View source for Șimleu Silvaniei

{{Short description|Town in Sălaj County, Romania}}
{{Infobox Romanian subdivision
|type                   = town
|county                 = Sălaj
|population_total       = auto
|map_caption            = Location in Sălaj County
|name                   = Șimleu Silvaniei
|other_name             = Szilágysomlyó
|image_skyline          = Szilágysomlyó-churches1.jpg
|image_caption          = Orthodox and Reformed churches
|image_flag             =
|image_seal             = ROU_SJ_Simleu_Silvaniei_CoA.jpg
|image_shield           =
|image_map              = Simleu Silvaniei jud Salaj.png
|coordinates            = {{coord|47|13|50|N|22|48|00|E|display=inline,title}}
|established_date       =
|leader_name            = Mihai-Cristian Lazar<ref>{{cite web |url=https://prezenta.roaep.ro/locale27062021/romania-pv-final |title=Results of the 2021 local elections |publisher=Central Electoral Bureau |access-date=30 June 2021 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|term                   = 2021&ndash;2024
|area_total_km2         = 62.26
|elevation_m            = 234
|postal_code            = 455300
|area_code              =
|website                = {{URL|https://www.simleusilvaniei.ro/}}
}}
'''Șimleu Silvaniei''' ({{IPA|ro|ʃimˌle.u silˈvani.ej}}; {{langx|hu|Szilágysomlyó}}, {{langx|de|Schomlenmarkt}}) is a town in [[Sălaj County]], [[Crișana]], [[Romania]] with a population of 13,948 people (2021 census). It is located near the ancient [[Dacia]]n fortress [[Dacidava]].

Three villages are administered by the town: Bic (''Bükk''), Cehei (''Somlyócsehi''), and Pusta (''Csehipuszta'').

== History ==
=== Ancient times ===
{{See also|Dacians|Dacia}}
[[File:Goldkette mit 52 Anhängern.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Gepid gold necklace with 52 pendants discovered at Șimleu, now exhibited at [[Kunsthistorisches Museum]], [[Vienna]]]]
[[File:Sinagoga din Şimleu Silvaniei.jpg|thumb|left|150px|[[Northern Transylvania Holocaust Memorial Museum]]]]
Before the Roman conquest of [[Dacia]], Șimleu was a political, social and administrative [[Dacians|Dacian]] centre, of high importance.{{sfn|Wanner|2010|p=102}} Seven [[Dacian fortresses]], some with associated settlements, were arranged in an arc shape around the hills of Șimleu.{{sfn|Wanner|2010|pp=89-90}} They had a strategic role in supervising the trade along the [[salt road]] coming from areas around [[Napoca (ancient city)|Napoca]], [[Potaissa]], and modern [[Dej]], and heading to [[Pannonia]].{{sfn|Wanner|2010|p=79}}{{sfn|Wanner|2010|p=90}}

The centre of an early ''[[Gepidia]]'', on the plains northwest of the [[Meseș Mountains]], appears to have been located around Șimleu Silvaniei, where early 5th-century precious objects of Roman provenance have been unearthed.{{sfn|Bărbulescu|2005|pp=190-191}}{{sfn|Bóna|1994|p=77}}

===Middle Ages===
{{Main|Transylvania in the Early Middle Ages|Romania in the Early Middle Ages|Origin of the Romanians}}
[[File:Bathory Castle2.JPG|thumb|right|200px|[[Șimleu Silvaniei Fort]] built by the [[Báthory family]]]]
The town was mentioned in 1258 as ''Wathasomlyowa.'' The name means "Wata's mountain"; the name Wata is of Old Turkish origin, while ''somlyowa'' is an archaic Hungarian word for mountain(side).

The town belonged to the [[Báthory family]], whose ancestral castle stood here. The castle was built by [[Miklós Báthory|Miklós]], voivode of Transylvania in the early 13th century and was first mentioned in 1319. After the Báthory family built a mansion in the town in 1592, the castle became deserted and today lies in ruins.

