View source for Turda

{{for multi|the former administrative subdivision of Romania|Turda County|the village in Tulcea County|Mihai Bravu, Tulcea}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2012}}
{{Infobox Romanian subdivision
|type               = municipality
|county             = Cluj
|official_name      = Turda
|image_shield       = Turda, Cluj COA.png
|image_flag         = ROU CJ Turda.png
|image_skyline      = {{multiple image
| border             = infobox
| total_width        = 300
| image_style        = infobox
| perrow             = 1/2/2
| caption_align      = center
| image1 = 2011-IMG 4425.jpg
| alt1 =
| caption1 = Republicii Square

| image2 = Salina Turda (panorama), Cluj, RO.jpg
| alt2 =
| caption2 = {{ill|Salina Turda|ro|Salina Turda}}

| image3 = Turda History Museum 2011.jpg
| alt3 =
| caption3 = Turda History Museum

| image4 = Turda - Biserica Romano-Catolica - 2017.jpg
| alt4 =
| caption4 = Roman Catholic Church of Turda

| image5 = 2007 06210077 Biserica reformată Turda Veche CJ-II-m-A-07793.jpg
| alt5 =
| caption5 = Old Reformed Church of Turda with {{ill|Turda Gorge|ro|Cheile Turzii}} in the background
}}
|image_caption      = 
|image_map          = Turda jud Cluj.svg
|map_caption        = Location in Cluj County
|leader_name        = Cristian-Octavian Matei<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=11 June 2021 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|leader_party       = PNL
|term               = 2020&ndash;2024
|coordinates        = {{coord|46|34|N|23|47|E|region:RO_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|elevation          = 315
|elevation_min      = 310
|elevation_max      = 436
|area_total         = 91.43
|population_total   = auto
|population_as_of   = 
|population_footnotes = 
|postal_code        = 401001–401189
|area_code          = +(40) x64
|website            = {{URL|https://primariaturda.ro/}}
}}

'''Turda''' ({{IPA|ro|ˈturda}}; {{langx|hu|Torda}}, {{IPA|hu|ˈtorda}}; {{langx|de|link=no|Thorenburg}}; {{langx|la|Potaissa}}) is a [[Municipiu|city]] in [[Cluj County]], [[Transylvania]], [[Romania]]. It is located in the southeastern part of the county, {{cvt|34.2|km}} from the county seat, [[Cluj-Napoca]], to which it is connected by the [[European route E81]], and {{cvt|6.7|km}} from nearby [[Câmpia Turzii]]. 

The city consists of four neighborhoods: Turda Veche, Turda Nouă, Oprișani, and Poiana. It is traversed from west to east by the [[Arieș|Arieș River]] and north to south by its tributary, [[Valea Racilor (Arieș)|Valea Racilor]].

==History==

===Ancient times===
{{See also|Potaissa (castra)}}
[[File:Milliarum of Aiton, modern copy erected in Turda, Romania in 1993.jpg|thumb|left|''Milliarium of Aiton'', the oldest known epigraphical attestation of Potaissa&nbsp;– a copy erected in June 1993 in front of the Turda Post Office]]

There is evidence of human settlement in the area dating to the [[Middle Paleolithic]], some 60,000 years ago.<ref>{{in lang|ro}} [http://www.primariaturda.ro/index.php?topic=29&blank=0&pag=comuna_primitiva.htm "Comuna primitivă"] at the Turda City Hall site; accessed March 21, 2013</ref> The [[Salina Turda|Potaissa salt mines]] were worked in the area since prehistoric times.

