Dolj

Arges County - Braila County - Bucharest County - Buzau County - Calarasi County - Dambovita County - Dolj County - Giurgiu County - Ialomita County - Ilfov County - Mehedinti County - Olt County - Prahova County - Teleorman County - Valcea County

Hotels in Dolj - Travel Agencies in Dolj

Other zones : Crisana and Banat - Dobrogea - Maramures - Moldova and Bucovina - Transylvania 


     - geographical situation: it is situated in the south-western part of the country, at the frontier with Bulgaria, downstream Jiu, the county lands are bathed by the Danube's waters, in the south;
     - neighbours: in the west-Mehedinti; in the north-Gorj, Valcea; in the east-Olt; in the south-Dunarea, Bulgaria;
     - surface: 7,414 square km (respectively 3,1 % of the country's surface);
     - population: 756,000 inhabitants;
     - towns: CRAIOVA-capital of the county, (with 310,000 inhabitants, old crossroads and trade centre where the mountain products were changed for plain ones); Bailesti; Calafat; Filiasi; Segarcea.
     - relief: it is formed of three different regions, in the north, the heights of the southern extremities of the Getic Piedmont (final prolongations), corresponding to the Piedmont Plain of Balacita, and, in the west, the Romanian Plain (the Oltenia Plain), decreasing in steps southwards because of the terraces made up by the Danube, and in the south, the Danube Meadow (the lowest geographical unit), marked by rows of sand dunes;
     - climate: it is temperate continental charcateristic of plain areas, with hot summers and mild winters, with 220 days a year with temperatures above 00C and winds blowing from south-east, north-west, east-west;
     - watercourses: the Danube in the southern extremity, with its tributary the Desn㾵iu, and the Jiu, crossing from north to south, and its tributaries the Gilort, Motru, Argetoaia, Raznic-on the right side, Amaradia-on the left.




     - The Ciumela Forest-Poiana Mare (5 km away from Poiana Mare, on DN Calafat-Bechet-Cernavoda), forest preserve representing an old willow forest, appreciated for the wood and size of the trees (unique in Europe);
     - Ornitological Preserve-Ciupercenii (south of Calafat), an important nesting spot for many species of birds, being the only place in the Danube meadow without dikes;
     - Palaeontological Preserve-Bucovat, near Craiova, with a famous fossil site;
     - The Wild Peony Preserve-Pleni-km away from Craiova), unique in the Romanian landscape;
     - The Romanescu Park-Craiova, it was built between 1900-1903 following the plans of the French architect E. Redont, the project received the gold medal at the 1900 Paris Exhibition. It is one of the biggest, 90 hectares, and most beautiful parks in the country, with many green houses, a lake with islands and a suspended bridge, a small zoo, statues;
     - The Botanical Garden-Craiova, with many floristic elements characteristic of Oltenia, an Italian garden and a Chinese one;
     - The Cosoveni Forest-(10 km west of Craiova on DN 6), a hunting area: pheasants and deer;
     - The Radovan Forest-(30 km away from Craiova on DN 56);
     - The Braniste Forest-Grey oak. 


     - Bania's House-Craiova, the oldest building in the town and one of the oldest of such type in the country. It was built in 1699 at the initiative of the ruler Constantin Brancoveanu, today it hosts the Museum of Ethnography and Folk Art;
     - Glogoveanu House-Craiova, building from the 18th century which belonged to the Glogoveni boyards. Tudor Vladimirescu lived for a while here;
     - Jianu House-Craiova, it is supposed that it was built at the end of the 18th century by the Jianu family;
     - The Popova Fountain-Craiova, it was built by the voivode Matei Basarab (17th century);
     - The Odobescu Fountain-(at the Severin barrier on DN 6), it was built in 1774;
     - The Jianu Fountain-Craiova (1800), tradition says that the famous outlaw Iancu Jianu used to stop here;
     - Cula Poenarilor-Almaj (18th century);
     - Cotofeni House-Cotofenii din Fata (1653);
     - Ruins of the Roman Camp-Racari (1st-3rd centuries A.D.);
     - Archaeological Vestiges of Neolithic and Bronze Age-Cotofenii de Jos, of the Cotofeni culture.


     - Bucovat Monastery-(5 km west of Craiova on DN 55), interesting monument of Medieval art built between 1506 and 1512, with later repairs. It has a wall chronicle, unique in Wallachia;
     - The "Sf. Dumitru" Ruling Church-Craiova, the oldest architectural monument in Craiova, it was built by Matei Basarab in1651-1652, on the place of an old church (15th century);
     - Sadova Monastery-it was built by the Craiovesti boyards (15th century), repaired by Matei Basarab, Constantin Brancoveanu;
     - Jitianu Monastery-in the village of Podari, monument from the 15th century, rebuilt by Lady Balasa in 1655;
     - Segarcea Monastery-(16th century);
     - "Sf. Ilie" Church-Craiova (1720), it was repaired by Gh. Tattarescu;
     - "Sf. Gheorghe Nou" Church-Craiova (1755);
     - "Saint Emperors" Church-Craiova (1753);
     - Madona Dudu Church-Craiova, it was built in 1929 on the place of an old one (1758).


     - Art Museum-Craiova, in the Dinu Mihail Palace, it was built in 1867, following the plans of the French architect Paul Gottereanu. The works exhibited belong to famous Romanian and foreign poets and sculptors (Th. Aman, N. Grigorescu, Gh. Tattarescu, O. Bancila, St. Luchian, I. Jalea, D. Paciurea. An important place is occupied by the work of the great master Constantin Brancusi (seven sculptures, among which the famous "The Kiss");
     - Museum of Oltenia-Craiova, it was founded in 1915, with valuable pieces in its three departments (history, ethnography and natural sciences).


     - Monument of 1877-Calafat, in memory of the Independence War, from the Danube banks (near Calafat) the first cannon volleys were fired upon Vidinul;
     - Cobuz Monument-Calafat, in honour of the heroes of the Independence War;
     - Monument of 1907-Craiova, in the Romanescu Park, in memory of the peasants who died for better life;
     - The Statue of Tudor Vladimirescu-Craiova, in memory of the leader of the 1821 Revolution;
     - The Statue of Alexandru Ioan Cuza-Craiova. 
Source: Romanian Travel Guide / Publirom