The [[Catholic Church, Șimleu Silvaniei|Catholic church]] was built in 1534 by Transylvania's voivode [[Báthory István]] and his wife Telegdy Katalin with the occasion of their son's birth. [[Holy Trinity Statue, Șimleu Silvaniei|Holy Trinity Statue]] was built in 1772. The [[Reformed Church, Şimleu Silvaniei|Reformed church]] was rebuilt between 1729 and 1736. The [[Northern Transylvania Holocaust Memorial Museum|synagogue]] was built in 1876.

The [[Báthory Castle|mansion]] was occupied by [[Giorgio Basta]] from [[Zsigmond Báthory]] in 1600. It was occupied by the [[Ottoman Turks|Ottomans]] in 1660 and was part of [[Varat Eyalet]] until 1692. In 1703 it was occupied by [[Kurucs]].

From 1876 to 1920, Șimleu Silvaniei was part of the [[Szilágy County]] of the [[Kingdom of Hungary]].

The [[Greek Catholic]] Vicariate of Șimleu Silvaniei was formed in 1910 and in 1817 the vicariate opened its own school. George Tatu (1810-1824), Georgiu Abraham (1824-1828), Isidor Alpini (1828-1835), [[Alexandru Sterca-Șuluțiu]] (1836-1850), Demetriu Coroianu (1850-1873), [[Alimpiu Barboloviciu]] (1873-1914), Alexandru Ghetie (1914-1922), Emil Bran (1926-1932), Petru Cupcea (1932-1940), Cornel Darabant (1940-1945), Gheorghe Țurcaș (2004-2009) served as vicars of Șimleu Silvaniei. The old Greek Catholic church was destroyed by a storm in 1866. [[Notre Dame Church, Șimleu Silvaniei|Notre Dame Church]] was built between 1871 and 1873.<ref>[http://www.caietesilvane.ro/indexcs.php?cmd=articol&idart=355 Scurt istoric al Vicariatului Silvaniei]</ref>

In 1919, the [[Simion Bărnuțiu National College]], the first [[Romanian language]] high school in [[Sălaj County]] was founded here, and today the town is home to three high schools.

In 1940, Șimleu Silvaniei, along with the rest of [[Northern Transylvania]], was given to Hungary through the [[Second Vienna Award]] imposed by [[Nazi Germany]] and [[Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)|Fascist Italy]]; Romania regained the area in 1944.

Since 1997, inside [[Bic Monastery]], there is the wooden church from [[Stâna, Sălaj|Stâna]]; built in 1778 it has a rectangular plan with nave and pronave.<ref>[http://www.welcometoromania.ro/DN1h/DN1h_Simleu_Silvaniei_e.htm Șimleu Silvaniei]</ref>

==Holocaust==
{{Main|Cehei ghetto}}
The Cehei ghetto operated within the town's administrative area. The ghetto was one of the Nazi-era ghettos for European Jews during World War II. It was active in the spring of 1944, following [[Operation Margarethe]]. The deportations from Cehei took place in three transports: May 31 (3,106), June 3 (3,161) and June 6 (1,584), with a total of 7,851 Jews sent to [[Auschwitz]]. Some 1,200 Sălaj Jews survived the Holocaust but later emigrated from Romania, so that by the 2000s, under fifty Jews remained in the county.

