Odorheiu Secuiesc: Difference between revisions

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			{{Infobox Romanian subdivision
	{{Infobox settlement <!--more fields are available for this Infobox--See Template:Infobox Settlement-->
			\|type = municipality
	\|subdivision_type = ]
	\|~~subdivision_name~~ = ~~{{ROU}}~~		\|county = Harghita
			\|official_name = Odorheiu Secuiesc
	\|timezone=]
			\|other_name = Székelyudvarhely
	\|utc_offset=+2
			\|image_flag = ROU HR Odorheiu Secuiesc Flag.png
	\|timezone_DST=]
			\|image_shield = Coa Romania Town Székelyudvarhely.svg
	\|utc_offset_DST=+3
			\|image_skyline = {{multiple image
	\|map_caption = Location of Odorheiu Secuiesc\|
			\| border = infobox
	\|official_name=Odorheiu Secuiesc
			\| total_width = 300
	\|other_name=Székelyudvarhely
			\| image_style = infobox
	\|image_map=Odorheiu Secuiesc jud Harghita.png
			\| perrow = 1/2
	\|image_skyline= Székelyudvarhely.jpg
			\| caption_align = center
	\|image_caption=Main Square
			\| image1 = RO_HR_Odorheiu_Secuiesc_2022_(7).jpg
	\|image_shield=coa_odorheiu_secuiesc_ro.gif\|
			\| caption1 = Odorheiu Secuiesc City Hall
	\|subdivision_type1=]
			\| image2 = Liceul_Teoretic_„Tamási_Áron”_din_Odorheiu_Secuiesc.jpg
	\|subdivision_name1=Harghita County\|
			\| caption2 = Áron Tamási High School
	\|subdivision_type2=]
			\| image3 = RO_HR_Biserica_romano-catolică_Sfântul_Nicolae_din_Odorheiu_Secuiesc_(69).jpg
	\|subdivision_name2={{Autolink\|Municipality}}
			\| caption3 = Saint Nicholas Catholic Church
	\|settlement_type=Municipality\|\|
	\|leader_title=]
	\|leader_name=Bunta Levente
	\|leader_party=]
	\|area_total_km2=
	\|population_as_of=2002
	\|population_total=36926
	\|latd=46\|latm=18\|lats=50\|latNS=N\|longd=25\|longm=18\|longs=6\|longEW=E
	\| demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
	\| demographics1_footnotes =
	\| demographics1_title1 = ]
	\| demographics1_title2 = ]
	\| demographics1_title3 = ]
	\| demographics1_info1 = 95.69%
	\| demographics1_info2 = 2.91%
	\| demographics1_info3 = 1.16%
	\|area_code=]\|
	\|area_code=]\|
	\|website=
	\|website=
	}}		}}
			\|image_caption =
	'''Odorheiu Secuiesc''' ({{lang-hu\|Székelyudvarhely}}, <small>Hungarian pronunciation</small>: {{convertIPA-hu\|’\|sz\|é\|k\|e\|ly\|u\|d\|v\|a\|r\|h\|e\|ly}}; {{lang-de\|Odorhellen}}) is the second-largest city in ], ], ]. In its short form, it is also known as ''Odorhei'' in Romanian and ''Udvarhely'' in Hungarian. The Hungarian name of the town "Udvarhely" means "Court-yard place" in English.
			\|image_map = Odorheiu Secuiesc jud Harghita.png
			\|map_caption = Location in ]
			\|leader_name = Árpád Gálfi<ref name=mayor/>
			\|leader_party = Independent
			\|term = 2020–2024
			\|coordinates = {{coord\|46\|18\|50\|N\|25\|18\|6\|E\|region:RO\|display=inline,title}}
			\|elevation = 390
			\|elevation_min =
			\|elevation_max =
			\|area_total = 47.49
			\|population_total = auto
			\|population_as_of =
			\|population_footnotes =
			\|postal_code = 535600
			\|area_code = +(40) 266
			\|website = {{URL\|https://www.udvarhely.ro}}
			}}

			'''Odorheiu Secuiesc''' ({{IPA\|ro\|odorˌheju sekuˈjesk}}; {{langx\|hu\|Székelyudvarhely}}, {{IPA-hu\|ˈseːkɛjudvɒrhɛj\|AUD\|Székelyudvarhely.ogg}}; {{langx\|de\|Odorhellen}}) is the second largest ] in ], ], ]. In its short form, it is also known as ''Odorhei'' in Romanian and ''Udvarhely'' in Hungarian. The Hungarian name of the town "Udvarhely" means "courtyard place".

