General Information

Historical Summary

The first documentation where Uricani locality is mentioned dates from 1818, known under the name: Hobiceni-Uricani, name carried until the union of1918.

The name of Uricani descends from the name of Hobita and Uric from Hateg Land. Hobita is documented from 1411, and Uric from 1473.
After the Ardeal's union with Romania, the locality was simply named: Uricani.
Over time, Campu lui Neag village functioned as political commune, or as village belonging to Uricani locality.

In 1965, Uricani was declared a town, and Valea de Brazi and Campu lui Neag villages entered into its composition.

A legend says that Campu lui Neag was founded by a famous outlaw named Neagu, who was hiding himself from the Turks in mountains. He marked the site of the future village by placing a stone (a monolith) about 2m length in the earth, the stone had inside of it two white quartz lodes situated in the form of a cross.

Around 1850, a village priest, Constantin Stanci found the stone had fallenonto the bank the Jiu River, he then took it by sleigh to his home and placed it in thecourtyard. From 1890 until 1936, Stanci's house served as the village school.

The stone was kept therefor over 100 yearsuntil a family descendent, the monk Danila Berinde placed it with other family relics in the place named Bradet, near theentrance of the Campu lui Neag village, where it remains to thisday. Located near the stone are the busts of Traian and Decebal. Manyof the citizens appreciate that Campu lui Neag village was founded by an outlaw from Hateg.

A remarkable event of the 17th century was the crossing of Matei Basarab through Uricani (1631). Together with other boyars (a member of a Russian aristocratic order next in rank below the ruling princes until its abolition by Peter the Great-Merriam-Webster Online) and his army from Hateg Land they crossed through Ardeal, trekked through the Valcan pass and then unto Uricani.

During the second half of the XVIII century, in 1788, Uricani suffered Turk invasions (from Ada - Kale). They surprised the people in the church, enslaving 16 people, decapitating the priest's inside the church, and thenset the church on fire.

The 1859 Union of the Romanian Principates caused much happiness in Uricani. The people celebrated and danced the Union Hora (hora is a circle dance of Romania). The police reacted to their joy and bound them in chains, however, the people were finally set free because there was no law to forbid this hora.

In the middle of the First World War, Uricani was the place of some terrible battles. In the autumn of 1916, the locality was three times lost and recapturedby the Romanian army. During this time, the population was evacuated to Hateg Land.

Uricani, as with many Romanian towns, appears to have a short history, one without much significance. Often the value of the town has been placed on the evolution and importance of the Jiu Valleys' mining industry. However, Uricani has a rich history based on concrete events, some of which are presented throughout this website. The history of Uricani cannot be discussed without discussing the history of the Jiu Valley, simply because the history of the two are woven together. Uricani's territory, Jiu Valley and Hateg Land created from Litovoi's district (Litua Land) in the XIII century. Although the Hungarian authority extended on this district, the connections with Romanian Land continued to exist.

The Jiu Valley's first noted documentation dates from April 18th 1461, in the papers of Lepes Lorant, the Ardeal's leader. Lorant mentioned that Murzina (Margina), the Densus's leader (Hateg Land) sold his possessions including Sylotena, which lies in the Jiu Valley. Sylotena (or Cow's Valley) is a 10-square km territory that lies between Cow's Valley brook at east, Sterminos brook at west, Jiu at south and Dealu Mare at north. Ninety percent of this territory lies within Uricani, in Mailatu river meadow (see Iacob Rusu, Hateg's History).

The first documentation where Uricani is mentioned, under the name of Hobiceni-Uric, is the Csibaky census in 1818. This name existed for a century until the union 1918. Uricani's name comes from Hobita and Uric localities. Hobita is documented from a 1411 certificate, and Uric in 1473, according to Romulus Vuia's paper Hateg Land and Woodmen Region. After 1918 the town began using the name Uricani.Campu lui Neag region (Niakmezeu) is mentioned in a document from 1493, when the Hungarian king Vladislav II gave Jiu Valley to Mihaly Kendeffy (Mihail Canda), in orderto colonize the region.

