Lazarea
Encyclopedia
Lăzarea is a commune in Harghita County
, Romania
. It lies in the Székely Land
, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania
, and is composed of two villages:
It is one of the oldest settlements in the area, and is now a tourist and cultural centre. It has various local attractions, including the Lazar/Lázár castle (1450).
Its first written mention is from 1482 when a certain Erzsébet Bíró of Kide warned a Székely
named Lázár of Zarhegh and Péter Szilvási to beware of disposing of the estate of Kide to which she was entitled under the title of bride price and dower. In 1576, its name was recorded as Szárhegy, in 1888 as Gyergyó-Szárhegy. Its original Romanian name derived from the Hungarian Gyergyószárhegy as Giugeu-Sarheghi which was modified to the current official name after 1918.
It belonged administratively to the Székely seat of Gyergyószék, subsequently absorbed into Csíkszék district, until the administrative reform of Transylvania in 1876, when it fell within Csík County in the Kingdom of Hungary
. After the Treaty of Trianon
of 1920, it became part of Romania
and fell within Ciuc County during the interwar period. In 1940, the second Vienna Award granted the Northern Transylvania to Hungary and the village was held by Hungary until 1944. After Soviet occupation, the Romanian administration returned and the commune became officially part of Romania in 1947. Between 1952 and 1960, the commune fell within the Hungarian Autonomous Province
, between 1960 and 1968 the Mureş-Hungarian Autonomous Province. In 1968, the province was abolished, and since then, the commune has been part of Harghita County.
(Hungarian) majority. According to the 2002 census it has a population of 3,607; of which 97.14% or 3,504 are Hungarian.
was built between 1450 and 1532 in several stages. In the late 16th century, Druzsina, daughter of István Lázár married Farkas Bethlen of Iktár, and to this marriage was born the future prince of Transylvania Gabriel Bethlen
. He was brought up in the castle and his upstairs room in the gate tower can still be seen unto this day. In 1631, the castle was expanded and altered into a magnificent Renaissance manor house, towers and curtain walls were also built. It became one of the important military and administrative centers of the Székely Land. On September 6, 1658, a team of Szeklers led by a student named Gábor Székely defeated the invading Tatars and Moldovans. The dead were buried on a hill below the village which is called until today Tatarhill. A plaque was put up in 1908 in memory of the battle. The Szekely Land was often hit by Ottoman invasions and on one occasion, the castle was seriouly damaged. During the Hungarian war of independence of Ferenc II Rákóczi, Ferenc Lázár supported the operations of the kuruc
troops. In 1707, when the imperial army marched into Transylvania, Ferenc Lázár had to flee to Csángó
s to Moldova. Imperial general Acton set fire to the castle and only a bastion remained intact. After the Peace of Szatmár, Ferenc Lazár pledged allegiance to the Habsburg
Emperor and thus was able to keep his estates. When the castle was burned down again in 1748, the family, was not able any more to restore all parts of it, and what was restored was made partly from donations of the villagers. Finally in 1842, it was almost completely destroyed by another fire. In the 19th century, the financial status of the Lázár family started to deteriorate and only the gate tower remained suitable for habitation. After last Lázár heir, Zsigmond and his wife, left the castle in 1853, it fell even further into decay.
Nowadays, much of the castle has been renovated. Renovation of the renaissance murals started in 1987 with the help of UNESCO
.
Dombóvár
, Hungary
Halászszentlászló, Hungary Kemecse
, Hungary Mátraderecske, Hungary Móricgát
, Hungary Nagybajom
, Hungary Őcsény, Hungary Trois-Ponts
, Belgium
Vecsés
, Hungary
Harghita County
Harghita is a county in the center of Romania, in eastern Transylvania, with the county seat at Miercurea-Ciuc.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 326,222 and a population density of 52/km².*Hungarians- 85%...
, 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...
. It lies in the Székely Land
Székely Land
The Székely Land or Szekler Land refers to the territories inhabited mainly by the Székely, a Hungarian-speaking ethnic group from eastern Transylvania...
, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania
Transylvania
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...
, and is composed of two villages:
- Ghiduţ / Güdüc
- Lăzarea / Gyergyószárhegy
It is one of the oldest settlements in the area, and is now a tourist and cultural centre. It has various local attractions, including the Lazar/Lázár castle (1450).
History
The history of the village is closely interwoven with that of the Lázár family.Its first written mention is from 1482 when a certain Erzsébet Bíró of Kide warned a Székely
Székely
The Székelys or Székely , sometimes also referred to as Szeklers , are a subgroup of the Hungarian people living mostly in the Székely Land, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania, Romania...
named Lázár of Zarhegh and Péter Szilvási to beware of disposing of the estate of Kide to which she was entitled under the title of bride price and dower. In 1576, its name was recorded as Szárhegy, in 1888 as Gyergyó-Szárhegy. Its original Romanian name derived from the Hungarian Gyergyószárhegy as Giugeu-Sarheghi which was modified to the current official name after 1918.
