Satu Mare Romania

Satu Mare, Romania : Originally Szatmar-Nemeti in Hungary. Satu Mare is a city located in Satu Mare County in Northwest Romania on the Somes river. It's some 13 km from the border with Hungary and 27 km from the border with Ukraine.

What's particularly interesting about Satu Mare is that it was originally a city in Hungary, but because of the border changes after World War I, it's now located in Romania. It was originally Szatmar-Nemeti in Hungary, but is now Satu Mare in Romania.

I know this city quite well as you see, my maternal grandfather was from Satu Mare! A few years ago, I had the trip of a lifetime in that we visited this city to do research on my grandfather and his mother and father ... and spent quite some time visiting 4 different cemeteries. You'll find pictures from our road trip that I've included below.

P.S. I've been researching old Satu Mare and Szatmar-Nemeti pictorial postcards for several years. Be sure to check out the newly added postcard pictures!

Photo Credit: Welcome to Satu Mare, Romania, photographed by JaguarJulie.

Have You Visited Satu-Mare, Romania?
Or, perhaps you live in Satu-Mare, Romania? Have you had the pleasure of visiting Satu-Mare, Romania?

1. Yes we have visited Satu-Mare!
2. Yes we actually live in Satu-Mare!
3. Never have visited Satu-Mare.

Cemetery Vacation!
A few years ago, I incorporated a visit to three cemeteries in Satu-Mare, Romania, and one cemetary in Budapest, Hungary to photograph headstones while tracing my families history. I could honestly do more vacations like this.

Check out my Flickr photo slideshows:

* Nagy Hungarian Monuments slideshow on Flickr.
* Satu Mare, Romania slideshow on Flickr.
* Satu Mare Historical Postcards slideshow on Flickr.

Satu Mare Today

Today, Satu Mare is a city in northeast Romania; although, it was previously Szatmar, a city in southeast Hungary. The borders for Hungary and other countries changed at the end of World War I. Turmoil in Hungary, Romania and other Eastern European countries throughout a thousand years of war encompassing the Austro-Hungarian Empire is a great subject for another article.

Origin of Satu Mare City

Archeological discoveries made in Oas-Land, Ardud, Medies, and Homorod show evidence of both the stone- and bronze age settlements in Satu Mare. Additional archeological evidence show proof of the Getic-Dacian communities occupying the regions after the Roman Conquest. Picture and information are courtesy of: Satu Mare City.

History of Satu Mare

• 10th century - as part of the Voievodeship led by Menumorut, one of the defense fortresses was located in Satu Mare (Castrum Zotmar), as mentioned in Anonymus's Chronicle.
• 1006 - Teutonic colonists, under queen Gisela, settled around the city core, Villa Zotmar.
• 1543 - the Bathory family assumes possession of the stronghold, making changes to the Somes riverbed to protect the southern wing of the fortress.
• 1562 - the fortress is attacked the Ottoman armies led by Pasha Abraham from Buda and Pasha Maleoci from Timisoara. The Habsburgs then attack the fortress, with Transylvanian armies burning it down.
• Late 16th century - Austrian general Lazar Schwendi commands the reconstruction according to the plans of Italian architect Ottavio Baldigara, in the manner of the Italian fortifications shaped as pentagons with five watchtowers.
• 1711 - the negotiated peace of Szatmar ended the rebellion.
• 1712-1715 - Mintiu and Satu Mare, formerly two distinct cities separated by the Somes during the Middle Ages, gradually unite administratively.
• 1721 - the city of Satu Mare was granted the royal-free-city statute on January 2nd, by an act, issued by Carol the VIth, consecrating the union.
• 18th century - beginning of the intense urbanization process, as seen today in the old city hall, the inn, the military barracks, the Greek-catholic and reformed churches.
• 1805 - street paving commences.
• 1823 - the Urban Development Planning Committee of the city is set up.
• 1844 - the first park is built.
• 1871 - the railway to Carei is built, the one to Sighet in 1872, the one to Baia Mare in 1894 and others (to Ardud, Bixad) after 1900.
• 1918 - the end of World War I; with the 1918 Union, Satu Mare experiences significant economic, as well as social, developments.