	== Demographics ==		== Demographics ==
			At the ], the city had a population of 34,257; among those for whom data were available, 95.8% were ethnic ], making it the urban settlement with the third-highest proportion of Hungarians in Romania. The city was also home to communities of ethnic ] (2.6%) and ] (1.5%). According to the ], Odorheiu Secuiesc had a population of 31,335; of those, 87.29% were Hungarians, 2.3% Romanians, and 1.58% Roma.<ref name="RPL2021">{{cite web\|url=https://www.recensamantromania.ro/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Tabel-1.03_1.3.1-si-1.03.2.xls\|title=Populația rezidentă după grupa de vârstă, pe județe și municipii, orașe, comune, la 1 decembrie 2021\|publisher=]\|language=ro\|date=31 May 2023}}</ref>
	The city has a population of 36,948, of which 95.7% or 35,359 people are ], making it the city with the second-highest proportion of Hungarians in Romania.<ref></ref>

			As of 2011, half the population of the town professed ] (50.05%), while the remaining half was primarily divided between ] (30.14%), ] (14.71%), and ] (2.54%) communities.
	''Demographics movement according to the censuses:''
	<timeline>
	Colors=
	id:lightgrey value:gray(0.9)
	id:darkgrey value:gray(0.7)
	id:sfondo value:rgb(1,1,1)
	id:barra value:rgb(0.6,0.7,0.8)

			{{Historical populations
	ImageSize = width:360 height:260
			\| source = Census data
	PlotArea = left:50 bottom:50 top:30 right:30
			\| percentages = pagr
	DateFormat = x.y
			\| align = none
	Period = from:0 till:40000
			\| graph-pos=right
	TimeAxis = orientation:vertical
			\|1912 \|10244
	AlignBars = justify
			\|1930 \|8518
	ScaleMajor = gridcolor:darkgrey increment:5000 start:0
			\|1948 \|10366
	ScaleMinor = gridcolor:lightgrey increment:1000 start:0
			\|1956 \|14162
	BackgroundColors = canvas:sfondo
			\|1966 \|18244
			\|1977 \|28738
			\|1992 \|39959
			\|2002 \|36948
			\|2011 \|34257
			\|2021 \|31335
			}}

			==History==
	BarData=
			A Roman fortress was found under the ruins of a medieval fort in the centre of the town. A funeral inscription was also found placed by the veteran, Aelius Equester, former centurion, to his wife Aurelia Juiuni and himself. The inscription dates back to the 7th century AD. Stamps with the letters of the Alpinorum equitata cohort and the Ubiorum cohort were also found in Odorhei.<ref>{{cite journal\|url=https://biblioteca-digitala.ro/reviste/Angvstia/dl.asp?filename=03-Revista-Angvstia-3-1998-arheologie-istorie-etnografie-sociologie-06.pdf\|last=Bató\|first=Attila\|title= Problematica castrului Roman de la Odorheiu-Secuiesc (Jud. Harghita)\|lang=ro\|journal= Angvstia\|volume=3\|year=1998\|pages=77–82}}</ref> The town, as the former seat of the ] '']'', is one of the historical centers of ]. The first known reference to the city was in a ] register of duties in 1334 when it was mentioned by its Hungarian name, a ''sacerdos de Oduorhel''.<ref name="János András Vistai">{{cite web\|author=János András Vistai\|title= Tekintő – Erdélyi Helynévkönyv \|url=http://www.fatornyosfalunk.com/helynevkonyv_-_3._kotet_Q-ZS.pdf \|trans-title=Transylvanian Toponym Book \|language=hu}} {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710230724/http://www.fatornyosfalunk.com/helynevkonyv_-_3._kotet_Q-Zs.pdf \|date=2011-07-10 }}</ref> Since 1615, when ], Prince of Transylvania, reaffirmed the rights of the town, the place has been referred to as Székelyudvarhely.

			Udvarhely was the location of the first assembly of ] in 1357. A fortress was built in the town in 1451. It was rebuilt and strengthened by ] in 1565, in order to control the Székelys. ]n Prince ] allied with the Szekelys and the ] destroyed the fortress in 1599 during their campaign in Transylvania. It was repeatedly rebuilt and destroyed again during history. The ruins of the structure are nowadays known as "''The Székely-Attacked Fortress''".
	bar:1912 text:1912
	bar:1930 text:1930
	bar:1948 text:1948
	bar:1956 text:1956
	bar:1966 text:1966
	bar:1977 text:1977
	bar:1992 text:1992
	bar:2002 text:2002


			The town was historically part of the ] region of ]. It was the seat of Udvarhelyszék District until the administrative reform of Transylvania in 1876, when it fell within the ] in the ]. In the aftermath of ], the ] was declared in December 1918. At the start of the ] of 1918–1919, the town passed under Romanian administration. After the ] of 1920, it became part of the ] and was the seat of ] during the interwar period. In 1940, the ] granted ] to Hungary. Towards the end of ], Romanian and ] armies entered the town in September 1944. The territory of Northern Transylvania remained under Soviet military administration until 9 March 1945, after which it became again part of Romania. In 1950, after ] was established, the city became the headquarters of the Odorhei ] of ]. Between 1952 and 1960, the town fell within the ], between 1960 and 1968 the Mureș-Magyar Autonomous Region. After the administrative reform of 1968, the region was abolished, and since then, the town has been part of Harghita County.<ref>{{cite book \|title= Transylvania: the roots of ethnic conflict\|author1=John F. Cadzow \|author2=Andrew Ludányi \|author3=Louis J. Éltető \|year=1983 \|publisher= ]\|isbn= 9780873382830\|quote=1968 ...On February 14, the administrative reorganization of Rumania eliminates the Mureș-Magyar Autonomous Region and replaces it with the counties of Mureș,...}}</ref>
	PlotData=
	color:barra width:20 align:left