The17thcentury was a time in which an effort was made to improve the value of timber and cattle farming, which was demanded by the Turkish Empire and Austria.

In 1631, Matei Basarab passed through Uricani, after Leon Voda defeated him near Bucuresti. He had to run to Tismana and he followed the route: Frumosul - Boul - La Suliti - Sarba - Campusel - Campu lui Neag - Uricani - Tulisa - Uric - Raul Barbat - Geoagiu - Orastie.

The connections between this region and the Romanian Land is illustrated by the fact that the monks from Tismana built at Campu lui Neag the first church from fir wood in 1670.

In 1686, the Austrian general Schenffenberg and Ladislau Csaky passed with their army through the south of Transilvania (Valcan Pass), plundering the whole zone. There were many moments when the Turks and the Austrians plundered this region,proving that the municipalities of the Jiu Valley were economically viable. This positive evolution wasdue to the administration system, because in 1750 the first documentation referring to a leading body in Campu lui Neag village.

After the peace from Karlowitz from 1699, the Austrian influences increased in rapport with the Turkish one in this area. The Austrian authority, which was weaker than the Turkish one, could not prevent the numerous attacks of the Turks (from Ada-Kale) in Banat region and Jiu Valley.

In 1791, it is mentioned the building of a wood church in Uricani. Later, between 1846 and 1848, was built a school, , having as its first teacher Dumitru Parau from Rachti - Gorj. This school functioned until 1950, at which time the current school, school number one was built. From a document of the Russian general Isaev, from April 17th 1808, we find out that Tudor Vladimirescu succeeded to stop the Turk's from attacking in the region. According to R. Davidescu's paper Drobeta, 1978, p.154-169. Todor Canda from Campu lui Neag and Gheorghe Nicurici from Orlea, were involved in the traffic of arms. This was the beginning for the 1921 revolution.

The events of 1848, which included almost the whole of Europe, heavily influenced the evolution of Jiu Valley. Jiu Valley was included in Hateg Land and governed by Nicolae Solomon, who was a schoolmaster. The villages of: Campu lui Neag, Uricani, Barbatenii de Sus, Lupeni, Paroseni, Vulcan, Coroesti and Iscroni (Barbatenii de Jos) made part of this region. The schoolmaster, Dumitru Parau, the priest Ilie Zugravu and Canda from Campu lui Neag are mentioned in these events. The defeat's of the 1948 (1848?) revolution are also supported in this region. Among these, arethe regimes installed here beginning with1848, at first a liberal one and then neo absolutist, which declared the equality of all nations from the Hapsburg Empire. But this situation didn't lastlong because of closing(?) between Austria and Hungaria.

The Romanian Principate's union from 1859 and the founding of the Romanian modern state gave hope for liberty and freedom. The symbol of this union is "The Union Hora", which was danced at Uricani. Policemen had arrested the people who sympathized with the union for disturbing the public order. However, because there were no laws prohibiting the dance the people were set free immediately.

In 1867 - 1918, the king of Austria became the king of Hungaria. Transilvania, Banat, Crisana and Maramures were given to Hungaria. Hungaria had a national politic(?) and for this reason many Romanians suffered. The Romanians continued the fight for national emancipation during 18th century through the Supplex Moving initiated by Inochentie Micu (Supplex Libellus - 1743).

In 1914, persons under the age of 50from Uricani weredraftedinto the Romanian army. In 1916, after Romania entered the war in nearby Antanta, they continuedinto Transilvania. At which time the Romanian army occupied Uricani. In the autumn of 1916 Uricani was lost three times and recaptured by Romanian army. The people from Uricani: Calota Mihai Logasc (who fight at Bulzuri - Valea de Brazi), Stoi Zaharia, Danciu Ion Gaspar, Ianos Purece, Bucuresc Ion, Galben Nicolae are mentioned in the inscription at Tulisa Mountain, built at July 27th 1937.

