier, the chronicler's brother had been killed in Iaşi, being believed to have tried obtaining the throne for himself. The statue marking the spot is now obscured by a blue glass pyramid near the Roman Hotel.

1787 The current Precista Mare church is built.

1798 The first hospital is built on the place where the Municipal Hospital Precista Mare is placed today.

1817 Talmud Torah, one of the first Jewish schools in Principality of Moldova, is inaugurated, an important event in itself as Moldova did not grant citizenship to Jews.

1869 The second railway in united Romania opens (December), running from Roman to Iţcani (northern railway station of Suceava). On December 15 the Roman railway station, still in use today, was opened to the public.

1870 On December 27, the Bucharest to Roman railway - through Buzău, Brăila, Galaţi, Tecuci and Mărăşeşti - was opened to the public. It was to close for two years due to technical problems, but was reestablished on September 13, 1872.

1872 After a reluctant government gave its long-waited approval, the first high school of the city, Roman-Vodă, was opened on September 30 in the building that is still in use today as that of School No. 1.

1897 The government approved the construction of a new building for the Roman-Vodă High School.

1957 The steel tubes factory, nowadays Mittal Steel Roman S.A., started production. Today, it is the top producer in Romania.

1962 The Museum of Natural Sciences was founded.

1968 Roman lost the county capital status. The greater part of Roman county is included in the new Neamţ County and other parts were included in Iaşi, Vaslui and Bacău counties) as part of Nicolae Ceauşescu's administrative reform. Despite efforts by some citizen organisation after the fall of communism, no change is foreseeable.

1993 The statue of Roman I, now a symbol of the city, was erected near the City Hall.

2004 A statue of Ştefan cel Mare was erected at the city's southern entrance.

Romanian educational system

According to the Law on Education adopted in 1995, the Romanian Educational System is regulated by the Ministry of Education and Research (Ministerul Educaţiei şi Cercetării — MEC). Each level has its own form of organization and is subject to different legislations. Kindergarten is optional between 3 and 6 years old. Schooling starts at age 7 (sometimes 6), and is compulsory until the 10th grade (which usually corresponds to the age of 17 or 16). Primary and secondary education are divided in 12 or 13 grades. Higher education is aligned onto the European higher education area.

Since the Romanian Revolution of 1989, the Romanian education system has been in a continuous process of reformation that has been both praised and criticised.
Aside from the official schooling system, and the recently-added private equivalents, there exists a semi-legal, informal, fully private tutoring system (meditaţii). Tutoring is mostly used during secondary as a preparation for the various examinations, which are notoriously difficult. Tutoring is wide-spread, and it can be considered a part of the Education System. It has subsisted and even prospered during the Communist regime.
In 2004, some 4.4 million of the population was enrolled in school. Out of these, 650,000 in kindergarten, 3.11 million (14% of population) in primary and secondary level, and 650,000 (3% of population) in tertiary level (universities).

Babes Bolyai University, Cluj:


Basic organization

The Romanian Educational System is divided along two main levels:
1. Pre-University Level (Învăţământul Preuniversitar) is structured in 4 cycles:
1. Kindergarten (Grădiniţa or Învăţământul Preşcolar) — composed of three or four grades (Grupa Mică, Grupa Mijlocie, Grupa Mare and, sometimes, Pregătirea pentru Şcoală)
2. Primary school comprises two 4-grade periods:
1. Elementary school (Şcoala Primară) — grades I to IV
2. Gymnasium (Gimnaziu) — grades V to VIII
3. High school (Liceu) — four or five grades (grades IX to XII/XIII)
4. Vocational education (Învăţământ professional şi tehnic), which can continue or supplant High School to prepare students for careers that are based in manual or practical activities.
2. Higher education (Studii Superioare) is organized (or in the process of being organized) according to the principles of the Bologna process, which aims at the construction of the European higher education area. It has the following four components:
1. Bachelor (Licenţă) 3 years in most disciplines (as of 2005)
2. Master (Masterat) 2 years in most disciplines (as of 2008)
3. Doctorate (Doctorat) at least 3 years
4. Lifelong learning (cursuri postuniversitare, formare continuă), which includes postgraduate education occurring outside the Master/Doctorate framework.
Primary school is compulsory for all eight year olds, from age seven through ten being known as "primary education", while age eleven through fourteen is known as "gymnasium education". Most elementary schools are part of the public school system. Private elementary education has a 0.5% market share, according to the Romanian Ministry for Education.

Gheorghe Lazar High School, Bucharest:

Education in Romania is compulsory until the age of 16. In practice, given that most Romanians start school at the age of 6, the first ten years have been made compulsory by the ministry, starting with 2002. The educational system is identical nationwide and very centralized.
The system gives the following diplomas: Absolvire (elementary school graduation, no exam), Bacalaureat (high school graduation, after the Bacalaureat exam), Licenţă (University undergraduate graduation, after an exam and/or thesis), Masterat (Master's degree, after a thesis and possibly an exam), Doctorat (Ph. D., after a thesis).