==Population==
{{Historical populations
|source = Census data
|1850 |4027
|1880 |4890
|1900 |6553
|1910 |7886
|1920 |7954
|1930 |8682
|1941 |10353
|1948 |7931
|1956 |10009
|1966 |12324
|1977 |14575
|1992 |17642
|2002 |17053
|2011 |13200
|2021 |13948
}}

At the [[2021 Romanian census|2021 census]], Șimleu Silvaniei had a population of 13,948. According to the [[2011 Romanian census|census from 2011]], there were 14,436 people living within the town; of those, 66.77% were ethnic [[Romanians]], while 22.87% were ethnic [[Hungarians in Romania|Hungarians]], 9.82% ethnic [[Romani people in Romania|Romani]], and 0.51% others.<ref>[http://www.edrc.ro/recensamant.jsp?regiune_id=2140&judet_id=2508&localitate_id=2512 2002 Census]</ref> At the 1910 census, out of 6,885 inhabitants, 6,030 were Hungarians (87,58%) and 759 were Romanians (11,02%).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://library.hungaricana.hu/hu/view/NEDA_1910_01/?pg=0&layout=s)|title = 1910. ÉVI NÉPSZÁMLÁLÁS 1. A népesség főbb adatai községek és népesebb puszták, telepek szerint (1912) &#124; Könyvtár &#124; Hungaricana}}</ref>

==Politics==
{{update section|date=June 2021}}

===2012 election===
The Șimleu Silvaniei Council, elected in the [[2012 Romanian local election|2012 local government election]], is made up of 17 councilors, with the following party composition: 7-[[Democratic Liberal Party (Romania)|Democratic Party]], 4-[[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|Social Democratic Party]], 3-[[Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania]], 2-[[National Liberal Party (Romania)|National Liberal Party]], and 1-[[People's Party – Dan Diaconescu]].<ref>[http://www.magazinsalajean.ro/index.php?cmd=article&artid=33623 Alegerile locale in Sălaj, rezultate finale!]</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#ccc" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
! style="background:#ccc" | Party
! style="background:#ccc" | Seats
! style="background:#ccc" colspan="7" | 2012 Şimleu Silvaniei Council
|-
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Union (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| [[Democratic Liberal Party (Romania)|Democratic Party]]
| style="text-align: right" | '''7'''
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Union (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Union (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Union (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Union (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Union (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Union (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Union (Romania)}} &nbsp;
|-
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Party (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|Social Democratic Party]]
| style="text-align: right" | '''4'''
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Party (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Party (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Party (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Party (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
|-
| {{party color cell|Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania}} &nbsp;
| [[Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania]]
| style="text-align: right" | '''3'''
| {{party color cell|Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania}} &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
|-
| {{party color cell|National Liberal Party (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| [[National Liberal Party (Romania)|National Liberal Party]]
| style="text-align: right" | '''2'''
| {{party color cell|National Liberal Party (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|National Liberal Party (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
|-
| {{party color cell|Greater Romania Party}} &nbsp;
| [[People's Party – Dan Diaconescu]] 
| style="text-align: right" | '''1'''
| {{party color cell|Greater Romania Party}} &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
|}

===2008 election===
The mayor Septimiu Țurcaș was elected in the second round of [[2008 Romanian local election|2008 local government election]].

===2004 election===
The mayor Septimiu Țurcaș was elected for the first time in [[2004 Romanian local election|2004 local government election]] as a member of the [[Democratic Liberal Party (Romania)|Democratic Liberal Party]] and re-elected in 2008 and 2012.

{| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#ccc" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
! style="background:#ccc" | Party
! style="background:#ccc" | Seats
! style="background:#ccc" colspan="5" | 2004 Şimleu Silvaniei Council
|-
| {{party color cell|Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania}} &nbsp;
| [[Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania]]
| style="text-align: right" | '''5'''
| {{party color cell|Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania}} &nbsp;
|-
| {{party color cell|National Liberal Party (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| [[National Liberal Party (Romania)|National Liberal Party]]
| style="text-align: right" | '''5'''
| {{party color cell|National Liberal Party (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|National Liberal Party (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|National Liberal Party (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|National Liberal Party (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|National Liberal Party (Romania)}} &nbsp;
|-
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Union (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| [[Democratic Liberal Party (Romania)|Democratic Party]]
| style="text-align: right" | '''4'''
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Union (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Union (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Union (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Union (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
|-
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Party (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|Social Democratic Party]]
| style="text-align: right" | '''3'''
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Party (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Party (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| {{party color cell|Social Democratic Party (Romania)}} &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
|}

===Mayors===
* József Udvari 
* Octavian Guțu (b. February 23, 1946) was elected in 2000.
* Septimiu Țurcaș (b. September 6, 1968) was elected in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020.
* Mihai-Cristian Lazar was elected in 2021.