World War I was a difficult time for Romania because the country was occupied by Germany. Finally Germany and its alias had suffered an inevitable defeat. At 31st of October 1918 the monarchy authority had been replaced with peasant-worker's committeeand at Uricani a 16 person National Guard was formed. Its leaders werethe school master Turcu and Ianos Iosif, Fagas Gh., Filimon Gh, Vagaun Iosif, Ionasc Iosif, Barb Ion, Purece Ianasi, Timisan Gh., Timisan Valer, Maxer I. Trifu, Stancau Nicolae, etc. The commander of all national guards from Jiu Valley was Vasile Berinde from Campu lui Neag, (military priest), who was decorated in 1922 by Ferdinand I, the Romanian king.

On the 1st of December 1918, the priest Nicolae Zugravu, 14 people from the National Guard and the mayor, Pantelimon Todea of Uricani werepart of the1228 people who gathered at Alba Iulia and voted to unify Transilvania with Romania.

In the First World War 72 men from Uricani died during battle and in the Second World War 26 men died.

After the union 1918 the locality abandoned the name Uricani-Hobita and kept only the name of Uricani. The end of World War II and the entrance under the communist regime controlled directly from Moscow, amplified the exploitation of the natural resources, specifically coal. The direct consequences of this fact were the growth of the population number and building blocks of flats for them.

In 1947 the first slope gallery in Balomir opened and start the exploitation of the coke pit coal.

In 1964, Uricani village wasdeclared a city.

Religion

The spirituallife of the Uricani's people is not so different from the other towns on the Westernbanks of the Jiu. It's full of tragedy, sacrifice, but also constantly keeping the Romanian laws.

Christianity spread across Romania from the beginning of the culture starting with the formation of Romanian people, so it can be spoken about two parallel processes: Christianity and ethno genesis.

The archaeologist Radu Vulpe says "all the people around Danube know with precision the day when they became Christians, because they adopt the new religion later. But our people cannot specify the date, because they have no birth certificate. They had born Christians in a spontaneous way, natural, at the same time with his formations. We are Romanians because we are Christians and we are Christians because we are Romanians."(From the Danube to the Seaside, Galati, ed. II, 1979, page 21).

Our people had in theirchurch not only a spirituality guide but also a cultural - artistic, social - national and patriotic guide.

The church was the one that for many centuries spread the cultural activity in Romanians Country through schools, books, architecture, painting, music and sculpture. Many monasteries offered the first social servces providing hospice care and asylum for the elderly and the ill. Through its knowledge and itsservice, the church helped mold the people into good Christians; religious God fearing people with love for others. As well, the church played a key role in helping them fight for national freedom, liberation, social justice and achieving a unifiedstate. Our priests arepeople with a high moral life ready to sacrifice their lives for Christ and for their faith.

Area: Uricani has the biggest area of all Romanian towns: 25.141 ha.

Number of including villages: 2, Valea de Brazi and Campu lui Neag.

Access ways: Uricani is at 29 km from Petrosani and 125 km from Deva. The access through Uricani is made through DN 66 road (from Petrosani) to the south side of Romania and through Defileu Jiu DN 66 A.

Flora and fauna: Retezat Mountains hasunique occurrence in number and size of its lakes. There are 85 lakes within the mountain range. The deepest lake is Zanoaga (29 m) and the most vast is Bucura (10 ha).

The pride of Retezat Mountains is the chamois (a small goatlike antelope (Rupicapra Rupicapra) of the mountainous regions from southern Europe to the Caucasus). Other rare animals that areprotected by law are: the lynx, the eagles, and the mountain rooster. Retezat National Park was opened in 1934.

The climate: is a temperate; January is typically the coldest month with an average temperature of (-4oC) and July is typically the warmest month with and average temperature of (20oC).
Rainfall is plentiful with an annual medium of 900 - 1000 mm. Wind pattern can often be irregular, ranging from S - E and N - E with a 4 - 5 grade in force.

Rivers: Uricani is located in the western fork of the Jiu Riverand has several nearby brooks : Lazarul, Valea de Pesti, Buta, Bilugu. There is also areservoir which provides the drinking water for all of the Jiu Valley.

Demographics

The total number of inhabitants:11.845

The density of people: 2 inhabitants/10.000 mp

The birth rate: 1.64% (number of birth in 2000)

The death rate: 1.08% (number of death in 2000)

Source: DEEP