Chiojdu
Encyclopedia
Chiojdu (ˈkjoʒdu) is a commune in the northwestern hill and mountainside region of Buzău County
, Romania
. Made up of six villages (Bâsca Chiojdului, Cătiaşu, Chiojdu, Lera, Plescioara and Poeniţele) on the bank of the Bâsca Chiojdului River
, a small tributary to Buzău River
, it is the center of a region known for the good preservation of old traditions and folk art
, especially the particular architectural style of the houses.
, in the sub-Carpathian hills at the south-eastern curvature of the Carpathian Mountains
. The commune's inhabited regions are located to its south, in the valley of the Bâsca Chiojdului River
, but its administrative territory extends northwards into the mountains, to the Siriu Peak (1654 m), the highest altitude in Chiojdu.
The commune's neighbors are: Prahova County
(Starchiojd
and Ceraşu
communes) to the West, Braşov
and Covasna counties
(Vama Buzăului and Sita Buzăului
communes, respectively) to the North, Siriu
and Nehoiu
to the East, Pătârlagele
and Cătina
to the South.
by which he acknowledges ownership of the land in Chiojdu to the local yeomen.
n peasant named Chiojd who lost all his family and possessions in a fire
and started to wander around the mountains. Once he arrived in the present-day location of the Chiojdu village, he decided to settle down. The beauty of the place helped him move away from the sadness of losing his wife and his home. He eventually married a woman named Bâsca and they had two boys, Chiojdu Mare and Chiojdu Mic and a girl named Chojdeanca, who went on to found the villages that kept their names.
on top of a cellar
entrance on its facade
. The basement, typically built of stone, houses cellars where food and wine are stored. The top floor can be made of wood, clay or bricks and is split into several inhabited rooms.
Such a house from the Chiojdu region is part of the open-air exhibition at the Village Museum
in Bucharest
. Also, the Vergu-Mănăilă House
and the restaurant in Crâng Park
, both buildings located in Buzău
, share the same basic architectural features.
Buzau County
Buzău is a county of Romania, in the historical region Muntenia, with the capital city at Buzău.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 496,214 and the population density was 81/km².*Romanians – 97%*Roma – under 3% declared, and others....
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. Made up of six villages (Bâsca Chiojdului, Cătiaşu, Chiojdu, Lera, Plescioara and Poeniţele) on the bank of the Bâsca Chiojdului River
Bâsca Chiojdului River
The Bâsca Chiojdului River is a tributary of the Buzău River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971* Chiojdu...
, a small tributary to Buzău River
Buzau River
Buzău is a river in eastern Romania, tributary of the Siret River. Its total length is 302 km. Its source is in the south-eastern Carpathian Mountains, east of Braşov. The Buzău flows through the Romanian counties Braşov, Covasna, Buzău and Brăila...
, it is the center of a region known for the good preservation of old traditions and folk art
Folk art
Folk art encompasses art produced from an indigenous culture or by peasants or other laboring tradespeople. In contrast to fine art, folk art is primarily utilitarian and decorative rather than purely aesthetic....
, especially the particular architectural style of the houses.
Location
Chiojdu is located in the Chiojdu HollowDepression (geology)
A depression in geology is a landform sunken or depressed below the surrounding area. Depressions may be formed by various mechanisms.Structural or tectonic related:...
, in the sub-Carpathian hills at the south-eastern curvature of the Carpathian Mountains
Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians are a range of mountains forming an arc roughly long across Central and Eastern Europe, making them the second-longest mountain range in Europe...
. The commune's inhabited regions are located to its south, in the valley of the Bâsca Chiojdului River
Bâsca Chiojdului River
The Bâsca Chiojdului River is a tributary of the Buzău River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971* Chiojdu...
, but its administrative territory extends northwards into the mountains, to the Siriu Peak (1654 m), the highest altitude in Chiojdu.
The commune's neighbors are: Prahova County
Prahova County
Prahova is a county of Romania, in the historical region Muntenia, with the capital city at Ploieşti.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 829,945 and the population density was 176/km². It is Romania's most populated county, having a population density double than the country's mean...
(Starchiojd
Starchiojd
Starchiojd is a commune in Prahova County, Romania. It is composed of six villages: Brădet, Gresia, Rotarea, Starchiojd, Valea Anei and Zmeuret....
and Ceraşu
Cerasu
Ceraşu is a commune in Prahova County, Romania. It is composed of six villages: Ceraşu, Slon, Valea Borului, Valea Brădetului, Valea Lespezii and Valea Tocii....
communes) to the West, Braşov
Brasov County
Brașov ; ) is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, with the capital city at Brașov. The county incorporates within its boundaries most of the Medieval "lands" Burzenland and Făgăraș Land.-Demographics:...
and Covasna counties
Covasna County
Covasna is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, with the capital city at Sfântu Gheorghe.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 222,449 and the population density was 60/km².*Hungarians – 73.79% *Romanians – 23.28%...