			The town and the surrounding villages were hit by a significant ].
	bar:1912 from:0 till: 10244
	bar:1930 from:0 till: 8518
	bar:1948 from:0 till: 10366
	bar:1956 from:0 till: 14162
	bar:1966 from:0 till: 18244
	bar:1977 from:0 till: 28738
	bar:1992 from:0 till: 39959
	bar:2002 from:0 till: 36948

	PlotData=

			A statue park of historical persons of importance for the Székelys was unveiled in the town on 22 May 2004. This gave rise to controversy, as one of the statues (''The Wandering Szekler'') was interpreted in the Romanian press as being the portrait of controversial writer and poet ].
	bar:1912 at: 10244 fontsize:S text: 10.244 shift:(-9,5)
	bar:1930 at: 8518 fontsize:S text: 8.518 shift:(-13,5)
	bar:1948 at: 10366 fontsize:S text: 10.366 shift:(-15,5)
	bar:1956 at: 14162 fontsize:S text: 14.162 shift:(-15,5)
	bar:1966 at: 18244 fontsize:S text: 18.244 shift:(-15,5)
	bar:1977 at: 28738 fontsize:S text: 28.738 shift:(-15,5)
	bar:1992 at: 39959 fontsize:S text: 39.959 shift:(-15,5)
	bar:2002 at: 36948 fontsize:S text: 36.948 shift:(-15,5)

			==Education==
	TextData=
			The town is renowned in the region for its long and distinguished tradition in ]. Its oldest and foremost secondary school is (founded by Jesuits in 1593). The lyceum/gimnazium is one of the oldest Hungarian institutions of learning; its current building is an architectural masterpiece of ]. Other notable secondary schools include: (founded in 1670 as one of the most important places of learning by the Hungarian Reformed Church in Transylvania); (its main building is a monument); ; .{{citation needed\|date=August 2013}}
	fontsize:S pos:(20,20)
	text:Census Data. Graphics made by Misplaced Pages.
	</timeline>

			Odorheiu Secuiesc currently has one institution of higher education , an affiliate of in ] (Hungary), with degrees in tourism and hospitality management, business administration, marketing and communication, development and economics, agricultural technology, forestry management and e-business. Dual degrees are also offered with ], ] in Keszthely, ] in Budapest, and ] in ] (Hungary).{{citation needed\|date=August 2013}}
	== History ==
	]
	The town, as the former seat of the ] '']'', is one of the historical centres of the ]. The first known reference to the city was in a ] register of duties in ] when it was mentioned by its Hungarian name mentioning a ''sacerdos de Oduorhel''. <ref name="János András Vistai">{{cite web\|author=János András Vistai\|title= Tekintő – Erdélyi Helynévkönyv}}</ref>Since 1615, when the ] Prince of Transylvania reaffirmed the rights of the town, the place has been referred to as Székelyudvarhely.

			== Politics ==
	Udvarhely was the location of the first assembly of Székelys in 1357. A fortress was built in the town in 1451. It was rebuilt and strengthened by ] in 1565, in order to control the Székelys. ]n Prince ] allied with (and ] destroyed the fortress in 1599 during his campaign in Transylvania. It was repeatedly rebuilt and destroyed again during history. The ruins of the structure are nowadays known as "''The Székely-attacked fortress''".

			]
	The town was historically part of the ] region of ] province. It was the seat of ] district until the administrative reform of Transylvania in 1876, when it fell within the ] in the ]. After the ] of 1920, it became part of ] and fell within ] during the interwar period. In 1940, the ] granted the ] to Hungary and the town was held by Hungary until 1944. After Soviet occupation, the Romanian administration returned and it became officially part of Romania in 1947. Between 1952 and 1960, the town fell within the ], between 1960 and 1968 the Mureş-Magyar Autonomous Region. In 1968, the province was abolished, and since then, the town has been part of Harghita County.<ref>{{cite book \|title= Transylvania: the roots of ethnic conflict\|last=John F. Cadzow, Andrew Ludányi, Louis J. Éltető \|first= \|authorlink= \|coauthors= \|year=1983 \|publisher= ]\|location= \|isbn= 0873382838, 9780873382830\|page= \|pages= \|url= \|accessdate=\|quote=1968 ...On February 14, the administrative reorganization of Rumania eliminates the Mures-Magyar Autonomous Region and replaces it with the counties of Mures,...}}</ref>

			The mayor of Odorheiu Secuiesc is Árpád Gálfi, re-elected in 2020.<ref name=mayor>{{cite web \|url=https://prezenta.roaep.ro/locale27092020/romania-pv-final \|title=Results of the 2020 local elections \|publisher=Central Electoral Bureau \|access-date=6 June 2021 \|df=dmy-all}}</ref> At the 2020 elections he represented the ] (Hungarian: ''Szabad Emberek Pártja'', "Party of the Free People"), but he was deprived of membership in that party in April 2021.<ref>{{cite web \|url=https://uh.ro/galfit-kizartak-a-pol-bol-fuggetlenkent-folytatja/ \|title=Gálfit kizárták a POL-ból, függetlenként folytatja \|publisher=UH.RO \|access-date=2021-04-03 \|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
	The town and the surrounding villages were hit by a significant ] in August 2005.