The [[Dacia]]ns established a town that [[Ptolemy]] in his [[Geography (Ptolemy)|''Geography'']] calls ''Patreuissa'', which is probably a corruption of ''Patavissa'' or ''Potaissa'', the latter being more common. It was conquered by the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]], who kept the name ''Potaissa'', between AD 101 and 106, during the rule of [[Trajan]], together with parts of [[Decebalus|Decebal]]'s [[Dacia]].<ref>{{in lang|ro}} [http://www.primariaturda.ro/index.php?topic=29&blank=0&pag=epoca_dacica.htm "Epoca dacică"] at the Turda City Hall site; accessed March 21, 2013</ref> "Potaissa" is first recorded on a Roman [[milliarium]] discovered in 1758 in the nearby [[Aiton, Cluj|Aiton]] commune.<ref name="roman">Lazarovici ''et al.'' 1997, pp. 202–3 (6.2 Cluj in the Old and Ancient Epochs)</ref> The city became a [[municipium]] Septimium, and benefited from [[Ius Italicum]], however if it reached the rank of [[Colonia (Roman)|colonia]] is uncertain. At its height it housed as many as 20,000 people. About 200 inscriptions were recovered from the now entirely overlapped Roman ruins, many showing vulgarisms such as [[Betacism|v/b alternation]] or simplification of the geminates.
<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Beu-Dachin |first=Eugenia |date=2020-01-01 |title=Linguistic Peculiarities in the Latin Inscriptions of Potaissa (DACIA |url=https://www.academia.edu/44997405/LINGUISTIC_PECULIARITIES_IN_THE_LATIN_INSCRIPTIONS_OF_POTAISSA_DACIA |journal=Acta Classica Univ. Scient. Debrecen. |doi=10.22315/ACD/2020/3}}</ref>

[[File:2006 0602Turda0088Potaissa.jpg|thumb|left|[[Roman bath]] at [[Potaissa (castra)|Castra Potaissa]]]]

The [[Potaissa (castra)|legionary fortress]] was  established as the basecamp of the [[Legio V Macedonica|Legio V ''Macedonica'']] from 166 to 274, and was also named ''Potaissa''.  

From the reign of [[Gordian III]] (238&ndash;244) numerous treasures were excavated from Turda, [[Țaga]], [[Viișoara, Mureș|Viișoara]], and [[Mărtinești]], showing that in this time the defense was breaking under the [[Carpi people|Carps]], [[Goths]], [[Gepids]], and [[Vandals]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Bicsok |first=Zoltán |url=http://mek.oszk.hu/03900/03911/03911.pdf |title=Torda város története és statútuma |publisher=Erdélyi Múzem-Egyesület |year=2001 |isbn=973-99299-9-0 |volume=Erdélyi Turdományos Füzetek 229 |trans-title=History and statute of the city of Torda}}</ref>

Objects dated to post-Aurelian retreat found at the site (for example an inscribed onyx gem depicting the Good Shepherd, and silver coins of Diocletian) together with a large burial containing sarcophagi and a cremation stone box point at continuous habitation until the early fifth century.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wanner |first=Rob |last2=De Sena |first2=Eric |date=2016 |title=Reflections on the Immediate Post-Roman Phase of Three Dacian Cities: Napoca, Potaissa and Porolissum |url=https://www.academia.edu/171310/Reflections_on_the_Immediate_Post_Roman_Phase_of_Three_Dacian_Cities_Napoca_Potaissa_and_Porolissum |access-date=3 May 2024 |website=academia.edu}}</ref> The situation changes in the next two centuries when dwellings and cemeteries superpose the Roman site, in a similar manner to [[Apulum (conurbation)|Apulum]] and [[Sirmium]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nemeti |first=Sorin |last2=Barbocz |first2=Beata |date=2023 |title=The 5th–6 th Century AD Settlement from the Fortress of legio V Macedonica at Potaissa |url=https://www.academia.edu/115784832/THE_5TH_6TH_CENTURY_AD_SETTLEMENT_FROM_THE_FORTRESS_OF_LEGIO_V_MACEDONICA_AT_POTAISSA?rhid=28219244912&swp=rr-rw-wc-64882422 |access-date=6 May 2024 |website=Academia.edu}}</ref> After conquering the place, the Huns settled down near.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Visszapillantás Torda múltjába |trans-title=Flashback in the past of Torda |url=http://torda.ro/index.php?id=32 |website=Torda |language=hu}}</ref> From this time three [[Solidus (coin)|solidus]] were found from graves. Burying with coins was a [[Gepids|Gepid]] tradition not typical of the Huns, meaning that they settled their vassals in [[Transylvania]] too.<ref name=":1" />