==Flora and fauna==
{{Main|Cehei Pond}} 
Cehei Pond Nature Reserve is a protected area with aquatic vegetation and fauna within the town's administrative area.

==Sights to see==
* [[Cehei Pond]] (18.20 ha)
* [[Báthory Castle|Castle ruins]]
* [[Báthory Castle|Báthory mansion]] (16th century)
* [[Catholic Church, Șimleu Silvaniei|Roman Catholic church]] (1532)
* [[Northern Transylvania Holocaust Memorial Museum]]
* [[Wooden Church, Cehei]]

==Notable people==
{{Category see also|People from Șimleu Silvaniei}}
[[File:Anonymous Stephen Báthory (detail) 01.jpg|thumb|140px|Painting of [[Stephen Báthory]]]]
* [[Andrew Báthory]] (ca.1562–1599) a [[Cardinal-deacon]] and [[Prince of Transylvania]] in 1599. 
* [[Christopher Báthory]] (1530–1581) [[voivode of Transylvania]] from 1576 to 1581.
* Sophia Báthory, (died 1680), notable member of the [[Báthory family#Notable members of the Somlyó branch|Somlyó branch]] of the [[Báthory family]].
* [[Stephen Báthory]] (1533–1586) Prince of Transylvania, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1576–1586).<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Stephen Báthory | volume= 25 |last= Bain |first= Robert Nisbet |author-link= Robert Nisbet Bain| page = 887 |short= 1}}</ref>
* {{ill|György Bölöni|hu|Bölöni György}} (1882–1959), Hungarian writer and journalist.
* [[Zoltan Farmati]] (1924–2006) a Romanian footballer with 219 club caps and 21 for [[Romania national football team|Romania]].
* [[Elly Gross]] (born 1929) a Holocaust survivor and public speaker in the United States.
* [[Gisella Grosz]] (1875–1942) a Hungarian classical pianist.
* [[Miklós Nyiszli]] (1901–1956) a Hungarian prisoner of Jewish heritage at [[Auschwitz concentration camp|Auschwitz]].
* [[Joe Pasternak]] (1901–1991) a Hungarian-American film producer in Hollywood.
* [[Liviu Antal]] (born 1989) a Romanian footballer with 400 club caps.

== International relations ==
{{Main|List of twin towns and sister cities in Romania}}

===Twin towns — sister cities===
Șimleu Silvaniei is [[town twinning|twinned]] with:

{|
| valign="top" |
* {{flagicon|Hungary}}  [[Nyírbátor]], [[Hungary]]
* {{flagicon|Hungary}}  [[Szarvas]], [[Hungary]]
|}

==Climate==
Șimleu Silvaniei has a [[humid continental climate]] (''Cfb'' in the [[Köppen climate classification]]).