	]
			The city council has 19 members:<ref name=mayor/>
	A statue park of historical persons of importance for the Székelys was unveiled in the town on May 22, 2004. This gave rise to controversy, as one of the sculptures (''The Wandering Szekler'') was interpreted in the Romanian press as being the portrait of controversial writer and poet ].

			{\| class="wikitable"
			! style="background:#ccc" \|
			! style="background:#ccc" \| Party
			! style="background:#ccc" \| Seats
			! style="background:#ccc" colspan="12" \| Current Council
			\|-
			\| {{party color cell\|Independent}}
			\| ] (POL)
			\| style="text-align: right" \| '''12'''
			\| {{party color cell\|Independent}}
			\| {{party color cell\|Independent}}
			\| {{party color cell\|Independent}}
			\| {{party color cell\|Independent}}
			\| {{party color cell\|Independent}}
			\| {{party color cell\|Independent}}
			\| {{party color cell\|Independent}}
			\| {{party color cell\|Independent}}
			\| {{party color cell\|Independent}}
			\| {{party color cell\|Independent}}
			\| {{party color cell\|Independent}}
			\| {{party color cell\|Independent}}
			\|-
			\| {{party color cell\|Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania}}
			\| ] (UDMR/RMDSZ)
			\| style="text-align: right" \| '''6'''
			\| {{party color cell\|Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania}}
			\| {{party color cell\|Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania}}
			\| {{party color cell\|Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania}}
			\| {{party color cell\|Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania}}
			\| {{party color cell\|Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania}}
			\| {{party color cell\|Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania}}
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|-
			\| {{party color cell\|Hungarian Civic Party (Romania)}}
			\| ] (PCM/MPP)
			\| style="text-align: right" \| '''1'''
			\| {{party color cell\|Hungarian Civic Party (Romania)}}
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|-
			\|}

			== Tourism ==

			Odorheiu Secuiesc is a small yet culturally vibrant town. It has a sizeable , the (featuring permanent and seasonal exhibits dedicated to Szekler village life, Szekler arts and crafts, the history of the region, and a growing collection of Hungarian painters in Transylvania), a , a local TV studio, and several local newspapers. Throughout the year, there are festivals and youth events, a monthly farmer's market selling local, traditional and organic products. With strong cultural ties to Hungary, the town frequently hosts artists, writers and bands from Hungary. The town also features a central park, a large open air pool and several spas. Its main square, flanked by historic public buildings, is Márton Áron Square, or as the locals call it, Horseshoe Square (due to its shape).{{citation needed\|date=August 2013}}

			Odorheiu Secuiesc and the area have some great touristic attractions, such as a bike path to {{ill\|Szejke Spa\|hu\|Szejkefürdő}} (also the burial ground of the Szekler ethnographer ]) and the Mineral Water Trails Museum, the low-Alpine-type ski resort of {{ill\|Madaras Harghita Mountains\|hu\|Madarasi-Hargita}} (part of the eastern range of the ]) as well as charming mountain bungalows and farm guest houses on the mountainous paths and Alpine slopes leading to the Madaras Peak (with genuine ] dining experiences), in addition to several mineral water springs and pools (, {{ill\|Zetelaka Lake\|hu\|Zeteváraljai víztározó}}, with great fishing and hunting. The pottery village of ], a popular destination for those who love Hungarian pottery and traditional folk patterns, is only {{cvt\|25\|km}} away from the city. The salty Bear Lake in ], a significant resort town that has been recently redeveloped, is also less than one hour's drive away (46 km).{{citation needed\|date=August 2013}}

			The region has seen increased interest in ], wildlife hiking and bear-watching, biking, rock climbing, ], photo-tourism and cultural tourism.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.utazunk.com/cikk/az-okoturizmus-all-a-hargita-megyei-turisztikai-fejlesztesek-kozeppontjaban_465.php \|language=hu \|title=Az ökoturizmus áll a Hargita megyei turisztikai fejlesztések középpontjában \|access-date=24 January 2013 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141014054601/http://www.utazunk.com/cikk/az-okoturizmus-all-a-hargita-megyei-turisztikai-fejlesztesek-kozeppontjaban_465.php \|archive-date=14 October 2014 \|url-status=dead }}</ref>

