Lunca de Sus
Encyclopedia
Lunca de Sus is a commune in Harghita County
, Romania
. It lies in the Szekely Land
, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania
.
Izvorul Trotuşului also includes Ciherek-pataka, Bothavas-pataka and Farkas-pataka, while the Lunca de Sus village also includes Nyíresalja and Libaváros ("Goose-city").
The village is situated near the old Hungarian border, and therefore protection had to be provided. The Tartar
invasions through the valley left many victims behind. In the end, in 1701-1702, the construction of a moat was commenced on Csapó-hill next to the village. The traces of the earthworks can still be seen these days at a length of 120–150 meters.
According to the tradition, the first family that settled into the valley was the Tankó-family.
The village administratively belonged to Csíkszék, then, from 1876 until 1918 to the Csík County in the Kingdom of Hungary. After WWI, by the terms of the Treaty of Trianon
of 1920, it became part of Romania
. As a result of the Second Vienna Award
, it belonged to Hungary again between 1940 and 1944. After WWII, it came under Romanian administration and became part of Romania in 1947. Between 1952 and 1960, it formed part of the Hungarian Autonomous Province, then, of the Mureş-Hungarian Autonomous Province until it was abolished in 1968. Since then, the commune has been part of Harghita County.
Hungarian majority. In 1910, it had a population of 2288 people, of them 2170 were Hungarians and 4 were Romanians.
According to the 2002 census, it had a population of 3,424 of which 97.14% or 3,326 are Hungarians. Most of the villagers are Roman Catholics (97.10%).
It lies along the Trotuş River
and its tributaries as the sub-settlements, the "creeks" , were formed in the valleys of the tributaries.
. The regulation was said to be necessary as the water catchment area of the stream is large and the bed quickly filled up with rainwater with at times of rains which flooded from time to time the plots and the public road along the stream. Under the stream regulation works a 1400 meter long section of the stream has been embedded in a 2 m wide and 2.5 meter deep concrete bed. The bottom of the bed has also been covered with stones and concrete. Wide wooden bridges with yellow metal rails have been made by the brookside making easier the access by vehicle to the real estates along the river. The road has been fitted with metal railings used at motorways.
Although for most of the year, only water a few inches deep trickles in the stream, experts of the Water Department of Bacău County
considered that prevention of sudden floodings of the stream may only be solved by converting it into a drainage channel. According to environmentalists, life of birds, fish, frogs and other species is affected by the concrete stream-bed solution. The mayor's office and the local population, however, is satisfied with the chosen solution and consider it a sign of progress. Besides, as they say, life already died out from the stream anyway because of the waste water trickling into the stream from the neighboring cesspools.
It is envisaged by local officials that the Trotuş River and some of the mountain brooks flowing into the river will also be regulated in a similar way, if the necessary financial resources are available.
s from Moldova. It was established by parish priest Lajos Berszán, and in the beginning the building of the Pilgrim's House named "The House built on the Rock" was used for the school's purposes.
In 1941, a military complex consisting of barracks and officer houses was built by the Hungarian army, based on the plans of architect István Mátyás. The buildings were built of stones and logs in the style of a mountain rest-house and provide a picturesque sight along the main road. The complex, referred to as by locals as the "colony" ("kolónia"), later served as a prison and is now used by the Romanian military.
The parish of the village is named in the honor of St Andrew, the apostle. In 2009, a chapel was built in Comiat by parish priest Géza Tankó.
Catholic pilgrims gather each year in the village and embark on the Pentecost
Pilgrimage, held since 1567, with the Franciscan Church in Şumuleu Ciuc
as their destination.
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 Szekely 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...
.
Component villages
The commune is composed of six villages:| In Romanian Romanian language Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova... | In Hungarian Hungarian language Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe.... |
|---|---|
| Comiat | Komjátpataka |
| Izvorul Trotuşului | Sántatelek |
| Lunca de Sus | Gyimesfelsőlok |
| Păltiniş-Ciuc | Pöltinis |
| Valea Gârbea | Görbepataka |
| Valea Ugra | Ugrapataka |
Izvorul Trotuşului also includes Ciherek-pataka, Bothavas-pataka and Farkas-pataka, while the Lunca de Sus village also includes Nyíresalja and Libaváros ("Goose-city").
History
The settlement came into being out of the outer areas of Szépvíz and Csíkszentmihály villages, but became a separate village only as late as around 1850.The village is situated near the old Hungarian border, and therefore protection had to be provided. The Tartar
Tartar
Tartar may refer to: *An alternative spelling of the name Tatars, an ethnic group in present-day Russia.* Tartars, the name of the athletic teams from 1927–1999 at Wayne State University in Detroit.*Tartar sauce*Tartar on teeth, hardened dental plaque...
invasions through the valley left many victims behind. In the end, in 1701-1702, the construction of a moat was commenced on Csapó-hill next to the village. The traces of the earthworks can still be seen these days at a length of 120–150 meters.
