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 Valley
on Panoramio
Runcu and Sohodol Valley - photos and text in German

Map of the Vâlcan Mountain showing Runcu commune
{{Gorj County Communes in Gorj County Localities in Oltenia