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{{Distinguish|Lupeni, Harghita}}
{{Infobox Romanian subdivision
|type               = municipality
|county             = Hunedoara
|official_name      = Lupeni
|image_shield       = ROU HD Lupeni CoA.jpg
|image_skyline      = Primăria Lupeni.jpg
|image_caption      = Lupeni city hall
|image_location     = 
|image_map          = Lupeni jud Hunedoara.png
|map_caption        = Location in Hunedoara County
|leader_name        = Lucian Resmeriță<ref>{{cite web |url=https://prezenta.roaep.ro/locale27092020/romania-pv-final |title=Results of the 2020 local elections |publisher=Central Electoral Bureau |access-date=8 June 2021 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|leader_party       = PSD
|term               = 2020&ndash;2024
|coordinates = {{coord|45|21|37|N|23|14|18|E|region:RO|display=it}}
|elevation          = 640
|elevation_min      = 625
|elevation_max      = 725
|area_total         = 77.73
|population_as_of   = 
|population_total   = auto
|population_footnotes = 
|postal_code        = 335600
|area_code          = (+40) 02 54
|website            = {{URL|https://www.municipiullupeni.ro}}
}}

'''Lupeni''' ({{IPA|ro|luˈpenʲ}}; [[German language|German]]: ''Schylwolfsbach'', [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]]: ''Lupény'') is a mining [[municipiu|city]] in the [[Jiu Valley]] in [[Hunedoara County]], [[Romania]], in the historical region of [[Transylvania]]. It is one of the oldest and largest cities in the Jiu Valley. It is located on the banks of the [[Jiul de Vest|Western Jiu River]] within the Jiu Valley, at a height varying between {{convert|630|m}} (in the east) and {{convert|760|m}}. The distance from Lupeni to Petroșani is {{convert|18|km}} on the DN66A road, and to [[Deva, Romania|Deva]] (the capital of Hunedoara County) it is {{cvt|114|km}}.

The name is derived from the [[Romanian language|Romanian]] "''lup''", meaning "wolf". Throughout the second part of the 19th century and most of the 20th century, the city's economy was based on [[mining]], but since the 1990s the economy has become more diverse, after many mines were closed.

==History==
The first records of people inhabiting this area date back to prehistorical times, as evidenced by the discoveries made at the Straja-Lupeni hill [[cave]], where old pottery objects were found. The city of Lupeni was first attested in 1770. During the [[Middle Ages]], the [[Jiu Valley]] was sparsely  populated, with the inhabitants living in small villages, and [[shepherd]]ing being the main activity.<ref name=tour>{{cite web|url=http://www.tourismguide.ro/html/orase/Hunedoara/Lupeni/istoric_lupeni.php|title=Istoric Lupeni|trans-title=History of Lupeni|access-date=22 January 2016}}</ref>

Lupeni was formed as a result of the intense migration of people coming from Valea Streiului and Țara Hațegului, who were attracted by the rich pastures and hayfields of the area. The residents of the village of Valea Lupului (Wolf Valley) are those who are believed to have founded Lupeni.<ref name=tour/>

[[File:Sodronykötél-pálya a szénosztályozónál. Fortepan 96262.jpg|thumb|left|Mining in 1904]]
After 1840, mining exploration and exploitation started to develop in the area, and major economic and social changes took place. Foreign workers, primarily [[Polish people|Polish]], [[Czechs|Czech]], [[Austrians|Austrian]], [[Slovaks|Slovak]], and [[Hungarians|Hungarian]] miners, as well as Romanian miners from the Apuseni Mountains and Baia Mare, were brought to work in the Jiu Valley. The mining activity began south of Lupeni. Lupeni soon become a major coal producer with a mono-industrial development, with about 80% of the population living from mining and other related activities. The city become very prosperous and experienced continuous population growth. However, the industrial development of the area was severely affected by the economic crisis of the [[interwar period]], which eventually led to the [[Lupeni Strike of 1929]].<ref name=tour/>