			The town is an ideal day-trip destination for tourists exploring the richness and diversity of ] due to its closeness to the Medieval (formerly) ] towns of ] (50 km), ] (109 km), ] (150 km), as well as the world-famous ], better known as Dracula Castle, (130 km), yet it offers a different cultural experience thanks to its carefully preserved Hungarian culture. The surrounding villages showcase traditional Szekler-Hungarian house-building techniques and woodcraft, such as the stooped {{ill\|Szekler Gates\|hu\|Székelykapu}}. The rich and distinctive furniture-carving and painting techniques of villages in Szeklerland were showcased in the ]'s ] in June 2013 in ], USA.{{citation needed\|date=August 2013}}

			The closest airport is ] (110 km) with direct flights (Rynair, Wizzair, or Tarom) to Budapest, London, Barcelona, Bergamo, Bologna, Madrid, Rome, Bucharest, Brussels, and Pisa.

			The route of the ] ] passes through the city.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Terra Siculorum {{!}} Via Transilvanica \|url=https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/tinuturi/terra-siculorum/ \|access-date=2023-08-14 \|website=www.viatransilvanica.com \|language=ro}}</ref>

			]

	==Natives==		==Natives==
			* ] (1895–1942), author of the ]
	* ] (1553 - 1603), prince of Transylvania
			* András Csiky (b. 1930), actor
			* ] (b. 1944), Hungarian composer and conductor; principal guest conductor with the BBC Symphony Orchestra in the 1980s; currently principal guest conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
			* ] (b. 1978), Hungarian-German table tennis player
			* ] (b. 1942), women's gymnastics coach, currently of U.S. National Women's Team, formerly of Romanian Olympic champion Nadia Comăneci, among many others
	* István Lakatos (born around 1620), historian		* István Lakatos (born around 1620), historian
			* ] (b. 1964), footballer and football manager
	*] (b. 1944), Hungarian composer and conductor.
			* ] (1863–1924), Austro-Hungarian ] ] and a Governor-General of the ]
	*] (1909 - 1949), Hungarian ] politician, victim of ]'s show trials.
			* ] (1884–1952), actor
	* Sándor Tomcsa, poet (1897 - 1963)
	* György ~~Csanády~~ (~~1895~~ ~~- 1942~~), ~~author~~ of the ]		* {{ill\|György Méhes\|hu\|Méhes György (író)}} (1916–2007), Hungarian writer, winner of the ]
			* ] (b. 1948), handball player
	*András Csiky (1930 -), actor
			* ] (1909–1949), Hungarian ] politician, Minister of the Interior then of Foreign Affairs of Communist Hungary, victim of ]'s show trials
	*Zoltan Fejer-Konnerth (b. 1978), German table tennis player
			* ] (1903–1980), Hungarian botanist and professor at University of Budapest, winner of the Kossuth Prize
			* ] (1553–1603), prince of Transylvania
			* ] (1897–1963), writer, playwright, journalist, caricaturist

	==Twin cities==		==Twin towns – sister cities==
			{{See also\|List of twin towns and sister cities in Romania}}
	*{{flagicon\|Hungary}} ] (1990.01.15.)
			Odorheiu Secuiesc is ] with:<ref>{{cite web \|title=Testvértelepülések\|url=https://www.udvarhely.ro/testvertelepulesek/\|publisher=Odorheiu Secuiesc\|language=ro\|access-date=2024-06-04}}</ref>
	*{{flagicon\|Hungary}} ] (1991.01.23.)
			{{div col\|colwidth=20em}}
	*{{flagicon\|Serbia}} ] (1994.10.05.)
	*{{flagicon\|~~Hungary~~}} ] ~~(district of ]) (1995.07.26.)~~		*{{flagicon\|HUN}} ], Hungary
	*{{flagicon\|~~Hungary~~}} ] ~~(district of ])~~		*{{flagicon\|HUN}} ], Hungary
	*{{flagicon\|~~Hungary~~}} ] ~~(1997.04.24.)~~		*{{flagicon\|UKR}} ], Ukraine
	*{{flagicon\|~~Slovakia~~}} ] ~~(1997.09.24.)~~		*{{flagicon\|HUN}} ], Hungary
	*{{flagicon\|~~Hungary~~}} ] (~~district of ]) ~~(1997.09.24)~~~~		*{{flagicon\|HUN}} ], Hungary
	*{{flagicon\|~~Hungary~~}} ] ~~(1999.09.30.)~~		*{{flagicon\|HUN}} ], Hungary
	*{{flagicon\|~~Hungary~~}} ] ~~(2000.03.28.)~~		*{{flagicon\|SVK}} ], Slovakia
	*{{flagicon\|~~Hungary~~}} ] ~~(2000.03.28)~~		*{{flagicon\|HUN}} ], Hungary
	*{{flagicon\|~~Hungary~~}} ] ~~(2001.06.01.)~~		*{{flagicon\|HUN}} ], Hungary
			*{{flagicon\|HUN}} ], Hungary
	*{{flagicon\|Hungary}} ]
			*{{flagicon\|HUN}} ], Hungary
			*{{flagicon\|SRB}} ], Serbia
			*{{flagicon\|HUN}} ], Hungary
			*{{flagicon\|HUN}} ], Hungary
			*{{flagicon\|HUN}} ], Hungary
			*{{flagicon\|HUN}} ], Hungary
			{{div col end}}

