GENERAL INFO
- geographical situation: it is situated in the eastern part of Romania, on the lower course of the Danube, Siret (in the west) and Prut (in the east);
- neighbours: in the north-Vaslui; in the west-Vrancea; in the south-Tulcea,
Braila; in the east the Prut, Republic of Moldovia;
- surface: 4,466 square km (respectively 1,9 % of the country-s territory);
- population: 643,000 inhabitants;
- towns: GALATI-capital of the county (with 328,000 inhabitants, the town among waters, situated on the left bank of the Danube, sea-river harbour, industrial, comercial and cultural centre, it grew as a town of fishermen and sailors); Beresti; Tg. Bujor; Tecuci.
- relief: it is mainly a plain (the Covurlui Plain, with heights between 60-200 m, on levels, decreasing southwards, the Tecuci Plain, the Lower Siret Plain, with a low and wet meadow) and a plateau (in north, the prolongation of the Moldavian Plateau-the Covurlui Plateau, parallel hills, with altitudes of 600 m, the Tutova Hills);
- climate: it is temperate continental specific to the plain in the south and to the plateau in the north, with very hot summers and cold winters (strong snowfalls);
- watercourses: rivers flowing into the Danube: the Prut, with its tributaries the Chineja, Covurlui, Geru Suhurlui, in the east, and the Siret, with its tributary the Barlad, in the west, the county is a real -confluence of waters-.
TOURISTIC SIGHTS
PRESERVES AND MONUMENTS OF NATURE
- The River Dunes from Hanu Conchi-(50 km north of Galati), complex preserve stretching on the sands from the Tecuci Plain, south of the Liesti village. It is important because of its great number of floristic and faunistic elements unique in Moldavia and very rare in our country;
- The Garboavele Garden-Park-forest preserve (17 km north-west of Galati), with secular oaks, acacia;
- The Breana Forset-oak forest preserve, with wild peonies.
HISTORICAL VESTIGES
- Tirighina Roman Camp-Barbosi, strong fortress built during the reign of Emperor Trajan, with the purpose of defending the borders. It was part of the protection military system built by the Romans at the Empire frontier where the Roman Danube fleet gathered;
- Getic-Dacian Settlement Piriboridava-Poiana, important economical and strategical centre in the 4th century B.C.-1st century A.D.;
- Getic-Dacian Settlement-Brahasesti (4th-3rd centuries B.C.).
RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS
- -Precista- Church-Fortress-Galati, it was built in 1647 by ruler Vasile Lupu, the valuable monument of Medieval architecture was for centuries a safe shelter for people in difficult moments;
- -Movromol- Church-Galati, it was built in 1669 by Gheorghe Duca and repaired by his son in 1700-1703. The first schools in Galati were opened in the church cells;
- Vovidenia Church-Galati, art monument hosting the grave of Smaranda Cuza, mother of ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza;
- -Saint George- Church-Galati (1664 - 1665);
- -Sf. Dumitru- Church-Galati, it was built by Vasile Lupu in 1649;
- -Saint Nicholas- Orthodox Cathedral-Galati, today, the Bishopric of the Lower Danube church.
CULTURAL BUILDINGS
- Memorial House -Costache Negri--Costache Negri, in the former mansion of the Negri family, an important objective for visitors. The documents presented here render the atmosphere of the revolution of 1848 and the activity of the scholar and democrat Costache Negri.
Source: Romanian Travel Guide / Publirom