Strehaia Explained

Type:town
County:Mehedinți
Leader Name:Ioan Giura[1]
Leader Party:PSD
Term:2020 - 2024
Coordinates:44.6222°N 23.1972°W
Elevation:150
Area Total:108.64
Population Total:auto
Postal Code:225300
Area Code:(+40) 02 52

Strehaia (in Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan pronounced as /streˈhaja/) is a town in Mehedinți County, Oltenia, Romania. It is situated on the Motru River valley, in the eastern part of the county. Nine villages are administered by the town: Ciochiuța, Comanda, Hurducești, Lunca Banului, Menți, Motruleni, Slătinicu Mare, Slătinicu Mic, and Stăncești.

Geography

The town is located east of the county seat, Drobeta-Turnu Severin, on national road DN6 (part of the European route E70). It lies on the border with Gorj County, west of Filiași and southeast of Motru.

Forests in the vicinity are home to the largest Hermann's tortoise colonies in Oltenia.

Demographics

At the 2011 census, the town had a population of 9,837. Of these, 88.79% were Romanians and 11.11% Roma; 99.4% were Romanian Orthodox. By the 2021 census, Strehaia's population had decreased to 9,059 inhabitants; of those, 72.26% were Romanians and 14.28% Roma.[2]

History

Strehaia was first mentioned in documents of the 15th century. As an alternative location for the residence of Oltenian Bans during the early Craiovești rules, the town still features the foundation of the Banate estate house; it had replaced Severin due to frequent Ottoman attacks, and was in turn replaced by Craiova, remaining a largely rural locality.

The Monastery of Strehaia was built by Wallachian Prince Matei Basarab in 1645. In 1671, a cattle fair was organized in the town, a regular event which contributed to the town's development. Strehaia was the site of skirmishes between the Pandurs of Tudor Vladimirescu and troops loyal to Scarlat Callimachi, during the Wallachian uprising of 1821.

The estates of Prince Antoine Bibesco were located near Strehaia.

Natives

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Results of the 2020 local elections . Central Electoral Bureau . 6 June 2021 . dmy-all.
  2. Web site: Populația rezidentă după grupa de vârstă, pe județe și municipii, orașe, comune, la 1 decembrie 2021. INSSE. ro. 31 May 2023.