<div style="width:70%;">
{{Weather box
|location = Șimleu Silvaniei
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|Jan high C = 2.1
|Feb high C = 4.4
|Mar high C = 9.6
|Apr high C = 16
|May high C = 20.5
|Jun high C = 23.7
|Jul high C = 25.6
|Aug high C = 25.8
|Sep high C = 20.7
|Oct high C = 15.2
|Nov high C = 9.6
|Dec high C = 3.4
|year high C =
|Jan mean C = -1.4
|Feb mean C = 0.3
|Mar mean C = 4.9
|Apr mean C = 10.9
|May mean C = 15.6
|Jun mean C = 19.2
|Jul mean C = 21
|Aug mean C = 21
|Sep mean C = 16
|Oct mean C = 10.5
|Nov mean C = 5.4
|Dec mean C = 0.1
|year mean C =
|Jan low C = -4.8
|Feb low C = -3.8
|Mar low C = 0.1
|Apr low C = 5.1
|May low C = 9.9
|Jun low C = 13.6
|Jul low C = 15.6
|Aug low C = 15.5
|Sep low C = 11.1
|Oct low C = 6.1
|Nov low C = 1.8
|Dec low C = -2.9
|year low C =
|Jan precipitation mm = 48
|Feb precipitation mm = 49
|Mar precipitation mm = 59
|Apr precipitation mm = 70
|May precipitation mm = 85
|Jun precipitation mm = 100
|Jul precipitation mm = 98
|Aug precipitation mm = 74
|Sep precipitation mm = 75
|Oct precipitation mm = 62
|Nov precipitation mm = 56
|Dec precipitation mm = 59
|year precipitation =
|date=May 2021|source=https://en.climate-data.org/europe/romania/salaj/simleu-silvaniei-15433/}}
</div>

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode=packed>
File:Șimleu Silvaniei-church1.jpg|Greek Catholic Church
File:Szilágysomlyó-ref church2.jpg|Reformed Church
File:Szilágysomlyó-cat church-Bathory.jpg|Roman Catholic Church
File:RO SJ Simleu 2.jpg|Orthodox Church
File:Szilágysomlyó-park.jpg|Central park
File:ASTRA in Simleu Silvaniei, August 1908.jpg|[[Asociația Transilvană pentru Literatura Română și Cultura Poporului Român|ASTRA]] group picture at [[Notre Dame Church, Șimleu Silvaniei]], August 1908
</gallery>

== Notes ==
{{reflist|2}}

== References ==
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book |last=Bărbulescu |first=Mihai |editor1-last=Pop |editor1-first=Ioan-Aurel |editor2-last=Nägler |editor2-first=Thomas | title=The History of Transylvania, Vol. I. (until 1541) |publisher=Romanian Cultural Institute |year=2005 |pages=137–198 |chapter=From the Romans until the End of the First Millennium AD |isbn=973-7784-04-9}}
*{{cite book |last=Bóna |first=István |editor1-last=Köpeczi |editor1-first=Béla |editor2-last=Barta |editor2-first=Gábor |editor3-last=Bóna |editor3-first=István |editor4-last=Makkai |editor4-first=László |editor5-last=Szász |editor5-first=Zoltán |editor6-last=Borus |editor6-first=Judit | title=History of Transylvania |publisher=Akadémiai Kiadó |year=1994 |pages=62–177 |chapter=From Dacia to Transylvania: The Period of the Great Migrations (271&ndash;895); The Hungarian&ndash;Slav Period (895&ndash;1172) |isbn=963-05-6703-2}}
* {{cite book
 |last        = Wanner
 |first       = Robert
 |title       = Forts, fields and towns: Communities in Northwest Transylvania from the first century BC to the fifth century AD
 |url         = https://lra.le.ac.uk/bitstream/2381/8335/1/2010WannerRWPhD%5b1%5d.pdf
 |year        = 2010
 |access-date  = 2012-01-15
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20161220115253/https://lra.le.ac.uk/bitstream/2381/8335/1/2010WannerRWPhD%5b1%5d.pdf
 |archive-date = 2016-12-20
 |url-status     = dead
}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Șimleu Silvaniei|nowrap=yes}}
* {{JewishGen-LocalityPage|1170388|Şimleu Silvaniei, Romania}}

{{Sălaj County}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simleu Silvaniei}}
[[Category:Șimleu Silvaniei| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Romania]]
[[Category:Jewish communities in Romania]]
[[Category:Czech communities in Romania]]
[[Category:Populated places in Sălaj County]]
[[Category:Localities in Crișana]]
[[Category:Holocaust locations in Romania]]