[ 72.1% speak Croatian as first language. The commune is officially bilingual, with both Romanian and Croatian being used as working languages on public signage and in administration, education and justice.
Most of the inhabitants of the commune (89.3%) are ]Roman Catholics
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
, and 8.5% Orthodox.
History
The first time attested in 1323 under the name of ''Kraso''. Other similar names were later used, depending on which administration used them (''Karasow'' - 1333'', Nog Carassou'' and ''Kyskarassou'' - 1358, led by the knyaz
A , also , ''knjaz'' or (), is a historical Slavs, Slavic title, used both as a royal and noble title in different times. It is usually translated into English language, English as 'prince', 'king' or 'duke', depending on specific historical c ...
Bozorad, ''Krassowcz'' - 1535, ''Crassowcz'' - 1550, ''Crasso'' - 1597, ''Karasevo'' - 1690-1700, ''Karasova'' - 1717 and after until 1899 ''Krassova'' when it was changed to ''Krassóvár'').
Due to the citadel built nearby, Carașova was in the past an important administrative, political and religious centre. In 1333, Carașova was the headquarters of a Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
diocese
In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, prov ...
which appears to have existed since 1285, but ceased to exist after the events of 1537, and was restored only in 1860, to be disbanded again in 1913.
In various documents of early 18th century, such as the census of 1690-1700 and the conscription of 1717, Carașova was mentioned as having 400 houses, being one of the largest settlements in the area between the Tisa, Mureș and the Danube
The Danube ( ; see also #Names and etymology, other names) is the List of rivers of Europe#Longest rivers, second-longest river in Europe, after the Volga in Russia. It flows through Central and Southeastern Europe, from the Black Forest sou ...
, being surpassed only by Timișoara
Timișoara (, , ; , also or ; ; ; see #Etymology, other names) is the capital city of Timiș County, Banat, and the main economic, social and cultural center in Western Romania. Located on the Bega (Tisza), Bega River, Timișoara is consider ...
and Caransebeş.
In the mid-18th century, according to the administrative organization prior to the Military Frontier
The Military Frontier (; sh-Cyrl-Latn, Војна крајина, Vojna krajina, sh-Cyrl-Latn, Војна граница, Vojna granica, label=none; ; ) was a borderland of the Habsburg monarchy and later the Austrian and Austro-Hungari ...
of 1768, Carașova was part of the Vršac
Vršac ( sr-Cyrl, Вршац, ) is a city in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. As of 2022, the city urban area had a population of 31,946, while the city administrative area had 45,462 inhabitants. It is located in the geographical ...
county and it was the capital of the administrative circle with the same name which included 32 towns, including Reșița
Reșița (; ; ; ; ; ; ) is a city in western Romania and the capital of Caraș-Severin County. It is located in the Banat region. The city had a population of 58,393 in 2021. It administers six villages: Câlnic (''Kölnök''), Cuptoare (''Kupt ...
, Dognecea, Bocşa, and here were located an administrative office, an Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodoxy, otherwise known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity or Byzantine Christianity, is one of the three main Branches of Christianity, branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholic Church, Catholicism and Protestantism ...
church, and Roman Catholic church.
Krashovani
Most of the people of Carașova are Krashovani, which are named by the Banat 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, ...
''cârșoveni'', ''carașoveni'', ''cotcoreți'' and ''cocoși'', while the Croats call themselves ''Krašovani'', ''Karašovani'', ''Karaševci''.
Until 1989, most of the people called themselves ''carașoveni'' and their language ''carașoveană'' and considered themselves a people distinct to the other Slavic peoples around the area, such as Serbian, Croatian or Bulgarian. After 1989, the vast majority started identifying themselves as Croats
The Croats (; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other neighboring countries in Central Europe, Central and Southeastern Europe who share a common Croatian Cultural heritage, ancest ...
.
Politics and administration
The administration of Carașova consists of a mayor and a local council composed of 11 councilors. The mayor, Petru Bogdan, from the Social Democratic Party
The name Social Democratic Party or Social Democrats has been used by many political parties in various countries around the world. Such parties are most commonly aligned to social democracy as their political ideology.
Active parties
Form ...
, has been in office since 2016, being re-elected in 2020.
References
External links
Official website Carașova
Union of Croats in Romania
Carasova.net
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carasova
Communes in Caraș-Severin County
Localities in Romanian Banat
Place names of Slavic origin in Romania