===Middle Ages===
{{See also|Transylvania in the Middle Ages}}
The territory changed hands between the [[Gepids]] and [[Lombards|Langobards]] multiple times before both were expelled by the [[Pannonian Avars|Avars]].<ref name=":0" />

After the [[Kingdom of Hungary|Hungarian]] conquest, the kindred Kalocsa settled here. Their center was called {{Lang|hu|Tordavár}} ("castle of Torda"), and another important estate was {{Lang|hu|Tordalaka}} ("home of Torda") as of 1075.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> The name probably derives from [[Old Church Slavonic|Old Bulgarian]] *tvьrdъ meaning citadel, fortress.<ref>Nicolae Drăganu: [https://bcub.ro/lib2life/Toponimie%20si%20istorie_Draganu%20Nicolae_Cluj_1928.pdf Toponimie și istorie], 1928, page 149 </ref> 

[[Transylvanian Saxons|Saxons]] settled in the area in the 12th century. Much of the town was destroyed during the [[First Mongol invasion of Hungary|Tatar invasion in 1241–1242]], however most of its inhabitants survived by hiding in the cave system. [[Stephen V of Hungary|King Stephen V]] ensured its quick revival by giving privileges.<ref name=":0" />

On 8 January, 1288, [[Ladislaus IV of Hungary|Ladislaus IV]] attended the first national assembly in Torda and recruited an army of Transylvanians to repel the [[Cumans|Cuman]] invasion. He pursued the Cumans back to the border. During this time the Hungarians were the absolute majority in the city. Numerous meetings were held here afterwards.<ref name=":0" />
[[File:TurdaPalatPrinciarDavidFerenc.jpg|left|thumb|268x268px|The national assembly of Torda. Painting by [[Aladár Körösfői-Kriesch]] ]]
The Hungarian Diet was held here in 1467, by [[Matthias Corvinus]]. Later, in the 16th century, Turda was often the residence of the [[Transylvanian Diet]], too. After the [[Battle of Mohács]], the city became part of the [[Eastern Hungarian Kingdom]] and since 1570 the [[Principality of Transylvania (1570–1711)|Principality of Transylvania]]. The 1558 Diet of Turda declared free practice of both the Catholic and [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] religions. In 1563 the Diet also accepted the [[Calvinist]] religion, and in 1568 it extended freedom to all religions, declaring that "It is not allowed to anybody to intimidate anybody with captivity or expelling for his religion"&nbsp;– a freedom unusual in medieval Europe. This [[Edict of Turda]] is the first attempt at legislating general religious freedom in Christian Europe (though its legal effectiveness was limited).

In 1609 [[Gabriel Báthori]] granted new privileges to Turda. These were confirmed later by [[Gabriel Bethlen]]. In the battle of Turda, Ahmed Pasha defeated [[George II Rákóczi]] in 1659.

===Modern times===
In 1711 the [[Principality of Transylvania (1711–1867)|Grand Principality of Translyvania]] was formed which became in 1804 part of the [[Austrian Empire]]. In 1867, by the [[Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867|Austro-Hungarian Compromise]], the city became again part of [[Kingdom of Hungary|Hungary]]. After [[World War I]], following the proclamation of the [[Union of Transylvania with Romania]] of December 1918 and the [[Hungarian–Romanian War]] of 1918&ndash;1919, Turda passed under Romanian administration, and then became part of the [[Kingdom of Romania]] by the [[Treaty of Trianon]] of 1920.<ref>{{in lang|ro}} [http://www.primariaturda.ro/index.php?topic=29&blank=0&pag=perioada_interbelica.htm "Turda în perioada interbelică"] at the Turda City Hall site; accessed June 3, 2013</ref> During the [[interwar period]], the city became the seat of [[Turda County]]. In 1944, the [[Battle of Turda]] took place here, between [[German Army (Wehrmacht)|German]] and [[Hungarian Army|Hungarian]] forces on one side and [[Soviet Army|Soviet]] and [[Romanian Land Forces|Romanian]] forces on the other. It was the largest battle fought in Transylvania during [[World War II]].

