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Cluj-Napoca

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Cluj-Napoca is a major city in northwestern Romania.

Cluj-Napoca by Sentinel-2, 2020-07-02
Cluj-Napoca by Sentinel-2, 2020-07-02

It sits in the Someșul Mic river valley.

Banks Somes Cluj 1
Banks Somes Cluj 1

The city is the second-most populous place in the country. It is also the seat of Cluj County.

Cluj jud Cluj
Cluj jud Cluj

You can find it roughly halfway between Bucharest, Budapest, and Belgrade. Many people consider it the unofficial capital of the Transylvania region. It is a busy place with a lot of activity.

Cluj la 1930, Vedere Aeriana
Cluj la 1930, Vedere Aeriana

Life in the city is very active for many people. The city has 286,598 inhabitants living within its borders.

Cluj-Napoca Districts
Cluj-Napoca Districts

If you look at the wider metropolitan area, there are 411,379 people. The peri-urban area has about 420,000 people. Every year, over 20,000 students and non-residents visit the city.

Cluj - Botanic Garden (22201474100)
Cluj - Botanic Garden (22201474100)

This makes it a very important center for learning. It is home to the largest university in Romania, called Babeș-Bolyai University. The university even has its own botanical garden.

The history of the city goes back a very long time. Long ago, a pre-Roman settlement named Napoca sat on this site.

Part of Tabula Peutingeriana centered around present day Transylvania
Part of Tabula Peutingeriana centered around present day Transylvania

After the Romans conquered the area in AD 106, they used the name Napoca.

Later, the city was known as Castrum Clus in 1213.

Tiperit en Klus
Tiperit en Klus

Some people think the name comes from a Latin word for a closed place. Others think it comes from a Slavic word meaning a key. The city has had many different names in different languages over the centuries.

Cluj-Napoca has been a very important place for many different groups. In the Middle Ages, it was part of the Kingdom of Hungary.

Map of Cluj-Napoca by Braun Hogenberg (middle size) (97693430)
Map of Cluj-Napoca by Braun Hogenberg (middle size) (97693430)

It was even the official capital of the Grand Principality of Transylvania for some time. In the late 16th century, people called it the "treasure city."

Casa Matei Corvin Cluj Napoca
Casa Matei Corvin Cluj Napoca

This nickname came from the wealth people made trading precious metals. The city has also been part of the Habsburg monarchy. It has survived many difficult times, including fires and plagues.

Today, the city is a famous center for culture and business.

Piața unirii Cluj Napoca
Piața unirii Cluj Napoca

It has a well-known National Theatre and Opera.

Biserica romano-catolica sf. Mihai
Biserica romano-catolica sf. Mihai

In 2015, it was named the European Youth Capital. It also became the European City of Sport in 2018.

Cluj-Eroilor01
Cluj-Eroilor01

In 2021, it joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. It was given the special title of UNESCO City of Film. The city continues to grow as a place for industry and art.

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🖼️ Images & Media (53)
File:Tiperit en Klus.JPG
Tiperit en Klus.JPG
File:Part of Tabula Peutingeriana centered around present day Transylvania.png
Part of Tabula Peutingeriana centered...
File:Map of Cluj-Napoca by Braun Hogenberg (middle size) (97693430).jpg
Map of Cluj-Napoca by Braun Hogenberg...
File:Josephinische Landaufnahme pg083.jpg
Josephinische Landaufnahme pg083.jpg
File:Neolog synagogue Cluj.jpg
Neolog synagogue Cluj.jpg
File:Tribunalul și Curtea de Apel.jpg
Tribunalul și Curtea de Apel.jpg
File:1915 Kolozsvar 30filler paire Transylvania.jpg
1915 Kolozsvar 30filler paire Transylvania.jpg
File:Piața unirii Cluj Napoca.jpg
Piața unirii Cluj Napoca.jpg
File:Cluj la 1930, Vedere Aeriana.jpg
Cluj la 1930, Vedere Aeriana.jpg
File:Casa Cluj.jpg
Casa Cluj.jpg
File:Kolozsvár.jpg
Kolozsvár.jpg
File:Cluj-Napoca by Sentinel-2, 2020-07-02.jpg
Cluj-Napoca by Sentinel-2, 2020-07-02.jpg

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