Craiova, Regional capital city in southwestern Romania.
Craiova is the capital of Dolj County on the eastern bank of the Jiu River in Wallachia and today one of the largest cities in Romania. The center spreads around several wide avenues and tree-lined squares bordered by multi-story residential blocks, administrative buildings, and shops.
The first permanent settlements on this site date back to Roman times when a trading post named Pelendava was established here. From the 15th century onward the city became a seat for local military leaders and gained importance under Ottoman authority before joining the Romanian kingdom after 1878.
The stadium built for just under 31,000 spectators has turned Craiova into a key destination for football fans across southeastern Romania in recent years. Match days bring people from the entire region together and shape life in many neighborhoods, where you see supporters in their team colors walking through the streets.
Wide pedestrian zones connect the main areas of the center, so you can reach many sights on foot. Most trams and buses run until late evening and also cover residential areas outside the core.
Aside from the art museum in the Mihail Palace, the city also holds the house of Elena Farago, a 19th-century poet, which now serves as a small museum. Few visitors know that Craiova was an important stop on the railway line between Bucharest and the western borders in the early 20th century, still visible in the old station buildings today.
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