According to the tradition, the first family that settled into the valley was the Tankó-family.
The village administratively belonged to Csíkszék, then, from 1876 until 1918 to the Csík County in the Kingdom of Hungary. After WWI, by the terms of 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...
. As a result of the Second Vienna Award
Second Vienna Award
The Second Vienna Award was the second of two Vienna Awards arbitrated by the Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Rendered on August 30, 1940, it re-assigned the territory of Northern Transylvania from Romania to Hungary.-Prelude and historical background :After the World War I, the multi-ethnic...
, it belonged to Hungary again between 1940 and 1944. After WWII, it came under Romanian administration and became part of Romania in 1947. Between 1952 and 1960, it formed part of the Hungarian Autonomous Province, then, of the Mureş-Hungarian Autonomous Province until it was abolished in 1968. Since then, the commune has been part of Harghita County.
Demographics
The commune has an absolute CsángóCsángó
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...
Hungarian majority. In 1910, it had a population of 2288 people, of them 2170 were Hungarians and 4 were Romanians.
According to the 2002 census, it had a population of 3,424 of which 97.14% or 3,326 are Hungarians. Most of the villagers are Roman Catholics (97.10%).
Geography
The village is the first of the three Csángó settlements as the Gyimes Valley (Valea Ghimeşului) descends from its head.It lies along the Trotuş River
Trotus River
The Trotuş River in eastern Romania emerges from the Ciuc Mountains in the Eastern Carpathians and joins the Siret River after passing through Comăneşti and Oneşti in Bacău County...
and its tributaries as the sub-settlements, the "creeks" , were formed in the valleys of the tributaries.
Stream regulation
With financial support of the European Union became completed by November 2009 the stream regulation and flood control works on Gârbea CreekGârbea River
The Gârbea River is a tributary of the Trotuş River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971...
. The regulation was said to be necessary as the water catchment area of the stream is large and the bed quickly filled up with rainwater with at times of rains which flooded from time to time the plots and the public road along the stream. Under the stream regulation works a 1400 meter long section of the stream has been embedded in a 2 m wide and 2.5 meter deep concrete bed. The bottom of the bed has also been covered with stones and concrete. Wide wooden bridges with yellow metal rails have been made by the brookside making easier the access by vehicle to the real estates along the river. The road has been fitted with metal railings used at motorways.
Although for most of the year, only water a few inches deep trickles in the stream, experts of the Water Department of Bacău County
Bacau County
Bacău is a county of Romania, in Moldavia, with its capital city at Bacău. It has one commune, Ghimeş-Făget, in Transylvania.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 706,623 and the population density was 113/km²....
considered that prevention of sudden floodings of the stream may only be solved by converting it into a drainage channel. According to environmentalists, life of birds, fish, frogs and other species is affected by the concrete stream-bed solution. The mayor's office and the local population, however, is satisfied with the chosen solution and consider it a sign of progress. Besides, as they say, life already died out from the stream anyway because of the waste water trickling into the stream from the neighboring cesspools.
It is envisaged by local officials that the Trotuş River and some of the mountain brooks flowing into the river will also be regulated in a similar way, if the necessary financial resources are available.
Education
Since 1994, the St. Elisabeth Catholic Grammar School has provided education not only for local students, but also for many ethnic Hungarian CsángóCsángó
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 from Moldova. It was established by parish priest Lajos Berszán, and in the beginning the building of the Pilgrim's House named "The House built on the Rock" was used for the school's purposes.
Tourist attractions
In 1941, a military complex consisting of barracks and officer houses was built by the Hungarian army, based on the plans of architect István Mátyás. The buildings were built of stones and logs in the style of a mountain rest-house and provide a picturesque sight along the main road. The complex, referred to as by locals as the "colony" ("kolónia"), later served as a prison and is now used by the Romanian military.
The parish of the village is named in the honor of St Andrew, the apostle. In 2009, a chapel was built in Comiat by parish priest Géza Tankó.
Catholic pilgrims gather each year in the village and embark on the Pentecost
Pentecost
Pentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...
Pilgrimage, held since 1567, with the Franciscan Church in Şumuleu Ciuc
Sumuleu Ciuc
Şumuleu Ciuc is a neighborhood of Miercurea-Ciuc, Harghita County, Romania. Until 1959, it was a separate commune. It is the site of an annual Roman Catholic pilgrimage, when Catholics from all over Hungary and Romania gather there.-Location:...
as their destination.