==Demographics==
{{Historical populations
|source = Census data
|1850 |8743
|1880 |10563
|1890 |12370
|1900 |13587
|1910 |15167
|1920 |16692
|1930 |21428
|1941 |32170
|1948 |25905
|1956 |35606
|1966 |44980
|1977 |55294
|1992 |61200
|2002 |55770
|2011 |47744
|2021 |43319
}}

According to the Hungarian census from 1910, the town had 13,455 inhabitants, of which 9,674 were Hungarians, 3,389 Romanians, and 100 Germans.<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>

According to the [[2011 Romanian census]], there were 47,744 people living within the city. Of this population, 84.7% were ethnic [[Romanians]], while 8.98% were ethnic [[Hungarians in Romania|Hungarians]], 6.03% ethnic [[Romani people in Romania|Roma]], and 0.4% others.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edrc.ro/recensamant.jsp?regiune_id=2140&judet_id=2295&localitate_id=2300|title=Structura Etno-demografică a României|website=www.edrc.ro|access-date=8 October 2017}}</ref>

At the [[2021 Romanian census|2021 census]], Turda had a population of 43,319, a decrease of 9.3% from the previous census; of those, 72.46% were Romanians, 5.92% Hungarians, and 4.03% Roma.<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>

==Notable people==
{{Columns-list|colwidth=15em|style=width: 500px;|
* {{ill|János Abacs|hu|Abacs János}}
* {{ill|Ádám Anavi|ro|Ádám Anavi}}
* [[Dan Anca]]
* {{ill|István Bajusz|hu|Bajusz István}}
* {{ill|Dezső Baróti|hu|Baróti Dezső}}
* {{ill|István Barra|hu|Barra István (ampelológus)}}
* [[Eta Boeriu]]
* [[Miklós Bogáthi Fazekas]]
* [[Andreea Cacovean]] 
* [[Horia Crișan]]
* [[Radu Crișan]]
* {{ill|Elek Csetri|hu|Csetri Elek}}
* {{ill|László Darkó|hu|Darkó László}}
* [[Emilian Dolha]]
* [[Veronica Drăgan]]
* [[Moise Dragoș]]
* {{ill|Arnold Gross|hu|Gross Arnold}}
* [[Étienne Hajdú]]
* [[Miklós Jósika]]
* {{ill|Jenő Attila Kessler|hu|Kessler Jenő Attila}}
* {{ill|Erzsébet Keszy-Harmath|hu|Keszy-Harmath Erzsébet}}
* [[Baruch Kimmerling]]
* {{ill|Sámuel Köteles|hu|Köteles Sámuel}}
* {{ill|László Kőváry|hu|Kőváry László}}
* {{ill|Ottó Kőváry|hu|Kőváry Ottó}}
* {{ill|Csaba Lászlóffy|hu|Lászlóffy Csaba}}
* {{ill|Aladár Lászlóffy|ro}}
* [[Andrei Mureșan]]
* [[Ionuț Mureșan]]
* [[Camil Mureșanu]]
* [[Mona Muscă]]
* {{ill|Albert Nagy|hu|Nagy Albert (festő)}}
* [[Ecaterina Orb-Lazăr]]
* [[Cristina Pîrv]]
* [[Ion Rațiu]]
* [[Alin Rus]]
* {{ill|Septimiu Sever|ro|Septimiu Sever (actor)}}
* [[Júlia Sigmond]]
* {{ill|Katalin Simonffy|hu|Simonffy Katalin}}
* {{ill|Zoltán Tibor Sinka|hu|Sinka Zoltán Tibor}}
* [[Ion Suru]]
* {{ill|Etelka Szabó Adorján|hu|Szabó Adorján Etelka}}
* {{ill|Sándor Szenyei|hu|Szenyei Sándor}}
* {{ill|Miklós Szigethy Csehi|hu|Szigethy Csehi Miklós}}
* [[Rareș Takács]]
* [[Mădălina Tătar]]
* {{ill|Zoltán Tatár|hu|Tatár Zoltán}}
* {{ill|János Thordai|hu|Thordai János}}
* [[Cosmin Tilincă]]
* [[István Timár-Geng]]
* {{ill|Gábor Tőrös|hu|Tőrös Gábor}}
* {{ill|Samu Tóth|hu|Tóth Samu}}
* [[Luminița Trombițaș]]
* {{ill|János Tulogdy|hu|Tulogdy János}}
* {{ill|Mária Újvári|hu|Újvári Mária}}
* {{ill|Béla Varga (bishop)|lt=Béla Varga|hu|Varga Béla (unitárius püspök)}}
* [[Moise Vass]]
* [[Cosmin Vâtcă]]
* {{ill|Károly Viski|hu|Viski Károly}}
}}

