Runcu is a commune in
Gorj County
Gorj County () is a county () of Romania, in Oltenia, with its capital city at Târgu Jiu. ''Gorj'' comes from the Slavic ''Gornji'' Jiu (“upper Jiu”), in contrast with Dolnji (“lower Jiu”).
Demographics
At the 2011 census, the count ...
,
Oltenia
Oltenia (), also called Lesser Wallachia in antiquated versions – with the alternative Latin names , , and between 1718 and 1739 – is a historical province and geographical region of Romania in western Wallachia. It is situated between the Da ...
,
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 situated at the foot of the
Vâlcan Mountains, northwest of
Târgu Jiu
Târgu Jiu (, is the capital city, capital of Gorj County in the Oltenia region of Romania. It is situated on the Southern Sub-Carpathian Mountains, Carpathians, on the banks of the river Jiu (river), Jiu. Eight localities are administered by the ...
. The commune is composed of seven villages: Bâlta, Bâltișoara, Dobrița, Răchiți, Runcu, Suseni, and Valea Mare.
The name Runcu derives from medio-Latin "runcari" which means to deforest.
A village on the
Jaleș River named Dăbăcești (now disappeared) mentioned in a document of
Dan I dated 3 Octombrie 1385 was the precursor of Runcu.
Runcu village was first mentioned in a document issued in 1486 by
Vlad Călugărul
Vlad IV Călugărul ("Vlad IV the Monk"; prior to 1425 – September 1495) was the Prince of Wallachia in 1481 and then from 1482 to 1495. Context of his reign
His father Vlad Dracul had previously held the throne, as had his brothers Mircea II ...
. The dominant class of Wallachia maintained interests in the area during most of the Middle Ages. According to some sources, the local church was founded in the early 17th century by , daughter of
Michael the Brave
Michael the Brave ( or ; 1558 – 9 August 1601), born as Mihai Pătrașcu, was the Prince of Wallachia (as Michael II, 1593–1601), Prince of Moldavia (1600) and ''de facto'' ruler of Principality of Transylvania (1570–1711), Transylvani ...
, who sought refuge in Runcu after the death of her father.
Stone
In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its Chemical compound, chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks ...
and
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...
archaeological finds, as well as artifacts from before the
Roman conquest, indicate that Runcu and the surrounding areas were inhabited much earlier.
Runcu is the birthplace of folk music singers
Ioana Zlătaru and
Maria Apostol (1954–1993).
Scenes from the Romanian films
''Bătălia din umbră'' (1986),
''Iancu Jianu, haiducul'' (1981),
''Iancu Jianu, zapciul'' (1980) and
''Ecaterina Teodoroiu'' (1979) were shot in Runcu village and on the nearby
Sohodol Gorge.
Photo gallery
File:Cantacuzino Wallachia.png, Runcu and the Jaleș River on a 1717 map
File:Moldau und Walachey - Josephinische Landesaufnahme.jpg, Palta (Bâlta), now part of Runcu commune on a Josephine Map (1769–1772)
File:Runcu Church 1897.jpg, Runcu old church right before its demolition in 1897
File:RuncuGJ01.jpg, Runcu Church built between 1897–1907
File:RuncuGJ03.jpg, Memorial to 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 ...
local heroes
File:Above ground cellar.png, Wine cellar on a hillside near Runcu 1980
File:Primaria Runcu.jpg, Runcu town hall
File:Runcu City Hall.jpg, Runcu town hall
File:Runcu winter.gif, Winter time in Runcu
File:RuncuCornFiled.jpg, Cornfield near Runcu with the Tufoaia Mountain in the background
File:Plesa Valcan Mts.jpg, Pleșa peak seen from Cornetul Mountain.
Historic photos
File:Runcu_Gorj_1926.png
File:Runcu 1926.png
File:Runcu Gorj 1930.png
File:Ox cart in Runcu 1930.jpg
File:Runcu_Gorj_1930_picture_by_Iosif_Berman.tif
File:Inside_of_a_water_mill_in_Runcu_-_Gorj_in_1930.jpg
File:Runcu_-_Gorj_in_1930_in_front_of_a_lime_firing_oven.jpg
File:Runcu_-_Gorj_in_1930_women_in_front_of_a_shrine.jpg
File:Runcu - Gorj in 1930 in the yard of a school teacher V. G. Lăpăduş.jpg
File:Runcu Gorj Albulescu house.tif
References
External links
Runcu and Sohodol Valleyon
Panoramio
Runcu and Sohodol Valley - photos and text in GermanMap of the Vâlcan Mountain showing Runcu commune
{{Gorj County
Communes in Gorj County
Localities in Oltenia