• In Europe, the outbreak of World War II, coupled with the rise of fascism, brought about dramatic changes of the socio-political and economic climate of the city.
• The summer of 1940 was one of the most tragic pages in the history of the Romanian people.
• The northwest territory of Transsilvania is torn away from the country by the Vienna Dictate.
• Following the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, Stalin annexes the North of Bucovina, Basarabia and Herta county.
• Bulgaria gets the province of Cadrilater.
• Freed by the Romanian Army in the autumn of 1944, Transsilvania was re-conquered following the war.
• After the Yalta Conference in 1945, communism came into power in Romania, as in all other Central European countries abandoned to the soviet sphere of influence.

Democracy in Satu Mare
The downfall of Communism An anticommunist uprising against the old regime, led to the downfall of the dictatorship in December 1989. Restoration of the pluralist political system was consecrated by the 1991 Constitution, leading to the adoption of democratic institutions. Read more about the history, by Gruco Ong.

Satu Mare County
Satu Mare county [in red] lies in the Northwest of Romania, on the lower course of the Somes river, bordering the Ukraine in the North, Hungary in the West and the counties of Bihor, Sãlaj and Maramures in the South and East.

From the plains in the western part of the county, crossed by the rivers Somes, Tur and Crasna, the relief gradually climbs towards the Oas and Gutâi mountains in the East, the Pietroasa peak reaching 1,200 m.

Facts on Satu Mare, the County

• Capital city: Satu Mare
• Area: 4,418 km2 (1.85% of national territory and ranks 36th among the other counties)
• Total population: 336,096
• Working population: 216,677
• Population mix: 46.54% urban, 53.46% rural
• Employment mix: Industry: 21.33%, Services: 11.58%, Agriculture: 35.82%, Others: 31.27%
• Unemployment rate: 4.5%

Satu Mare Currency
What was truly amazing was the currency of Satu Mare, the lei. It was extremely undervalued in comparison to the dollar. We got a "lot of bang" for the buck there! Today, I believe the lei's value has increased in comparison to the dollar.

• 1 dolari americani = 2.8787 lei
• 1 lei = 0.35 dolari americani

Info on Satu Mare - Resources for this article

• Satu Mare City Hall
  You'll be amazed at what you can learn from this website about the city of Satu Mare!
• Satu Mare City History
  At the end of World War I and as a consequence of the conditions created by the achievement of the 1918 Union, Satu Mare enjoys a significant development in all domains of the economic, social and cultural life.
• Satu Mare County Online
  This is a related site in that Satu Mare is also the name of a county.
• Satu Mare Currency Converter
  Convert dollars to the leis, the currency of Satu Mare, Romania.

Hotel Dacia in Satu Mare, Romania
Situated in the old center of the city, the Dacia Hotel. It was built in 1902 upon the old City Hall location and the Royal Court. The Dacia Hotel complex is an architectonic jewel realized in Secession style, awarded in 1903 at a architectural exposition in Vienna. I took a picture which won second place in a photo contest for a Fuji Film company!
E-mail: office@hoteldacia.ro
Phone: 0040.261.715.773

Villa Bodi in Satu Mare, Romania
Situated in the historical center of the city, the building recently renewed shelters recently this villa endowed with air-conditioning, sauna, mini bar, souvenir shop. Classic and elegant, the villa is entirely furnished with XIX century style antic furniture. We stayed at this hotel and give it a HIGH recommend!
E-mail: villa_bodi@datec.ro
Phone: 0040.261.710.862

Thank you for visiting Satu Mare Today!
Thank you for taking time today to visit my article and learn more about Satu Mare.

P.S. This beautiful fuchsia pink gerber daisy was bought in Satu Mare on a Friday night. The central park area was filled with merchants selling the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen.

Have you vacationed in Eastern Europe--Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, or Romania? Are you planning an Eastern European vacation? I'd surely love to hear about your trip!

History: Satu Mare, Romania : Szatmar-Nemeti, Hungary was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on April 6, 2006. Highest lensrank ever achieved: #519 overall. Lens #6 in the quest for Giant Squid 100 Club Charter Member 2007.