==Tourism==
* [[Salina Turda]]
* [[Cheile Turzii]]

==See also==
{{portal|Romania}}
* [[Decree of Turda]]
* [[Universitas Valachorum]]
* [[List of Transylvanian Saxon localities]]
* [[Ancient history of Transylvania]], [[History of Transylvania]]
* [[Franziska Tesaurus]]
* [[Edict of Torda]]

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

===Twin towns – sister cities===
Turda is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Angoulême]]<ref name="Angoulême twinnings">{{cite web | url = http://www.cncd.fr/frontoffice/bdd-region.asp?action=getRegion&id=21#tabs3 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130805063216/http://www.cncd.fr/frontoffice/bdd-region.asp?action=getRegion&id=21%23tabs3 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2013-08-05 | title = National Commission for Decentralised cooperation | access-date = 2013-12-26 | work = Délégation pour l’Action Extérieure des Collectivités Territoriales (Ministère des Affaires étrangères) | language = fr }}</ref>
*{{flagicon|HUN}} [[Hódmezővásárhely]]
*{{flagicon|ESP}} [[Santa Susanna, Catalonia|Santa Susanna]]
*{{flagicon|SRB}} [[Torda (Žitište)|Torda]]

==Picture gallery==
<gallery>
File:PrimariaTurda02 2009.jpg|City Hall
File:VilaMendelTurda01.jpg|Mendel Villa
File:2010 - IMG 1176.jpg|Palace of Finance
File:Turda History Museum 2011-1.jpg|Princely Palace, now the History Museum
File:Turda Orthodox Cathedral1.JPG|Orthodox Cathedral
File:Salina Turda 5.jpg|[[Salina Turda|Turda salt mine]]
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
*{{cite web|url=http://www.cimec.ro/scripts/muzee/iden.asp?k=214|title=INP - Museums and Collections in Romania|website=Cimec.ro|access-date=October 8, 2017}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9073822/Turda|title=Turda - Romania|website=Britannica.com|access-date=October 8, 2017}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Turda}}
*{{in lang|ro}} [http://primariaturda.ro Official site of the city hall]
* [http://www.turdaturism.ro TurdaTurism.ro]
* [http://www.potaissa.org Fundatia Potaissa]

{{Cluj County}}

{{Dacian cities}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Turda| ]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Romania]]
[[Category:Populated places in Cluj County]]
[[Category:Localities in Transylvania]]
[[Category:Cities in Romania]]
[[Category:Roman sites in Romania]]
[[Category:Roman towns and cities in Romania]]
[[Category:Dacian towns]]
[[Category:Mining communities in Romania]]
[[Category:Capitals of former Romanian counties]]