	==References==		==References==
			{{reflist}}
	<references />

	==External links==		==External links==
			{{commons category\|Odorheiu Secuiesc}}
	* {{en icon}}
	* {{hu ~~icon~~}}		* {{in lang\|hu}}
	* {{hu ~~icon}} {{~~en ~~icon}} {{~~ro ~~icon~~}}		* {{in lang\|hu\|en\|ro}}
	* {{hu ~~icon~~}}		* {{in lang\|hu}}

	{{Municipalities and Towns of Harghita County}}		{{Municipalities and Towns of Harghita County}}

			{{Authority control}}
	]

			]
			]
	]		]
	]		]
			]
	]
			]
	]
	]		]
			]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]

Latest revision as of 14:39, 3 November 2024

Municipality in Harghita, Romania

Odorheiu Secuiesc Székelyudvarhely
Municipality
Odorheiu Secuiesc City HallÁron Tamási High SchoolSaint Nicholas Catholic Church
FlagCoat of arms
Location in Harghita County
Odorheiu SecuiescLocation in Romania
Coordinates: 46°18′50″N 25°18′6″E / 46.31389°N 25.30167°E / 46.31389; 25.30167
Country	Romania
County	Harghita
Government
• Mayor (2020–2024)	Árpád Gálfi (Ind.)
Area	47.49 km (18.34 sq mi)
Elevation	390 m (1,280 ft)
Population	31,335
• Density	660/km (1,700/sq mi)
Time zone	EET/EEST (UTC+2/+3)
Postal code	535600
Area code	+(40) 266
Vehicle reg.	HR
Website	www.udvarhely.ro

Odorheiu Secuiesc (Romanian pronunciation: [odorˌheju sekuˈjesk]; Hungarian: Székelyudvarhely, Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈseːkɛjudvɒrhɛj] ; German: Odorhellen) is the second largest municipality in Harghita County, Transylvania, Romania. In its short form, it is also known as Odorhei in Romanian and Udvarhely in Hungarian. The Hungarian name of the town "Udvarhely" means "courtyard place".

Demographics

At the 2011 census, the city had a population of 34,257; among those for whom data were available, 95.8% were ethnic Hungarians, making it the urban settlement with the third-highest proportion of Hungarians in Romania. The city was also home to communities of ethnic Romanians (2.6%) and Roma (1.5%). According to the 2021 census, Odorheiu Secuiesc had a population of 31,335; of those, 87.29% were Hungarians, 2.3% Romanians, and 1.58% Roma.

As of 2011, half the population of the town professed Roman Catholicism (50.05%), while the remaining half was primarily divided between Hungarian Reformed (30.14%), Unitarian (14.71%), and Romanian Orthodox (2.54%) communities.

Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1912	10,244	—
1930	8,518	−1.02%
1948	10,366	+1.10%
1956	14,162	+3.98%
1966	18,244	+2.57%
1977	28,738	+4.22%
1992	39,959	+2.22%
2002	36,948	−0.78%
2011	34,257	−0.84%
2021	31,335	−0.89%
Source: Census data

History

A Roman fortress was found under the ruins of a medieval fort in the centre of the town. A funeral inscription was also found placed by the veteran, Aelius Equester, former centurion, to his wife Aurelia Juiuni and himself. The inscription dates back to the 7th century AD. Stamps with the letters of the Alpinorum equitata cohort and the Ubiorum cohort were also found in Odorhei. The town, as the former seat of the Udvarhely comitatus, is one of the historical centers of Székely Land. The first known reference to the city was in a papal register of duties in 1334 when it was mentioned by its Hungarian name, a sacerdos de Oduorhel. Since 1615, when Gabriel Bethlen, Prince of Transylvania, reaffirmed the rights of the town, the place has been referred to as Székelyudvarhely.

Udvarhely was the location of the first assembly of Székelys in 1357. A fortress was built in the town in 1451. It was rebuilt and strengthened by John II Sigismund Zápolya in 1565, in order to control the Székelys. Wallachian Prince Michael the Brave allied with the Szekelys and the Habsburgs destroyed the fortress in 1599 during their campaign in Transylvania. It was repeatedly rebuilt and destroyed again during history. The ruins of the structure are nowadays known as "The Székely-Attacked Fortress".

