Thursday, November 20, 2008

Transylvania



Transylvania is a Central European region located in the eastern half of the Carpathian Basin, in present-day central Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historic Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, since 1919, Transylvania also encompasses, in the north-west, parts of the historical regions of Crişana and Maramureş , and in the west, eastern-(Romanian) Banat.
Transylvania is an ancient land, once the nucleus of the powerful Kingdom of Dacia. After 106 AD the Roman Empire conquered the territory and its wealth (gold and salt) was systematically exploited. After the Romans' withdrawal in 271 AD, it was subject to various temporary influences and migration waves: Visigoths, Carpians, Huns, and Gepids Slavic peoples. Starting with the 10th century Magyar tribes slowly subdued Transylvania, which became part of the Kingdom of Hungary (11th–16th century). As a political entity, Transylvania is mentioned from the 11th century (after the Hungarian conquest) as a voivodeship, part of the Kingdom of Hungary. After the battle of Mohács it became an autonomous principality under the Ottoman Empire's suzerainty, then successively a part of Hungary ruled by the Habsburgs in 1711, again a part of the Kingdom of Hungary (within the newly established Austria-Hungary) in 1867, and a part of the Kingdom of Romania after World War I.
Outside romania, it is strongly associated with the novel Dracula, while within Romania and Hungary the region is known for the scenic beauty of its Carpathian landscape and its rich history.

Transylvanian Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List
Historic Centre of Sighişoara (1999)
Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania (1993)
Wooden Churches of Maramureş (1999)

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