It belonged administratively to the Székely seat of Gyergyószék, subsequently absorbed into Csíkszék district, until the administrative reform of Transylvania in 1876, when it fell within Csík County in the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
. After the Treaty of Trianon
Treaty of Trianon
The Treaty of Trianon was the peace agreement signed in 1920, at the end of World War I, between the Allies of World War I and Hungary . The treaty greatly redefined and reduced Hungary's borders. From its borders before World War I, it lost 72% of its territory, which was reduced from to...
of 1920, it became part of 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...
and fell within Ciuc County during the interwar period. In 1940, the second Vienna Award granted the Northern Transylvania to Hungary and the village was held by Hungary until 1944. After Soviet occupation, the Romanian administration returned and the commune became officially part of Romania in 1947. Between 1952 and 1960, the commune fell within the Hungarian Autonomous Province
Hungarian Autonomous Province
The Magyar Autonomous Region and Mureş-Magyar Autonomous Region were autonomous regions in the People's Republic of Romania .-History:In 1950, Romania adopted a Soviet-style administrative and territorial division of the country into...
, between 1960 and 1968 the Mureş-Hungarian Autonomous Province. In 1968, the province was abolished, and since then, the commune has been part of Harghita County.
Demographics
The commune has an absolute SzékelySzékely
The Székelys or Székely , sometimes also referred to as Szeklers , are a subgroup of the Hungarian people living mostly in the Székely Land, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania, Romania...
(Hungarian) majority. According to the 2002 census it has a population of 3,607; of which 97.14% or 3,504 are Hungarian.
The Lázár Castle
The Lázár CastleLázár Castle
Lazar Castle is a castle located in Lăzarea, Harghita County, Romania. The citadel is named after Lázár nobile family and it is built on a combination of Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance styles.- See also :* List of castles in Romania...
was built between 1450 and 1532 in several stages. In the late 16th century, Druzsina, daughter of István Lázár married Farkas Bethlen of Iktár, and to this marriage was born the future prince of Transylvania Gabriel Bethlen
Gabriel Bethlen
Gabriel Bethlen was a prince of Transylvania , duke of Opole and leader of an anti-Habsburg insurrection in the Habsburg Royal Hungary. His last armed intervention in 1626 was part of the Thirty Years' War...
. He was brought up in the castle and his upstairs room in the gate tower can still be seen unto this day. In 1631, the castle was expanded and altered into a magnificent Renaissance manor house, towers and curtain walls were also built. It became one of the important military and administrative centers of the Székely Land. On September 6, 1658, a team of Szeklers led by a student named Gábor Székely defeated the invading Tatars and Moldovans. The dead were buried on a hill below the village which is called until today Tatarhill. A plaque was put up in 1908 in memory of the battle. The Szekely Land was often hit by Ottoman invasions and on one occasion, the castle was seriouly damaged. During the Hungarian war of independence of Ferenc II Rákóczi, Ferenc Lázár supported the operations of the kuruc
Kuruc
The kuruc was a term used to denote the armed anti-Habsburg rebels in Royal Hungary between 1671 and 1711....
troops. In 1707, when the imperial army marched into Transylvania, Ferenc Lázár had to flee to Csángó
Csángó
The Csango people are a Hungarian ethnographic group of Roman Catholic faith living mostly in the Romanian region of Moldavia, especially in the Bacău County...
s to Moldova. Imperial general Acton set fire to the castle and only a bastion remained intact. After the Peace of Szatmár, Ferenc Lazár pledged allegiance to the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
Emperor and thus was able to keep his estates. When the castle was burned down again in 1748, the family, was not able any more to restore all parts of it, and what was restored was made partly from donations of the villagers. Finally in 1842, it was almost completely destroyed by another fire. In the 19th century, the financial status of the Lázár family started to deteriorate and only the gate tower remained suitable for habitation. After last Lázár heir, Zsigmond and his wife, left the castle in 1853, it fell even further into decay.
Nowadays, much of the castle has been renovated. Renovation of the renaissance murals started in 1987 with the help of UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
.
Landmarks
- The Lázár Castle
- The Franciscan monastery
- The Roman Catholic parish church
- The Saint Anthony chapel
- The "Sculpture Park"
Notable people
- Johannes CaioniJohannes CaioniJohannes Caioni was a Transylvanian Franciscan monk and Roman Catholic priest, musician, folklorist, humanist, constructor and repairer of organs of Romanian origin .-Biography:Caioni was born in...
, 17th century architect, musisian and humanist lived and worked in the village. - János Koós, Hungarian singer and actor was born here in 1937.
Twinnings
The commune is twinned with:Dombóvár
Dombóvár
- External links :*...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
Halászszentlászló, Hungary Kemecse
Kemecse
Kemecse is a town in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county, in the Northern Great Plain region of eastern Hungary.-Geography:It covers an area of and has a population of 6937 people ....
, Hungary Mátraderecske, Hungary Móricgát
Móricgát
Móricgát is a village in Bács-Kiskun county, in the Southern Great Plain region of southern Hungary.-Geography:It covers an area of and has a population of 554 people .- External links :...
, Hungary Nagybajom
Nagybajom
Nagybajom is a town in Somogy county, Hungary. The name of the town literally translated meaning My Big Problem .- External links :*...
, Hungary Őcsény, Hungary Trois-Ponts
Trois-Ponts
Trois-Ponts is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liege. On January 1, 2006 Trois-Ponts had a total population of 2,445. The total area is 68.90 km² which gives a population density of 35 inhabitants per km². It is situated at the confluence of the...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
Vecsés
Vecsés
Vecsés is a town of 20,550 inhabitants in Budapest metropolitan area, Pest county, Hungary, situated adjacent to Budapest's Ferihegy Airport.-History:...
, Hungary