The town was historically part of the Szeklerland region of Transylvania. It was the seat of Udvarhelyszék District until the administrative reform of Transylvania in 1876, when it fell within the Udvarhely County in the Kingdom of Hungary. In the aftermath of World War I, the Union of Transylvania with Romania was declared in December 1918. At the start of the Hungarian–Romanian War of 1918–1919, the town passed under Romanian administration. After the Treaty of Trianon of 1920, it became part of the Kingdom of Romania and was the seat of Odorhei County during the interwar period. In 1940, the Second Vienna Award granted Northern Transylvania to Hungary. Towards the end of World War II, Romanian and Soviet armies entered the town in September 1944. The territory of Northern Transylvania remained under Soviet military administration until 9 March 1945, after which it became again part of Romania. In 1950, after Communist Romania was established, the city became the headquarters of the Odorhei Raion of Stalin Region. Between 1952 and 1960, the town fell within the Magyar Autonomous Region, between 1960 and 1968 the Mureș-Magyar Autonomous Region. After the administrative reform of 1968, the region was abolished, and since then, the town has been part of Harghita County.

The town and the surrounding villages were hit by a significant flood in August 2005.

A statue park of historical persons of importance for the Székelys was unveiled in the town on 22 May 2004. This gave rise to controversy, as one of the statues (The Wandering Szekler) was interpreted in the Romanian press as being the portrait of controversial writer and poet Albert Wass.

Education

The town is renowned in the region for its long and distinguished tradition in secondary education. Its oldest and foremost secondary school is Liceul Teoretic Tamasi Aron Gimnazium (founded by Jesuits in 1593). The lyceum/gimnazium is one of the oldest Hungarian institutions of learning; its current building is an architectural masterpiece of Art Nouveau. Other notable secondary schools include: Backamadarasi Kis Gergely Reformed College (founded in 1670 as one of the most important places of learning by the Hungarian Reformed Church in Transylvania); Benedek Elek Teachers' College (its main building is a monument); Pallo Imre Art and Music School; Eotvos Jozsef Agricultural Technological School.

Odorheiu Secuiesc currently has one institution of higher education College of Modern Business Studies, an affiliate of Edutus College in Tatabanya (Hungary), with degrees in tourism and hospitality management, business administration, marketing and communication, development and economics, agricultural technology, forestry management and e-business. Dual degrees are also offered with Budapest Business School, University of Pannonia in Keszthely, Óbuda University in Budapest, and Széchenyi István University in Győr (Hungary).

Politics

The mayor of Odorheiu Secuiesc is Árpád Gálfi, re-elected in 2020. At the 2020 elections he represented the Partidul Oamenilor Liberi (Hungarian: Szabad Emberek Pártja, "Party of the Free People"), but he was deprived of membership in that party in April 2021.

The city council has 19 members:

	Party	Seats	Current Council
	Partidul Oamenilor Liberi (POL)	12
	Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR/RMDSZ)	6
	Hungarian Civic Party (PCM/MPP)	1

Tourism

Odorheiu Secuiesc is a small yet culturally vibrant town. It has a sizeable theater, the Haáz Rezső Museum (featuring permanent and seasonal exhibits dedicated to Szekler village life, Szekler arts and crafts, the history of the region, and a growing collection of Hungarian painters in Transylvania), a philharmonic orchestra of Szeklerland, a local TV studio, and several local newspapers. Throughout the year, there are festivals and youth events, a monthly farmer's market selling local, traditional and organic products. With strong cultural ties to Hungary, the town frequently hosts artists, writers and bands from Hungary. The town also features a central park, a large open air pool and several spas. Its main square, flanked by historic public buildings, is Márton Áron Square, or as the locals call it, Horseshoe Square (due to its shape).

Odorheiu Secuiesc and the area have some great touristic attractions, such as a bike path to Szejke Spa [hu] (also the burial ground of the Szekler ethnographer Balázs Orbán) and the Mineral Water Trails Museum, the low-Alpine-type ski resort of Madaras Harghita Mountains [hu] (part of the eastern range of the Carpathian Mountains) as well as charming mountain bungalows and farm guest houses on the mountainous paths and Alpine slopes leading to the Madaras Peak (with genuine farm-to-table dining experiences), in addition to several mineral water springs and pools (Homorod Spa, Zetelaka Lake [hu], with great fishing and hunting. The pottery village of Corund, a popular destination for those who love Hungarian pottery and traditional folk patterns, is only 25 km (16 mi) away from the city. The salty Bear Lake in Sovata, a significant resort town that has been recently redeveloped, is also less than one hour's drive away (46 km).

The region has seen increased interest in eco-tourism, wildlife hiking and bear-watching, biking, rock climbing, horse riding, photo-tourism and cultural tourism.

The town is an ideal day-trip destination for tourists exploring the richness and diversity of Transylvania due to its closeness to the Medieval (formerly) Saxon towns of Sighișoara (50 km), Brașov (109 km), Sibiu (150 km), as well as the world-famous Bran Castle, better known as Dracula Castle, (130 km), yet it offers a different cultural experience thanks to its carefully preserved Hungarian culture. The surrounding villages showcase traditional Szekler-Hungarian house-building techniques and woodcraft, such as the stooped Szekler Gates [hu]. The rich and distinctive furniture-carving and painting techniques of villages in Szeklerland were showcased in the Smithsonian Folklife Festival's Hungarian Heritage program in June 2013 in Washington, D.C., USA.

