Meresti
Encyclopedia
Mereşti is a commune
in Harghita County
, Romania
. It lies in the Székely Land
, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania
. It is composed of a single village, Mereşti.
: Varjas, Kakód, Benesfalva, Almás, Bencőfalva, Cikefalva, Tankófalva.
It was first recorded in 1333 when a sacerdos de Almas was mentioned. In 1808, its name appears as Almás, in Romanian Poiana Marului. Before WWI, its Romanian name was also Homorod-Almaşş. In 1762, the villagers refused to perform military service, therefore, as a retaliation a company of the Atlhan cavalry regiment was stationed and housed in the village. In the 19th century, the village became a famous center of manufacturing of painted furniture. The village was part of the Székely Land
region of the historical Transylvania
province. It belonged to Udvarhelyszék district until the administrative reform of Transylvania in 1876, when it fell within the Udvarhely County in the Kingdom of Hungary
. After the Treaty of Trianon
of 1920, the village became part of Romania
and fell within Odorhei County
during the interwar period. In 1940, the second Vienna Award
granted the Northern Transylvania
to Hungary and the villages were 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 Magyar Autonomous Region, between 1960 and 1968 the Mureş-Magyar Autonomous Region. 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 1,415 of which 99.58% or 1,409 are Hungarian. As to the religious composition, Unitarians
make up 82.54 % of the population, while 14% are Roman Catholics
.
. The cave was inhabited by man even in prehistoric times, later, in the middle ages villagers used it as a fortified refuge. The micro-region’s most important natural area, the Gorge is a wonder of karst topography. At more than 900 hectares, the gorge is dominated by 200 metre white limestone cliffs which, beyond their beauty, are an increasingly popular climbing area. Beneath the cliffs lies a 7.5 kilometer cave system, home to 17 species of bats, and a haven for cave explorers.
Communes of Romania
A commune is the lowest level of administrative subdivision in Romania. There are 2686 communes in Romania. The commune is the rural subdivision of a county .There is no clear restriction on the population of a commune, even though when a commune...
in Harghita County
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...
. It is composed of a single village, Mereşti.
History
The village is likely to have been formed from 7 small settlements in the 13th century13th century
As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 through 1300 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian/Common Era...
: Varjas, Kakód, Benesfalva, Almás, Bencőfalva, Cikefalva, Tankófalva.
It was first recorded in 1333 when a sacerdos de Almas was mentioned. In 1808, its name appears as Almás, in Romanian Poiana Marului. Before WWI, its Romanian name was also Homorod-Almaşş. In 1762, the villagers refused to perform military service, therefore, as a retaliation a company of the Atlhan cavalry regiment was stationed and housed in the village. In the 19th century, the village became a famous center of manufacturing of painted furniture. The village was part of 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...
region of the historical 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...
province. It belonged to Udvarhelyszék district until the administrative reform of Transylvania in 1876, when it fell within the Udvarhely 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, the village 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 Odorhei County
Odorhei County
Odorhei was a county in the Kingdom of Romania. The county seat was Odorheiu Secuiesc.-Geography:Odorhei County covered 2,977 km2 and was located in central part of Greater Romania, in Transylvania. Currently, the territory that comprised the greater part of Odorhei County is now part of Harghita...
during the interwar period. In 1940, 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...
granted the Northern Transylvania
Northern Transylvania
Northern Transylvania is a region of Transylvania, situated within the territory of Romania. The population is largely composed of both ethnic Romanians and Hungarians, and the region has been part of Romania since 1918 . During World War II, as a consequence of the territorial agreement known as...
to Hungary and the villages were 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 Magyar Autonomous Region, between 1960 and 1968 the Mureş-Magyar Autonomous Region. 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 1,415 of which 99.58% or 1,409 are Hungarian. As to the religious composition, Unitarians
Unitarian Church of Transylvania
The Unitarian Church of Transylvania is a church of the Unitarian denomination, based in the city of Cluj in the Principality of Transylvania, present day in Romania...
make up 82.54 % of the population, while 14% are Roman Catholics
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
.
The Vargyas Gorge
East of the village is located the picturesque Vargyas Gorge which is perhaps the village's most important touristic asset. In the gorge a number of caves are located. A 1500 m long cave was named after the geographer of the Székely Land Balázs OrbánBalázs Orbán
Balázs Orbán was a Hungarian writer, historian and politician.He was born in Lengyelfalva, Grand Principality of Transylvania and died in in Budapest....
. The cave was inhabited by man even in prehistoric times, later, in the middle ages villagers used it as a fortified refuge. The micro-region’s most important natural area, the Gorge is a wonder of karst topography. At more than 900 hectares, the gorge is dominated by 200 metre white limestone cliffs which, beyond their beauty, are an increasingly popular climbing area. Beneath the cliffs lies a 7.5 kilometer cave system, home to 17 species of bats, and a haven for cave explorers.
Landmarks
- East of the Vargyas Gorge, on the Kőmező (’Stonefield’) ruins of a RomanesqueRomanesque architectureRomanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
chapel can be seen which had perished probably during the Mongol invasion in 1241-1242. Balázs Orbán thought it might be the former church of Varjas village - The Unitarian church was built between 1786 and 1793 in late BaroqueBaroqueThe Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
style,The Roman Catholic church built in 1892. - West of the village on the Várhegy (Castle hill) traces of a rampart made of earth can be found
Notable people
Natives of the village were:- Gergely Almási (1654 – 1724) Unitarian ecclesiastical writer
- Gyula Szabó (1930 - 2004), novelist
- Emília Péterffy (1915 - 2000) teacher, writer, author of Hungarian schoolbooks