Valcău de Jos () is a commune in
Sălaj County
Sălaj County (; ) (also known as ''Land of Silvania'', ''silva, -ae'' means "forest") is a Counties of Romania, county (''județ'') of Romania, located in the north-west of the country, in the Historical regions of Romania, historical regions of ...
,
Crișana
Crișana (, , ) is a geographical and historical region of Romania named after the Criș (Körös) River and its three tributaries: the Crișul Alb, Crișul Negru, and Crișul Repede. In Romania, the term is sometimes extended to include areas ...
,
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
. It is composed of six villages: Lazuri (''Újvágás''), Preoteasa (''Füzespaptelek''), Ratovei (''Rátonbükk''), Sub Cetate (''Valkóváralja''), Valcău de Jos, and Valcău de Sus (''Felsővalkó''). It is southwest of
Șimleu Silvaniei
Șimleu Silvaniei (; , ) is a town in Sălaj County, Crișana, Romania with a population of 13,948 people (2021 census). It is located near the ancient Dacian fortress Dacidava.
Three villages are administered by the town: Bic (''Bükk''), Cehei ...
.
History
Its name comes from the
Slavic
Slavic, Slav or Slavonic may refer to:
Peoples
* Slavic peoples, an ethno-linguistic group living in Europe and Asia
** East Slavic peoples, eastern group of Slavic peoples
** South Slavic peoples, southern group of Slavic peoples
** West Slav ...
word ''vlk'' ("wolf"). Its Hungarian name ''Alsóvalkó'' means "Lower Valkó"; before 1899 it was called ''Magyarvalkó.'' ''Felsővalkó'' ("Upper Valkó") is now Valcău de Sus. Its castle was built in the late 13th century, and was unlawfully occupied by Dezső Elefánti in 1312. King
Sigismund of Luxemburg
Sigismund of Luxembourg (15 February 1368 – 9 December 1437) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1433 until his death in 1437. He was elected King of Germany (King of the Romans) in 1410, and was also King of Bohemia from 1419, as well as prince-elect ...
laid siege to it in 1404. In 1665 the
Ottoman army
The Military of the Ottoman Empire () was the armed forces of the Ottoman Empire. It was founded in 1299 and dissolved in 1922.
Army
The Military of the Ottoman Empire can be divided in five main periods. The foundation era covers the years ...
destroyed it and it was not rebuilt again.
Population
In 1910 the village had 900 residents, with a Romanian majority and a significant Hungarian minority.
In 2002 the commune 3,302 inhabitants: 2,909
Romanians
Romanians (, ; dated Endonym and exonym, exonym ''Vlachs'') are a Romance languages, Romance-speaking ethnic group and nation native to Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. Sharing a Culture of Romania, ...
, 287
Roma
Roma or ROMA may refer to:
People, characters, figures, names
* Roma or Romani people, an ethnic group living mostly in Europe and the Americas.
* Roma called Roy, ancient Egyptian High Priest of Amun
* Roma (footballer, born 1979), born ''Paul ...
, 105
Hungarians
Hungarians, also known as Magyars, are an Ethnicity, ethnic group native to Hungary (), who share a common Culture of Hungary, culture, Hungarian language, language and History of Hungary, history. They also have a notable presence in former pa ...
, and one
Slovak. At the
2011 census, there were 2,851 inhabitants; of those, 80% were Romanians, 14.7% Roma, and 2.9% Hungarians. At the
2021 census, Valcău de Jos had a population of 3,009, of which 75.74% were Romanians, 17.88% Roma, and 1.6% Hungarians.
Natives
*
Lucian Bode (born 1974) politician
*
Ioan Sârca
Ioan Sârca (9 March 1911 – 1991), known as The Monster from Valcău, was a Romanian serial killer and rapist who killed at least 20 young boys and adolescents between 1943 and 1945. Considered one of the worst killers in the country's modern ...
(1911 – 1991), serial killer and rapist
Sights
* Reformed Church in Valcău de Jos, built in the 19th century (1896), historic monument
* Valcău Citadel, medieval fortress built in the 13th century, historic monument
welcometoromania.ro - Valcău Citadel
retrieved on May 23, 2012
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Valcau De Jos
Communes in Sălaj County
Localities in Crișana