Sânandrei
Encyclopedia
Sânandrei is a commune in Timiş County
, Banat
, Romania
. It is composed of three villages: Carani, Covaci and Sânandrei.
In 1930, Sânandrei was 79.6% German. By 2002, it was over 92% Romanian
.
, on the DJ692 county road. 3 km to the east lies the National Road DN69, to which Carani is linked by a local road. Additionally, it is accessible by rail
, having its own station on the Timişoara - Arad
line. 5 km to the north lies the village of Călacea
; to the east the village of Corneşti
; to the south the centre of Sânandrei commune; and to the west, Hodoni
. The Caran River passes through.
colonists brought by the Habsburg Monarchy
as part of a massive effort to populate the Banat with Western Europeans. It was one of the first villages for colonists, founded and inhabited exclusively by Italians, being the only majority-Italian settlement in the entire Banat. The inhabitants grew silkworms, having been brought there in order to start silkworm production in the Banat.
The village was founded under the name of Mercydorf ("Mercy's village"), in honour of General Claudius Florimund Mercy, who was charged with administering the Banat. Later, new waves of colonists arrived – French people
and Germans
from Alsace-Lorraine
. The first came around 1752, then in 1763, so that by 1770, the village was substantially French in character. Religious services were held in three languages: Italian
, French
and German
. However, with time, the village grew more German, in line with the rest of the Banat. By the end of the 18th century, Carani was already a Banat Swabian
village.
Covaci, which benefits economically from its proximity to Timişoara, is about 10 km north of the city, on the right bank of the Bega Veche River
. The village of Cerneteaz
is 3 km to the east; to the west is the national road DN69, to which it is linked by a communal road and which goes to Timişoara. Another communal road leads south into the city.
Photograph of the castle
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....
, Banat
Banat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
, 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...
. It is composed of three villages: Carani, Covaci and Sânandrei.
In 1930, Sânandrei was 79.6% German. By 2002, it was over 92% Romanian
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
.
Carani
Carani is one of the commune's villages.Geography
The village of Carani is located 18 km north of TimişoaraTimisoara
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...
, on the DJ692 county road. 3 km to the east lies the National Road DN69, to which Carani is linked by a local road. Additionally, it is accessible by rail
Caile Ferate Române
Căile Ferate Române is the official designation of the state railway carrier of Romania. Romania has a railway network of of which are electrified and the total track length is . The network is significantly interconnected with other European railway networks, providing pan-European passenger...
, having its own station on the Timişoara - Arad
Arad, Romania
Arad is the capital city of Arad County, in western Romania, in the Crişana region, on the river Mureş.An important industrial center and transportation hub, Arad is also the seat of a Romanian Orthodox archbishop and features two universities, a Romanian Orthodox theological seminary, a training...
line. 5 km to the north lies the village of Călacea
Ortisoara
Orţişoara is a commune in Timiş County, Romania.It is composed of four villages: Călacea, Corneşti, Orţişoara and Seceani.- References :...
; to the east the village of Corneşti
Ortisoara
Orţişoara is a commune in Timiş County, Romania.It is composed of four villages: Călacea, Corneşti, Orţişoara and Seceani.- References :...
; to the south the centre of Sânandrei commune; and to the west, Hodoni
Satchinez
Satchinez is a commune in Timiş County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Bărăteaz, Hodoni and Satchinez....
. The Caran River passes through.
History
Carani was built in 1735 by ItalianItalians of Romania
The Italian Romanians are people of Italian descent who reside, or have moved to Romania.-Characteristics:They are an ethnic minority in Romania, numbering 3,288 people according to the 2002 census...
colonists brought by the Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
as part of a massive effort to populate the Banat with Western Europeans. It was one of the first villages for colonists, founded and inhabited exclusively by Italians, being the only majority-Italian settlement in the entire Banat. The inhabitants grew silkworms, having been brought there in order to start silkworm production in the Banat.
The village was founded under the name of Mercydorf ("Mercy's village"), in honour of General Claudius Florimund Mercy, who was charged with administering the Banat. Later, new waves of colonists arrived – French people
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
and Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
from Alsace-Lorraine
Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
. The first came around 1752, then in 1763, so that by 1770, the village was substantially French in character. Religious services were held in three languages: Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. However, with time, the village grew more German, in line with the rest of the Banat. By the end of the 18th century, Carani was already a Banat Swabian
Banat Swabians
The Banat Swabians are an ethnic German population in Southeast Europe, part of the Danube Swabians. They emigrated in the 18th century to what was then the Austrian Banat province, which had been left sparsely populated by the wars with Turkey. This once strong and important ethnic Banat Swabian...
village.
Covaci
Covaci is another of the commune's villages. It was founded in 1843 when German and a few Hungarian settlers were brought to an estate there. Until the latter half of the 20th century, the village had a strong German majority. This changed dramatically due to emigration, so that by 2002, of 751 inhabitants, there were 682 Romanians, 19 Germans, 19 Hungarians and 30 others.Covaci, which benefits economically from its proximity to Timişoara, is about 10 km north of the city, on the right bank of the Bega Veche River
Bega Veche River
The Bega Veche River is a tributary of the Bega canal. The river is the old course of the Bega River, It drains the area north of the city of Timişoara and after crossing the border between Romania and Serbia, joins the Bega Canal near the city of Zrenjanin...
. The village of Cerneteaz
Giarmata
Giarmata is a commune in Timiş County, Romania. It is composed of two villages, Cerneteaz and Giarmata....
is 3 km to the east; to the west is the national road DN69, to which it is linked by a communal road and which goes to Timişoara. Another communal road leads south into the city.
External links
Mercydorf in Banat Anuarul Socec al României Mari 1924-1925, Library of CongressLibrary of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
Photograph of the castle