The closest airport is Târgu Mureș International Airport (110 km) with direct flights (Rynair, Wizzair, or Tarom) to Budapest, London, Barcelona, Bergamo, Bologna, Madrid, Rome, Bucharest, Brussels, and Pisa.

The route of the Via Transilvanica long-distance trail passes through the city.

Natives

György Csanády (1895–1942), author of the Székely Anthem
András Csiky (b. 1930), actor
Peter Eötvös (b. 1944), Hungarian composer and conductor; principal guest conductor with the BBC Symphony Orchestra in the 1980s; currently principal guest conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Zoltan Fejer-Konnerth (b. 1978), Hungarian-German table tennis player
Márta Károlyi (b. 1942), women's gymnastics coach, currently of U.S. National Women's Team, formerly of Romanian Olympic champion Nadia Comăneci, among many others
István Lakatos (born around 1620), historian
Csaba László (b. 1964), footballer and football manager
Anton Lipošćak (1863–1924), Austro-Hungarian World War I general of the infantry and a Governor-General of the Military Government of Lublin
Gerő Mály (1884–1952), actor
György Méhes [hu] (1916–2007), Hungarian writer, winner of the Kossuth Prize
Magdalena Mikloș (b. 1948), handball player
László Rajk (1909–1949), Hungarian Communist politician, Minister of the Interior then of Foreign Affairs of Communist Hungary, victim of Mátyás Rákosi's show trials
Rezső Soó (1903–1980), Hungarian botanist and professor at University of Budapest, winner of the Kossuth Prize
Mózes Székely (1553–1603), prince of Transylvania
Sándor Tomcsa (1897–1963), writer, playwright, journalist, caricaturist

Twin towns – sister cities

Odorheiu Secuiesc is twinned with:

Barcs, Hungary
Békéscsaba, Hungary
Berehove, Ukraine
Budapest, Hungary
Budavár (Budapest), Hungary
Cegléd, Hungary
Dunajská Streda, Slovakia
Hajdúdorog, Hungary
Keszthely, Hungary
Pestszentlőrinc-Pestszentimre (Budapest), Hungary
Soroksár (Budapest), Hungary
Subotica, Serbia
Tatabánya, Hungary
Tihany, Hungary
Törökbálint, Hungary
Vác, Hungary

References

^ "Results of the 2020 local elections". Central Electoral Bureau. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
"Populaţia rezidentă după grupa de vârstă, pe județe și municipii, orașe, comune, la 1 decembrie 2021" (XLS). National Institute of Statistics.
"Populația rezidentă după grupa de vârstă, pe județe și municipii, orașe, comune, la 1 decembrie 2021" (in Romanian). INSSE. 31 May 2023.
Bató, Attila (1998). "Problematica castrului Roman de la Odorheiu-Secuiesc (Jud. Harghita)" (PDF). Angvstia (in Romanian). 3: 77–82.
János András Vistai. "Tekintő – Erdélyi Helynévkönyv" [Transylvanian Toponym Book] (PDF) (in Hungarian). Archived 2011-07-10 at the Wayback Machine
John F. Cadzow; Andrew Ludányi; Louis J. Éltető (1983). Transylvania: the roots of ethnic conflict. Kent State University Press. ISBN 9780873382830. 1968 ...On February 14, the administrative reorganization of Rumania eliminates the Mureș-Magyar Autonomous Region and replaces it with the counties of Mureș,...
"Gálfit kizárták a POL-ból, függetlenként folytatja". UH.RO. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
"Az ökoturizmus áll a Hargita megyei turisztikai fejlesztések középpontjában" (in Hungarian). Archived from the original on 14 October 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
"Terra Siculorum | Via Transilvanica". www.viatransilvanica.com (in Romanian). Retrieved 2023-08-14.
"Testvértelepülések" (in Romanian). Odorheiu Secuiesc. Retrieved 2024-06-04.

External links

Official website of the town (in Hungarian)
Full Gospel Church (in Hungarian, English, and Romanian)
Sándor Tomcsa Theater (in Hungarian)

v t e Harghita County, Romania
Cities	Miercurea Ciuc (county seat) Gheorgheni Odorheiu Secuiesc Toplița
Towns	Băile Tușnad Bălan Borsec Cristuru Secuiesc Vlăhița
Communes	Atid Avrămești Bilbor Brădești Căpâlnița Cârța Ciceu Ciucsângeorgiu Ciumani Corbu Corund Cozmeni Dănești Dârjiu Dealu Ditrău Feliceni Frumoasa Gălăuțaș Joseni Lăzarea Leliceni Lueta Lunca de Jos Lunca de Sus Lupeni Mădăraș Mărtiniș Merești Mihăileni Mugeni Ocland Păuleni-Ciuc Plăieșii de Jos Porumbeni Praid Racu Remetea Săcel Sâncrăieni Sândominic Sânmartin Sânsimion Sântimbru Sărmaș Satu Mare Secuieni Siculeni Șimonești Subcetate Suseni Tomești Tulgheș Tușnad Ulieș Vărșag Voșlăbeni Zetea

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