General assessment
In 2004 the Romanian adult literacy rate was 97,3% (45th worldwide), while the combined gross enrolment ratio for primary, secondary and tertiary schools was 75% (52nd worldwide) The results of the PISA assessement study in schools for the year 2000 placed Romania on the 34th rank out of 42 participant countries with a general weighted score of 432 representing 85% of the mean OECD score. According to the Academic Ranking of World Universities, up to 2006 no Romanian university was included in the first 500 top universities world wide. Using a methodology similar to that of the Academic Ranking of World Universities, Romanian scientists have found that the best placed Romanian university attained the half score of the last university in the world top 500.

University of Bucharest:

Amazing nature in Romania

Here are presented some of the amazing natural reserves in this part of world. You will see here a great nature variety, unique places on earth, many curiosities and a perfect harmony between all.

1. Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO Patrimony) - 5050 Km2. Is an immense geological and biological laboratory. Its fauna is very diverse, there is no similar place in Europe, it has species that are unique in the world. There can be remembered the next birds among the other 300 species: pelicans, geese and ducks, storks, cormorants, egrets, flamingo, swan, most of them being nature monuments protected by laws. It should be emphasized that Delta's sky is crossed by six ways of the migratory birds. Many of the Delta's fishes have economic value: sturgeon, stor sturgeon, sterlet - important for the caviar. There can be remembered the following mammals: hermine, wild cat, muskrat, raccoon dog and tortoise. The unrivalled flora comprises, among other species: white and yellow water lilies, bulrush, bracken... Also there are 8000 ha of forest with giant trees on whose trunks grow climbing plants like lianas.

2. Retezat National Park (UNESCO Patrimony - Retezat Mountains) - 20000 ha. This park is the greatest complex scientific reserve from Romania and include the glacial relief, rare vegetal species, valuable animal species. The Park includes the Scientific Preserve Zlatna where the access is prohibited.

3. Pietrosul Rodnei Biosphere Preserve (UNESCO Patrimony-Rodna Mountains) the most important natural reserve from the northern part of the country (geological, botanical and faunistical).

4. Cetatile Ponorului (Bihor Mountains) - a natural complex reserve made up of the three huge avens, a cave and an underground river.

5. Ceahlau Complex Reserve (Ceahlau Mountains) - in the most beautiful mountain in Moldova preserve rare species, by botanical and geological.

6. Piatra Craiului National Park - in a very beautiful mountain preserve a great variety of relief, vegetation and animals.

7. Turzii Gorges Complex Reserve (Trascau Mountains) - In this gorges are about 60 caves. Also one can find here various species of butterflies and more than 1000 species of plants, some of them unique in the world.

8. The Glades with Daffodils from Dumbrava Vadului (Tagla Mountains) - These glades covered with a huge carpet of daffodils represent one of the Romania unique beauties.

9. Bicaz Gorges and Red Lake (Hasmas Mountains) - The territory of the gorges and area surrounding the lake has been declared monument of nature and forms a complex reserve, geological, floristic and faunistic.

10. Saint Ana Lake (Ciomatu Mountains) - Is the only lake in Central Europe formed in a volcano crater. The area surrounding the lake, including Tinovul Mohos, form a complex geological and floristic reserve.

11. Bucegi National Park - include several complex natural reserves. These reserves have: impressive abrupt precipices, pointed crests, carst relief, fauna, flora.

12. Repedea Hill (near Iasi city) - paleonthological reserve.

13. Topolnita Cave (Mehedinti Plateau) - it has numerous

carst spectacular lakes and structures. Speleological reserve,

it has been declared monument of nature.

14. The Salt Mountain - Slanic Prahova - Within the perimeter of this mountain there is a carst saline lake.

15. Reserve of Motley Tulips ( Plopis Mountains) near Cehu Silvaniei.

16. Cindrel Mountain Lakes - complex reserve including several glacial basins. Around these mountain lakes, are found varied species of animals protected by law (chamois, bears, wolves).

17. Calimani Mountains - they represent the most grandiose volcanic mountains of the country. There is a complex reserve aiming to protect alpine landscapes, flora and fauna (numerous rare species).

18. Secular Forest from Slatioara (Rarau Mountains) - it is one of the oldest secular forests of Romania and Europe.

19. Cozia National Park - you can admire many rocks with bizarre forms, beautiful gorges and waterfalls, the diversity of plant species and the interesting fauna.

20. The Living Fire ( Vrancea area) - geological reserve on the Upper Milcov. It is represented by emission of natural gas which spring from the crevices in the earth crust and ignite spontaneously, forming 30-50 cm high flames.

21. The Small Island of Braila (on Danube River) - complex reserve where , on over 5336 ha, one can see rare species and a lot of birds.

22. Bottomless Lake - Ocna Sibiului ( Sibiu area) - geological reserve represented by a lake situated on the place were was a salt mine, which caved in. The lake has 35m depth and a great thera

peutic value.

23. The Mud Volcanoes - from Paclele Mari and Paclele Mici (Buzau area) - one of the most interesting mixed reserves in Romania. This spectacular phenomena is rarely encountered in the world.

24. The Nera Gorges (Anina Mountains) - one of the most beautiful gorges in Romania . They forms a complex reserve.

25. The Caras Gorges (Anina Mountains) - complex reserve (floristic, geological and spelaeological) with many Carst phenomena.

26. Domogled - Valea Cernei (Mehedinti and Cerna mountains) - an area with many reserves and nature monuments . The Domogled is one of the richest places in Europe in what concerns the plant species.