Slatina Voyage Tips and guide

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Slatina is the capital and the largest city in Olt County, Oltenia, Romania . The town is in southern Romania, on the left bank of the Olt River, in the contact area between the Getic Plateau and the Wallachian Plain. Slatina has a population of about 70,000 (2011) and is an important industrial centre. With a 650-year history and preserved historic center, the city has an important cultural role in the region.

The advanced stage of development of the local Geto-Dacian society led to the establishment of intense commercial ties with the Greco-Macedonian and, later Roman, worlds, also revealed by numismatic discoveries. Examples are the coins issued by King of Macedonia, Philip II (359-336), and Romanian Republican deniers discovered in the city. Also in Slatina, one of the largest Geto-Dacian coins, made up of about 6,000 pieces, was published by Cezar Bolliac.

It is known that after the first Daco-Roman war (101-102), most South Carpathian territories were included in the province of Moesia Inferior. After the founding of Dacia (106), the territory was under the direct control of the Roman Empire. Over the years, Roman discoveries have been collected on the territory of Slatina, such as: weapons, statuettes, ceramics, and the remains of a foundation made of Roman bricks have appeared in the Sopot Valley. These are testimonies that support the strong Romanization of free Dacians from limes (Alutan and Transaltuan). In 1874, in the surroundings of Slatina was revealed a major Roman monetary treasure consisting of 2250 denarii, which included programs from Galba (68-69) to Commodus (180-192), and at the foot of Grădiştei appeared a coin from Gordian (238-244).

The continuity of habitation of the free Dacians of an unintegrated space in the Roman Empire in an organized form, but strongly influenced by Romanity (so that it can be appreciated as a latinophone territory), is fully justified by the Chilia-Militari cultural aspect, developed from the late phase of the Geto-Dacian "La Tèneu", which, through various, grew intense romanization. Militari-Chilia settlements from the 2nd century BC - IV BC, were discovered in Strehareţ (in the vicinity of the Carol I National College) and in Cireşov, in the "Leasa" and "Sălişte" points.

After the withdrawal of the Roman occupation in Dacia (271 AD), a Dacian-Roman autochthonous population, backed by Romanity and Christianity, was behind the migratory population, preserving its identity for centuries. In the context of the generalization of rural life, the existing rural community will be organized into territorial communities or popular Romanians (as they are known in our historical tradition), representing solid demographic, linguistic and romantic culture nuclei. In Ipoteşti, near Slatina, for the first time, the content of such a Romanesque was identified, which was later enriched with similar discoveries. These belong to the Ipoteşti - Cândeşti - Ciurel culture created by the indigenous peoples in the 5th - 7th centuries. The findings from the Sopot Valley settlement highlight the occupations and crafts of a sedentary population: agriculture, animal husbandry, pottery, blacksmithing, torso or tissue. The Christian testimonies existing in the dwelling area (e.g the Byzantine bay) argue for continuity of dwelling and close ties to Roman-Byzantine and then Byzantine civilization, the center of dissemination of Christianity.

Originally from the ancient times, the Sopot Valley settlement, due to the natural growth of the population and the opportunities created by the crossing of important commercial roads in Slatina ("the road of the wax", "the sheep" or "the bucks"), extends to the neighboring hills and towards Olt Valley. The discoveries of Byzantine, Venetian, Serbian coins from the 9th-13th centuries justify the commercial importance of the settlement, even before its first documentary mention.

The first reference to the name of Slatina can be found on January 20, 1368, in the commercial privilege granted by Vladislav I Vlaicu to merchants from Braşov, as an internal customs office at the first sight of the plain of Olt, a mandatory crossing point for merchandise over Olt.

In June 1522, Radu of Afumati defeated the Ottomans in a struggle waged in Slatina.

During the Revolution of 1821, Tudor met Iancu Jianu, the leader of the outlaws, in Slatina.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Slatina was a small provincial fair set near the Olt River, between the Gradiest Hill and what is now known as the new town.

There are still many buildings from that period: Grand Hotel Regal, Girls' School, Ionaşcu Cathedral, Minerva Confectionery and other 50 UNESCO heritage buildings. They will undergo a process of refurbishment and restoration from 2010 onwards.

