Oltenița
| Oltenița | |
|---|---|
| Municipality | |
|
City center | |
 Location of Oltenița within Călăraşi County | |
| Coordinates: 44°05′12″N 26°38′12″E / 44.08667°N 26.63667°ECoordinates: 44°05′12″N 26°38′12″E / 44.08667°N 26.63667°E | |
| Country |
 Romania |
| County | Călăraşi County |
| Status | Municipality |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Costinel Milescu (People's Action) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 24,822 |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
Oltenița (Romanian pronunciation: [olˈtenit͡sa]) is a city in Romania in the Călăraşi County on the left bank of the Argeş River where its waters flows into the Danube.
Oltenita stands across the Danube from the Bulgarian city of Tutrakan.
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1900 | 5,801 | — |
| 1912 | 6,574 | +13.3% |
| 1930 | 10,389 | +58.0% |
| 1948 | 10,284 | −1.0% |
| 1956 | 14,111 | +37.2% |
| 1966 | 18,623 | +32.0% |
| 1977 | 24,414 | +31.1% |
| 1992 | 31,821 | +30.3% |
| 2002 | 31,434 | −1.2% |
| 2011 | 24,822 | −21.0% |
| Source: Census data | ||
History
Excavations on Gumelniţa hill near the city revealed a Neolithic settlement dating from the 4th millennium BC.
The first mention of a town bearing the name Oltenița appears in 1515 during the reign of Neagoe Basarab.
During the Crimean War the Ottomans attempted to cross the river at this point and inflicted heavy losses on the Russians.
In the Russo-Turkish War, 1877–1878, Oltenița was an important crossing point into Bulgaria for Romanian troops called to aid the Russian Army during the siege of the Pleven (Plevna) stronghold.
During World War I, the garrisons of Oltenița and Turtucaia engaged in numerous artillery skirmishes. The spot was also chosen by allied German and Bulgarian troops for their invasion of Romania. The subsequent Battle of Turtucaia ended in a significant defeat for the Romanian Army.
Notable residents
- Ion Iliescu, 2nd President of Romania (1989–96 and 2000–04)
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Oltenița. |
