Olt County

Description:

Geographical position

                Is located in the southern Romania, on both banks of the lower alt River.

Neighbours

                On the east: Arges County and Teleorman County, on the west: Dolj County, on the north-west: Vâlcea County, on the south: the Danube and Bulgaria.

Surface

                5,498 sq. km (respectively 2,3% of the country's surface).

Population

                517,000 inhabitants.

Towns

                Slatina, county capital, with 87,000 inhabitants, one of the oldest towns in Wallachia, situated on the terraces prevailing in the Olt Valley. Other towns: Bals, Caracal, Corabia, Draganesti Olt, Piatra Olt, Scornicesti.

Relief

                Is formed of fields and plateau (not very high hills) and decreases in height from north to south; its altitudes slightly go down from Vitomiresti to the Danube down to Corabia. an the north, near Slatina there are the ends of the Getic Piedmont (Cotmeana Plateau, a region of hills); in the centre, from Slatina down to the Danube lays a fragment of the Romanian Plain (the Boian, Caracal and Burnas Plains) limited in the south by the Danube Alluvial Plain.

Climate

                Is determined by the geographical position and relief, being temperate-continental and influenced by the western waves of dry air. It manifests through frosts and dry summers with almost 200 days of the year without frost and random winds: the Northern wind that brings snow and blizzards in the winter, rains in the spring and drought in the summer), the dry southern wind and the Baltaretu with rains; the average temperature in January is -2 - -3°C and in July 23°C.

Watercourses

                The main collector is the Danube (47 km in the south). alt River flows into the Danube (the ancient Alutus) by crossing the county from north to south (160 km) and receiving tributaries: Oltel, Teslui, Darjov rivers and in the north, Vedea, with the tributaries Plapcea, Calmatui, Coteana, Mamul, Pesceana rivers. "Boianu" Bustards Reservation (near Nicolae Titulescu, Valeni, Seaca villages). Because in the past bustards Were a specially requested and appreciated game their number has deeply reduced thus making necessary to shelter them within reservations.

The main bustard population territory in Romania is the Bolan Plain. The Topana Forest, forest reservation near Topana village with trees of impressive heights.

                The Geaca Forest - Optasani (48 km away from Pitesti), forest reservation near Poboru and Spineni villages.

Historical villages

                The Ruins of Sucidava Fortress in Celei Corabia, ancient Get-Dacian settlement, on the place of an older settlement of Cotofeni Culture (the 3rd millenium B.C.). Later, the fortress became an important Roman military and economical centre as well as harbour, becoming town in 250 AD. It was an important urban centre during the Roman- Byzantine period.

                Vestiges of the Roman Town ,,Romula" in Resca (north of Caracal), on the place of an old Geto- Dacian settlement, Malaya, it was ranked "municipium" (under the Roman Emperor Adrian) and "coIony" (under Septimius Severus). Today there may be seen the ruins of the buildings, temples and baths.

                Ruins of Princely Court in Caracal, former residence under Michael the Brave (16th century), Matei Basarab and Constantin Brâncoveanu.

                Other historical villages: Ruins of Princely Court Brancoveni (17th - 18th centuries).

Religious buildings

                Brancoveni Monastery (15 km far from Piatra Olt), was built in the 16th century, that was documentariily mentioned for the first time between 1582-1583. It was rebuilt by Matei Basarab in 1640 and by Constantin Brâncoveanu in 1699. The interior painting was executed in 1702.

                Caluiu Monastery in Oboga village, commenced by Craiovesti Boyards in 1516 and finished by Buzesti Brothers in 1588. The church tower is the central element of the building. The portraits of the founders are painted on walls. The monument was restored on various occasions so that it lost its original structure.

                Hotarani Monastery in Farcasele village, was built in 1588 by chancellor Mitrea, painted in 1708 and today it became a museum.

                Other religious buildings: Clocociov Monastery was built by Michael the Brave (1594), Streharet Monastery, representative monument of the 17th century architecture (1672), " Saint Trinity" Church in Caracal (1646).

Cultural buildings

                ,,lancu Jianu" Memorial House in Caracal, was established in the house of the famous bandit and exhibits several objects and weapons that illustrate his struggle against the oppression of the boyards.

                ,,Nicolae Titulescu" Memorial House in Nicolae Titulescu, exhibits various documents and personal objects of the great Romanian politician.