After the establishment of the communist regime in Romania, the city's face was completely changed, with new workers' quarters such as Red Star, Progress I, II, III, Crişan, Tunari, etc. being built. At that time, the 55 tower blocks, as well as factories such as the Aluminum Factory (now Alro), the Aluminum Processing Plant (formerly Alprom), the Pipeworks (now Artrom), Electrocarbon, Bearings and Utalim.

Slatina is located in the south of the country, in the central-northern part of the Olt county and in the west of the historical region of Muntenia. Also, the position of the city can be characterized as being on the Olt river valley, on a wide, well-defined and delimited corridor, in a contact area of two large relief units - Getic Piedmont and Oltenian Plain. The town is about 50 km from Craiova, 70 km from Pitesti and 190 km from Bucharest.

The nearest airports are Craiova (CRA ^IATA) 45 km (28 mi) away and Bucharest (OTP ^IATA) 190 km (120 mi) away.

• 44.42867824.388711 Slatina Railway Station (Gara Slatina). From Craiova and Pitești are coming direct trains. (updated Dec 2018)

The national roads to Slatina are quite good, however, the train trip is more favourable.

• 44.4303924.3577281 "La Atletul Albanez" Confectionary, Strada Dinu Lipatti 25. The oldest private company in Romania. (updated Dec 2018)
• 44.43010824.3602652 Olt County Museum (Muzeul Județean Olt), Strada Ana Ipătescu 1, ☏ +40 249 415 279. It has two sections: history and folk art. It presents, among other things, valuable pieces from the earliest age of the Paleolithic discovered on the Dârjov Valley, interesting folk costumes, stitches and fabrics specific to the area. (updated Dec 2018)
• 44.43086524.3541023 Slatina Cathedral (Catedrala din Slatina), Strada Tudor Vladimirescu. It was built in 1782 by Ionaşcul Cupetul, a great merchant from the locality and later painted by Gheorghe Tattarescu. (updated Dec 2018)
• 44.44212824.3589884 Strehăreț Forest (Pădurea Strehăreț). A beautiful natural park with an accumulation lake. (updated Dec 2018)
• 44.44423424.3520365 Strehăreț Hermitage (Schitul Strehăreț), Strada Strehareți 154, ☏ +40 249 420 175. Built between 1664-1668, repaired in 1844, its church was founded by Metropolitan Varlaam in 1672. (updated Dec 2018)
• 44.41167424.3645546 Clocociov Monastery (Mănăstirea Clocociov), Strada Mănăstirea Clocociov, ☏ +40 249 435 489. Founded by Michael the Brave 1594, rebuilt in 1645 by Diiku Buicescu, nephew of Matei Basarab. (updated Dec 2018)

• Bulevard Prestige Hotel Slatina, B-dul A.I. Cuza, Nr. 12 (in the town centre), ☏ +40 349 801 810, toll-free: +40 249 415 001, [email protected]. Renovated and rebuilt in the 2010s, Prestige Boulevard offers accommodation in 69 3- and 2-star rooms. All rooms are equipped with air conditioning, hairdryer, cable TV, telephone and internet access. The 3-star rooms also have a minibar. The hotel has two studios and 4 apartments, one of which was built for the former president, Nicolae Ceausescu. Two floors are reserved for non-smokers. The studios and apartments feature a jacuzzi or hydromassage cabin. (updated Dec 2018)
• Hotel Senator, Str. General Aurel Aldea 17, ☏ +40 249 41 88 51, [email protected]. The hotel offers 14 rooms (12 single rooms with double bed, 1 double room and apartment) specially designed to meet the most demanding accommodation requirements. In addition to the solid wood furniture, the rooms are equipped with air conditioning, adjustable thermostat, national and international telephone line, cable TV, minibar, bathrooms with shower and jacuzzi (apartment), hairdryer, bathrobe and slippers. Every guest benefits from free services such as room service (8-12 hours a day), wake-up call, parking, and high-quality video surveillance. (updated Dec 2018)