LandInfo Oradea
Oradea, “Oradea Mare” long ago (in Hungarian: “Nagyvárad”, in German: “Großwardein”, in Yiddish: אורדאה, Latin for “Magnovaradinum”, in Slovak: “Vel'ký Varadín”, Turkish: “Varat”, in Italian: “Gran Varadino”), is the county residence and the largest city of Bihor County, situated in north-western Romania, on Crişul Repede river, near the border with Hungary. It is also the most important city of the historical region Crişana. 2002 census the municipality had 206,614 inhabitants. Metropolitan area, which includes nine neighboring villages, had in 2007 a population of aprox. 250.000 inhabitants, of whom 70% Romanian, 27% Hungarians etc. During the interwar period 20.6% of the population was made up of Hebrews, and there were also reported communities of Germans, Slovaks, Ukrainians etc.
Băile Felix and Băile 1 Mai, spa resorts, are placed at a distance of 8 km/4 km from the city, respectively. Besides the thermal waters internationally recognized for their therapeutic effects, in this area there is a spectacular karsts formation, namely a venture with a depth of 86 meters, the area called "Crater from Betfia", and also the thermal stream Peţa, with a unique tropical vegetation in Europe.
For centuries, Oradea was an important point of reference for the area, the most important cultural and commercial center. In the Middle Ages, Oradea Fortress sheltered an observatory, first in Europe. As a result, Meridian 00 was passing through Oradea.
Oradea (Latin “Varadinum”) is first mentioned in 1113, in a diploma of the Benedictine Abey of Zobor, where the names of bishop Sixtus Varadiensis and of Saul of Bychar (a county ruler) are mentioned, but its roots are of Roman-Dacian origin, archaeological findings stating that Romans and Dacians were established in Salca area of the city and in Băile Felix area. Throughout the Middle Ages, the Fortress became a place of living for an ethnic mosaic that helped to establish the ethnic composition of Oradea today: Romanians, Hungarians, Austrians, Slovaks, Hebrews, Ukrainians and Turks.