(Vama Buzăului and Sita Buzăului
Sita Buzaului
Sita Buzăului is a commune in Covasna County, in the geographical region of Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of four villages: Crasna, Merişor, Sita Buzăului and Zăbrătău. The commune is situated in the southern part of the county, on the banks of the Buzău River.-Demographics:The commune has...
communes, respectively) to the North, Siriu
Siriu
Siriu is a commune in Buzău County, Romania, on the valley of Buzău River. It is composed of five villages: Caşoca, Colţu Pietrii, Gura Siriului, Lunca Jariştei and Muşceluşa.-Location:...
and Nehoiu
Nehoiu
Nehoiu is a town in Buzău County, Romania, with a population of 11,631. Wood processing is the local main economic activity. The town has a lumbermill since the early 20th century....
to the East, Pătârlagele
Patârlagele
Pătârlagele is a town in Buzău County, Romania. In 2002 it had a population of 8,414.- Geography :Pătârlagele is located in the western part of the county, along the national road connecting Buzău and Braşov...
and Cătina
Cătina
Cătina may refer to several places in Romania:*Cătina, a commune in Buzău County*Cătina, a commune in Cluj County*Cătina, a village in Floreşti Commune, Prahova County...
to the South.
History
The earliest known written document mentioning Chiojdu is dated 10 July 1418. It is an act of voivod Michael I of WallachiaMichael I of Wallachia
Michael I was a voivode of the principality of Wallachia .In 1418–1420, Mihail I defeated the Ottomans in Severin, only to be killed in battle by the counter-offensive...
by which he acknowledges ownership of the land in Chiojdu to the local yeomen.
Legend
There is also a legend explaining the foundation of the Chiojdu village. It speaks of a wealthy TransylvaniaTransylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
n peasant named Chiojd who lost all his family and possessions in a fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
and started to wander around the mountains. Once he arrived in the present-day location of the Chiojdu village, he decided to settle down. The beauty of the place helped him move away from the sadness of losing his wife and his home. He eventually married a woman named Bâsca and they had two boys, Chiojdu Mare and Chiojdu Mic and a girl named Chojdeanca, who went on to found the villages that kept their names.
Architecture
Chiojdu is a very representative area for the folk architecture of the Carpathians' curvature region. A typical Chiojdu house design features a high porchPorch
A porch is external to the walls of the main building proper, but may be enclosed by screen, latticework, broad windows, or other light frame walls extending from the main structure.There are various styles of porches, all of which depend on the architectural tradition of its location...
on top of a cellar
Basement
__FORCETOC__A basement is one or more floors of a building that are either completely or partially below the ground floor. Basements are typically used as a utility space for a building where such items as the furnace, water heater, breaker panel or fuse box, car park, and air-conditioning system...
entrance on its facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
. The basement, typically built of stone, houses cellars where food and wine are stored. The top floor can be made of wood, clay or bricks and is split into several inhabited rooms.
Such a house from the Chiojdu region is part of the open-air exhibition at the Village Museum
Village Museum
The Village Museum is an open-air ethnographic museum located in the Herăstrău Park , showcasing traditional Romanian village life. The museum extends to over 100,000 m2, and contains 272 authentic peasant farms and houses from all over Romania.It was created in 1936 by Dimitrie Gusti, Victor Ion...
in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
. Also, the Vergu-Mănăilă House
Vergu-Manaila House
The Vergu-Mănăilă house is the oldest surviving building in Buzău, Romania. An 18th century boyar's mansion, renovated between 1971 and 1974, it hosts a museum of ethnography and folk art....
and the restaurant in Crâng Park
Crâng park
Crâng Park is the largest and most important park in the city of Buzău, Romania.-Location:The park is located on the western outskirts of the city. It has an area of about . It represents only a part of a 1.89 square kilometre forest, named the Crâng forest, which is a remainder of the Codrii...
, both buildings located in Buzău
Buzau
The city of Buzău is the county seat of Buzău County, Romania, in the historical region of Wallachia. It lies near the right bank of the Buzău River, between the south-eastern curvature of the Carpathian Mountains and the lowlands of Bărăgan Plain.The city's name dates back to 376 AD when the name...
, share the same basic architectural features.