Racovița (''Racovița-Olt'' until 1931; or ''Rakevets''; or colloquially ''Rákovica'') is a commune in

Sibiu County Sibiu County () is a county () of Romania, in the historical region of Transylvania. Its county seat () is the namesake town of Sibiu (). Name In Hungarian, it is known as ''Szeben megye'', and in German as ''Kreis Hermannstadt''. Under the ...

Transylvania Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...

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 has a population of 2,884 inhabitants (2002 census) and is composed of two villages, Racovița and Sebeșu de Sus (''Oltfelsősebes''). The first official mention of the then-village was in a 22 May 1443 "gift" act of

John Hunyadi John Hunyadi (; ; ; ; ; – 11 August 1456) was a leading Kingdom of Hungary, Hungarian military and political figure during the 15th century, who served as Regent of Hungary, regent of the Kingdom of Hungary (1301–1526), Kingdom of Hungary ...

. Church documents first mention the village on 8 July 1647, when

George I Rákóczi George I Rákóczi (8 June 1593 – 11 October 1648) was Prince of Transylvania from 1630 until his death in 1648. Prior to that, he was a leader of the Protestant faction in Hungary and a faithful supporter of Gabriel Bethlen, his predecessor ...

names Ion din Ţichindeal as

archpriest The ecclesiastical title of archpriest or archpresbyter belongs to certain priests with supervisory duties over a number of parishes. The term is most often used in Eastern Orthodoxy and the Eastern Catholic Churches and may be somewhat analogo ...

over 17 villages around

Sibiu Sibiu ( , , , Hungarian: ''Nagyszeben'', , Transylvanian Saxon: ''Härmeschtat'' or ''Hermestatt'') is a city in central Romania, situated in the historical region of Transylvania. Located some north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles th ...

, including Racovița. The rich history of the village is linked to the military border with

established by empress

Maria Theresa of Austria Maria Theresa (Maria Theresia Walburga Amalia Christina; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was the ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position in her own right. She was the sovereig ...

in 1765. At the time, Racovița was part of the 7th Company of the First Border Regiment in

Orlat Orlat (; ) is a commune in Sibiu County, Transylvania, Romania, west of the county capital, Sibiu, in the Mărginimea Sibiului ethnographic area. It is composed of a single village, Orlat. The commune lies in the foothills of the Cindrel Mount ...

. Starting in 1698, before the village was completely militarised, the village and its area were confronted with severe religious conflicts due to the decision made by the Alba-Iulia Orthodox Church to unite with the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

. Soldiers and villagers participated enthusiastically in the

Hungarian Revolution of 1848 The Hungarian Revolution of 1848, also known in Hungary as Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence of 1848–1849 () was one of many Revolutions of 1848, European Revolutions of 1848 and was closely linked to other revolutions of 1848 in ...

. Once the military border was abolished in 1851, important village members took initiative to manage the Regiment School Funds and became actively involved in the Transylvanian Association for Romanian Literature and the Culture of Romanian People. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, soldiers from Racovița served in the army from 1916 to 1918 and received distinctions for fighting against "

Russian Poland Congress Poland or Congress Kingdom of Poland, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland, was a polity created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna as a semi-autonomous Polish people, Polish State (polity), state, a successor to Napoleon's Duchy of ...

", Galicia,

Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

. and even

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

Geography

Racovița Commune is situated at the base of Suru Peak () on the contact between the foothills of the

Făgăraș Mountains The Făgăraș Mountains ( ; ) are the highest mountains of the Southern Carpathians, in Romania. Geography The mountain range is situated in the heart of Romania, at . The range is bordered in the north by the Făgăraș Depression, through wh ...

and the low terrace of the floodplain, on the left bank of the river Olt, at an altitude of 385 meters. The commune borders to the north and northeast with the town

Avrig Avrig (; , Transylvanian Saxon: ''Freck/Fraek'', ) is a town in Sibiu County, Transylvania, central Romania. The first documents attesting its existence date to 1346. It officially became a town in 1989, as a result of the Romanian rural systema ...

; the border, which extends from the confluence of the small river

Mârșa Mârșa is a commune located in north-west Giurgiu County, Muntenia, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Mârșa. History The etymology is lost in time. The Romanian word ''mârșă'', meaning "lure" or "bait", has probably nothing to ...

with the Olt to the Sorliței Peak, was established after the year 1200S. Lupșa, Satul lui

Gheorghe Lazăr Gheorghe Lazăr (5 June 1779 – 17 September 1823), was a Transylvanian Romanian scholar and the founder of the first Romanian language school in Bucharest, in 1817. Biography Lazăr was born to a peasant family in Felek, Szeben County, Habsb ...

, in "Mitropolia Ardealului", VII, nr.7-8/1962, p.483, n.5. and is marked with border signs called 'morminți'. Image:BisericăRacoviţa.jpg, Holy Trinity Church, dedicated in 1887 Image:PrimaAtestareRacovița.jpg, The first document mentioning the locality, 22 May 1443 Image:RacovițaHartăToponimică.svg, Toponymic map of Racovița village File:Valeriu Pantazi - Peisaj din Comuna Racovita, Sibiu.jpg, Painting of Racovița by

Valeriu Pantazi Valeriu Pantazi (born Pantazie Valeriu Constantinescu on 17 May 1940 – 25 July 2015) was a Romanian poet, writer, and painter. He was born in Urechești (at the time in Râmnicu Sărat County, now in Vrancea County), the son of Octavian Const ...

File:RO SB Racovita schoolhouse.JPG,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Racovita Communes in Sibiu County Localities in Transylvania