Varsag
Encyclopedia
Vărșag 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, Vărșag.
The village lies on the 850–1050 m high Vărșag volcanic plateau at the feet of the Ghurghiu de Sud Mountain. The only access way into the village is a 13 km long non-asphalted road (138B) which starts at the Zetea storage-lake. The climatic conditions are temperate, with short and fresh summers and long and chilly winters. The most important river is the Tărnava Mare (Nagy-Küküllő) River which rise here. There are a great number of creeks in the area: Tartód, Kiság, Varság, Nagykút, Boros, Köves, Szilidi. Sixty percent of it area is covered in forest with a great biological diversity. Local fauna include rabbits, foxes, bears, wolves, lynxes and a lot of species of birds. During the summer, raspberries, bilberries, blackberries, wild strawberries and several species of mushrooms can be picked. Trouts are frequent in the brooks.
.
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 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 Magyar Autonomous Region, between 1960 and 1968 the Mureș-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 1,515 of which 99.74% or 1,511 are Hungarian.
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, Vărșag.
Geography
It is the biggest scattered settlement in the county, its area being 76.69 km². The main dwellings from south to north are Küküllõ-telep, Bagzos, Nagykút, Sólyomkõ, Központ, Forrásköze, Varság-Tisztása.The village lies on the 850–1050 m high Vărșag volcanic plateau at the feet of the Ghurghiu de Sud Mountain. The only access way into the village is a 13 km long non-asphalted road (138B) which starts at the Zetea storage-lake. The climatic conditions are temperate, with short and fresh summers and long and chilly winters. The most important river is the Tărnava Mare (Nagy-Küküllő) River which rise here. There are a great number of creeks in the area: Tartód, Kiság, Varság, Nagykút, Boros, Köves, Szilidi. Sixty percent of it area is covered in forest with a great biological diversity. Local fauna include rabbits, foxes, bears, wolves, lynxes and a lot of species of birds. During the summer, raspberries, bilberries, blackberries, wild strawberries and several species of mushrooms can be picked. Trouts are frequent in the brooks.
History
The name Varság was first mentioned in 1598. In 1888, it was recorded as Varság-tisztás but the place was not inhabited until the end of the 19th century when summer dwellings for villagers were built here. The first permanent residents were woodworkers, shingle makers from the neighboring Székely villages. It became a commune as late as in 1906 and was called Varságtelep at first. Since 1908, it has been called Székelyvarság in Hungarian. In 1910, it had 1233 Hungarian inhabitants. Until the end of VVI, the village belonged to Udvarhely County in the Kingdom of HungaryKingdom 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 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 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 Magyar Autonomous Region, between 1960 and 1968 the Mureș-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 1,515 of which 99.74% or 1,511 are Hungarian.
Economy
The main economical activity is forestry and wood processing, agriculture, stone-cutting and in recent times ecotourism.Landmarks
- The ruins of the Tartód-castle stand on an 870 m (2,854 ft) high peak above the mouth of Tartód Creek. The castle was part of the line of defenses on the border of the Kingdom of HungaryKingdom of HungaryThe 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...
in the 11th and 12th centuries, - The Roman Catholic church was built between 1902-1904 from donation of count Károly Gusztav Majláth, Bishop of Transylvania,
- The Csorgókő Falls and the Jesus-spring are situated 3–4 km from the village center,