Italians of Romania
Encyclopedia
The Italian Romanians are people of Italian descent who reside, or have moved to Romania
.
in Romania
, numbering 3,288 people according to the 2002 census. Italians are fairly dispersed throughout the country, even though there is a higher number of them in the western parts of the country (particularly Timiş County
), and in the Municipality of Bucharest
.
As an officially-recognised ethnic minority, Italians have one seat
reserved in the Romanian Chamber of Deputies
.
In recent years, the number of Italians living in Romania has increased substantially. As of November 2007, there are some 12,000 Italians in and around Timişoara
. About 3,000 square kilometres of land (2% of the agricultural land of Romania) have been bought by Italians.
and Venetians
) trade routes on the Danube
since at least the 13th century. They founded several ports on the Danube, including Vicina (near Isaccea
), Sfântu Gheorghe
, San Giorgio (Giurgiu
) and Calafat
.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, many Italians from Western Austria-Hungary settled in Transylvania. During the interwar period, some Italians settled in Dobruja
.
After 1880, Italians from Friuli
and Veneto
settled in Greci
, Cataloi and Măcin
in Northern Dobruja. Most of them worked in the granite quarries in the Măcin Mountains
, some became farmers and others worked in road building.
The Genoese Lighthouse (Farul Genovez) in Constanţa
Soaring 26 feet (7.9 m), a lighthouse called Farul Genovez was built in 1860 by the "Danubius and Black Sea Company" to honor Genoese merchants who established a flourishing sea trade community in Constanza
in the 13th century.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.
Characteristics
They are an ethnic minorityMinorities of Romania
Officially, 10.5% of Romania's population is represented by minorities . The principal minorities in Romania are Hungarians and Roma people, with a declining German population and smaller numbers of Poles in Bucovina...
in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, numbering 3,288 people according to the 2002 census. Italians are fairly dispersed throughout the country, even though there is a higher number of them in the western parts of the country (particularly Timiş County
Timis County
Timiș , , Banat Bulgarian: ) is a county of western Romania, in the historical region Banat, with the county seat at Timișoara. It is the largest county in Romania in terms of land area....
), and in the Municipality of Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
.
As an officially-recognised ethnic minority, Italians have one seat
Romanian ethnic minorities parties
The Romanian Constitution , under the contitions imposed by the Electoral Law, reserves a seat in the Chamber of Deputies for the party and cultural association of each ethnic minority in Romania...
reserved in the Romanian Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Romania
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house in Romania's bicameral parliament. It has 315 seats, to which deputies are elected by direct popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms...
.
In recent years, the number of Italians living in Romania has increased substantially. As of November 2007, there are some 12,000 Italians in and around Timişoara
Timisoara
Timișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
. About 3,000 square kilometres of land (2% of the agricultural land of Romania) have been bought by Italians.
History
The territory of today's Romania has been part of the Italians' (especially GenoeseRepublic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
and Venetians
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
) trade routes on the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
since at least the 13th century. They founded several ports on the Danube, including Vicina (near Isaccea
Isaccea
Isaccea is a small town in Tulcea County, in Dobruja, Romania, on the right bank of the Danube, 35 km north-west of Tulcea. According to the 2002 census, it has a population 5,374....
), Sfântu Gheorghe
Sfântu Gheorghe, Tulcea
Sfântu Gheorghe is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is located at the end of the southern arm of the Danube near the Black Sea, in the Dobruja region. It is composed of a single village, Sfântu Gheorghe. It has approximately 1000 inhabitants.-Town:...
, San Giorgio (Giurgiu
Giurgiu
Giurgiu is the capital city of Giurgiu County, Romania, in the Greater Wallachia. It is situated amid mud-flats and marshes on the left bank of the Danube facing the Bulgarian city of Rousse on the opposite bank. Three small islands face the city, and a larger one shelters its port, Smarda...
) and Calafat
Calafat
Calafat is a city in Dolj County, Romania, on the river Danube, opposite the Bulgarian city of Vidin, to which it is linked by ferryboat. The construction of the Calafat-Vidin Bridge is planned between the two cities....
.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, many Italians from Western Austria-Hungary settled in Transylvania. During the interwar period, some Italians settled in Dobruja
Dobruja
Dobruja is a historical region shared by Bulgaria and Romania, located between the lower Danube river and the Black Sea, including the Danube Delta, Romanian coast and the northernmost part of the Bulgarian coast...
.
After 1880, Italians from Friuli
Friuli
Friuli is an area of northeastern Italy with its own particular cultural and historical identity. It comprises the major part of the autonomous region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, i.e. the province of Udine, Pordenone, Gorizia, excluding Trieste...
and Veneto
Veneto
Veneto is one of the 20 regions of Italy. Its population is about 5 million, ranking 5th in Italy.Veneto had been for more than a millennium an independent state, the Republic of Venice, until it was eventually annexed by Italy in 1866 after brief Austrian and French rule...
settled in Greci
Greci, Tulcea
Greci is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Greci....
, Cataloi and Măcin
Macin
-Location:Măcin is located in the north-western part of the Dobrudja region, in Tulcea County. The city is located at the intersection of the DN22 and DN22D national roads. The DN22 road links it to the Romanian capital, Bucharest and to the cities of Isaccea and Tulcea...
in Northern Dobruja. Most of them worked in the granite quarries in the Măcin Mountains
Macin Mountains
The Măcin Mountains is a mountain range in Tulcea County, Dobrogea, Romania. Part of the Northern Dobruja Massif, they are located between Danube River to the north and west, Taiţa River and Culmea Niculiţelului to the east and Casimcea Plateau to the south...
, some became farmers and others worked in road building.
The Genoese Lighthouse (Farul Genovez) in ConstanţaConstantaConstanța is the oldest extant city in Romania, founded around 600 BC. The city is located in the Dobruja region of Romania, on the Black Sea coast. It is the capital of Constanța County and the largest city in the region....
Soaring 26 feet (7.9 m), a lighthouse called Farul Genovez was built in 1860 by the "Danubius and Black Sea Company" to honor Genoese merchants who established a flourishing sea trade community in ConstanzaConstanta
Constanța is the oldest extant city in Romania, founded around 600 BC. The city is located in the Dobruja region of Romania, on the Black Sea coast. It is the capital of Constanța County and the largest city in the region....
in the 13th century.
Main Italians of Romania
(1913-2004), archeologist- Mansi BarberisMansi BarberisMansi Barberis was a Romanian violinist, music educator, conductor and composer.-Life:Clemensa Barberis was born in Iaşi and began to improvise on the piano at an early age. When an aunt transcribed one of the pieces, composer George Enescu recommended that Barberis take theory lessons...
(1899-1986), music composer - Livio Bellegante
- Florin BogardoFlorin BogardoFlorin Amedeo Bogardo was a Romanian composer and singer. He died after a long illness at age 67...
- Mădălina Coracin (1921-2007), movie director
- Nicolo Girardi (n. 1952), politician
- Mihaela Profiriu Mateescu-Culluri
- Horia MoculescuHoria MoculescuHoria Moculescu is a self-taught Romanian pianist, composer and producer.After finishing high school in Turda, he studied at the Mining Institute in Petrosani....
- Amelio Olivotto
- Ivanca Olivotto
- Alexandru PesamoscaAlexandru PesamoscaAlexandru Pesamosca was a Romanian surgeon and pediatrician, medic at the Marie Sklodovska-Curie Hospital in Bucharest, Romania...
- Vicenzo Puschiazis (aka Puschiazis Vicenzo)
- Angela Tomaselli
- Cristian Ţopescu
- Virgil Toso
- Dante Viecelli
- Altieri Zanvettor