Piatra Neamt : Romania

Piatra Neamţ (population: 105,000) is the main city center of Neamţ county, Moldova, Romania.
History
Piatra Neamţ lies in the Bistrita River Valley, surrounded by mountains – Pietricica (590 m), Cozla (679 m), Cernegura (852 m), Bâtca Doamnei (462 m) and Cârloman (617 m), at an average height of 345 m, situated at 46°56� northern latitude and 26°22� eastern longitude, the town has all the advantages offered by a kind and unique nature. Population (2004 estimate) 185,000.
The city’s attractions include an archaeological museum, which contains a famous collection of painted pottery ( black pottery Cucuteni) from the Neolithic Period (about 8000-4000 BCE); a theater; a natural science museum; and the Church of Saint John (1497-1498). The Bistriţa Monastery, founded in the early 15th century, is 8 km (5 mi) west of the city. The Neamţ county is known as the region with most monasteries per square kilometer in the world. It boasts a rich and varied landscape, with elements of great beauty, and lots of cultural and historical vestiges. The local people are renowned for their hospitality.The Moldavian art style, of great originality and stylistic unity, was developed by blending Gothic elements with the Byzantine structure specific to the churches. Among such constructions, the monumental church of the Neamţ Monastery served, for more than a century, as a model for Moldavian churches and monasteries.
Piatra Neamţ is one of the oldest settlements in Romania. The oldest traces of human civilisation in the present territory date back to the higher Paleolithic, about 100,000 years BCE. The Cucuteni culture, whose development lasted approximately one thousand years (ca. 3600-2600 BCE) was attested in the territory of Neamţ county by a remarkable number of settlements (approx. 150), archaeological diggins unearthing important museum collections of Aeneolitic vestiges. Archaeologists have also iscovered objects here dating back to the Neolithic Period and the Bronze Age (about 1900-1700 BCE).
Excavations just outside the city revealed the ruins of a large Dacian city, Petrodava, mentioned by Greek geographer Ptolemy in the 2nd century. The whole compound had its heyday between the first century BCE and the first century CE. Standing out is the citadel at Bitca Doamnei which contains shrines resembling those identified in the Orastiei Mountains. As far as the existence of a local leader is concerned, historians tend to suggest the identification of the Kingdom of Dicomes in the very political centre at Petrodava. The complex of strongholds without peer in Moldavia and Wallachia is evidence as to a powerful political and military centre both in Burebista’s time and in the period that preceded the reign of Decebalus. The settlement was documented in the 15th century as Piatra lui Craciun, or Camena, a market town.
The first urban settlements, which emerged under Petru I Musat (1375-1391), were Piatra lui Craciun, Roman and Neamţ. The Neamţ citadel, whose documentary attestation dates back to February 2, 1395, was also erected during the same consolidation period of the Romanian state east of the Carpathians. The Princely Court of Piatra Neamţ is mentioned for the first time in a document dated April 20, 1491; it was founded between 1468 and 1475, under Stephen the Great, the Princely Cathedral being built in 1497-1898 and the 20 m. tall Bell Tower in 1499.
Economy
The city’s industries include a fertilizer plant, a pulp and paper mill, and several food-processing plants. Southeast of the city are large factories that produce synthetic fiber and nitrogen fertilizer.
The city’s main industrial park is situated 11 km south, in Savinesti area. During communist period, the Savinesti platform was one of the most important chemical plants in Romania and the site of a research institute. Today it operates at a very low capacity.
In the city are also located an agricole machinery plant and two paper manufactures.
The most important Romanian commercial brands originating from Piatra Neamţ are Rifil (synthetic fibers manufacturer), Altex (Media Galaxy) (TV, hi-fi, home appliances national dealer), Köber (paints manufacturer), Dasimpex (mobile phones dealer).
Culture & Education
Piatra Neamţ is the siege of Teatrul Tineretului (Youth’s Theatre), G. T. Kirileanu library and the host of many cultural events, as the International Theatre Festival in the springtime, the classical music event Vacanţe muzicale (musical holydays) in the summertime and more folkloric festivals all year round.
The “Petru Rareş� national college, “Calistrat Hogaş� national college, as well as “Victor Brauner� fine arts college are located here.
Sports
FC Ceahlǎul Piatra Neamţ is the local football (soccer) team; best performance : 4th round in UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1999 after two matches versus Juventus Turin.
Former Fibrex Sǎvineşti, actually HCM Piatra Neamţ is the local men’s handball team, three times champions of Romania and two times winners of Handball Romania’s Cup.
CV Unic Piatra Neamţ is the local women’s volleyball team.
Piatra Neamţ is the residence of Constantin “Ticu� Lăcătuşu, the first Romanian alpinist who reached the top of Mount Everest.
Points of interest
Stephen’s tower (the city symbol)
St John The Baptist church
the Princely Court
The History & Archaeology Museum (host of the Cucuteni exhibition, the largest aeneolitic artifacts collection in south-east of Europe)
The Fine Arts Museum
The Natural Sciences Museum
The “Calistrat Hogas� Memorial Museum
The “Schimbarea la Fata� Wooden Church in Valeni
The Wooden Synagogue