Lupeni was declared a city in 1941, at which time it had 12,000 inhabitants. After [[World War II]], over 600 Poles were repatriated from Lupeni to [[Kędzierzyn-Koźle|Kędzierzyn]], Poland.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Nowak|first=Krzysztof|year=2018|title=Reemigracja polskich górników z Rumunii na Górny Śląsk po II wojnie światowej|journal=Śląski Kwartalnik Historyczny Sobótka|volume=LXXIII|issue=4|page=77|issn=0037-7511}}</ref>

During the communist regime, the mines were nationalized by the communist government. In 1977, Lupeni was the site of the [[Jiu Valley miners' strike of 1977]]. After the [[Romanian Revolution]] of 1989, in the 1990s, mining operations entered a restructuring process that had a very strong social and economic impact on the city. A large number of mines were closed, and this also affected other related activities, such as suppliers of materials, equipment and services, and agents that operated in the trade and services areas. Nevertheless, in recent years, new areas of economic development emerged, such as tourism, forestry industry, bakery industry, and commerce.<ref name=tour/>

The city's remaining active mine is the [[Lupeni Coal Mine]] managed by the Petroșani-based [[National Hard Coal Company]].

==Population==
{{Historical populations
|source = Census data
|1956|21188
|1966|29340
|1977|28280
|1992|32853
|2002|31409
|2011|23390
|2021|18699
}}

At the [[2021 Romanian census|2021 census]], Lupeni had a population of 18,699.<ref name="RPL2021">{{cite web|url=https://www.recensamantromania.ro/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Tabel-1.03_1.3.1-si-1.03.2.xls|title=Populația rezidentă după grupa de vârstă, pe județe și municipii, orașe, comune, la 1 decembrie 2021|publisher=[[National Institute of Statistics (Romania)|INSSE]]|language=ro|date=31 May 2023}}</ref> At the [[2011 Romanian census|census from 2011]], the population of the city was 23,390, with breakdown as follows.

===By nationality===
*[[Romanians]]: 19,465 (88.53%)
*[[Hungarians]]: 1,581 (7.19%)
*[[Romani people in Romania|Roma (Gypsy)]]: 735 (3.34%)
*[[Germans]]: 71 (0.32%)

===By religion===
*[[Orthodoxy|Orthodox]]: 24,815
*[[Catholicism|Roman Catholic]]: 1,921
*Reformed: 1,562
*[[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]]: 688
*Greek Catholic: 501
*Baptist 200-300
*Other: 1,155

==Natives==
* {{ill|Ben-Oni Ardelean|ro}} (born 1975), cleric and politician
* {{ill|Ioan Botiș|ro}} (born 1967), politician
* [[Lucian Burchel]] (born 1964), footballer 
* [[Carol Creiniceanu]] (1939–2012), footballer 
* {{ill|János Fazekas|ro}} (1926–2004), communist politician
* [[Gigi Militaru]] (born 1986), rugby player
* [[George Alexandru Pălămariu]] (born 1991), rower
* [[Vasile Patilineț]] (1923–1986), communist activist, politician, and diplomat 
* [[Tatiana Stepa]] (1963–2009), folk singer
* {{ill|Mihai Suder|de}} (1914–1984), communist politician
* [[Laurențiu Tudor (footballer, born 1997)|Laurențiu Tudor]] (born 1997), footballer

==See also==
*[[Bărbăteni Coal Mine]]
*[[Jiu Valley]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Lupeni}}
*[https://jiuvalley.org/new-home/cities/lupeni/ Jiu Valley Portal] - the regional portal host of the Lupeni city website
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090409092351/http://teoreticlupeni.licee.edu.ro/ Science Highschool of Lupeni]

{{Gallery
|File:Biserica Ortodoxă Lupeni.jpg|Romanian Orthodox church
|File:Palatul Cultural Minerul din municipiul Lupeni, Hunedoara.jpg|''Minerul'' cultural center
|File:Schitul Straja.jpg|The Straja Skete
}}

{{Municipalities and Towns of Hunedoara County}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places in Hunedoara County]]
[[Category:Jiu Valley]]
[[Category:Cities in Romania]]
[[Category:Mining communities in Romania]]
[[Category:Monotowns in Romania]]
[[Category:Localities in Transylvania]]