Brăila (, also , ) is a city in Muntenia, eastern Romania, a port on the Danube and the capital of Brăila County. The Sud-Est Regional Development Agency is headquartered in the city.

According to the 2021 Romanian census, Brăila had a population of 154,686 inhabitants, The village fell to the Mongols during the 1241 Mongol invasion of Europe and it was under direct control of the rulers of Argeș in mid-14th century.

In Greek documents of roughly that time, the city is referred to as Proilabum or Proilava, a Greek language adaptation of its Slavic name, Brailov. In German language sources, it is mentioned as Uebereyl. The origin and meaning of the name is unknown, but it is thought to be an anthroponym.

Wallachian harbour

Following the fall of Vicina, Brăila developed as the main harbour of Wallachia, Foreign merchants bringing goods were forced to unload their merchandise in Brăila, as it can be understood from a 1445 account of Walerand de Wavrin.

In 1462, Mehmed the Conqueror's fleet of 25 triremes and 150 other ships burnt the city to the ground. Nevertheless, Brăila recovered, soon becoming the gateway for Levantine goods into Wallachia.

The Ottoman Empire ruled it from 1538–1540 until 1829; the Ottomans called it Ibrail or Ibraila. It was briefly ruled by Michael the Brave, prince of Wallachia (1595–1596) before it was recaptured by the Ottomans.

Modern history

In 1711, the city was besieged and conquered by a Wallachian-Russian army during the Pruth River Campaign. In 1828, the siege of Brăila took place. The following year, it was officially granted to Wallachia by the Treaty of Adrianople.

During the 19th century, the port became one of the three most important ports on the Danube in Wallachia, the other two being Turnu and Giurgiu. The city's greatest period of prosperity was at the end of the 19th century and in the early 20th century, when it was an important port for most of the merchandise coming in and going out of Romania. In 1912, Brăila had 65,711 residents and during the Interwar period when the population was around 68,000, the city had a Jewish population of about 11,000 (16.1%) and a Greek population of about 5,000 (7.35%).

During World War II, Brăila was captured on 28 August 1944 by Soviet troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front in the course of the Jassy–Kishinev Offensive.

After the 1989 Revolution, Brăila entered a period of economic decline.

Demographics

At the 2021 census, Brăila had a population of 154,686, The ethnic makeup was as follows (as of 2011):

  • Romanians: 97.21%
  • Lipovans: 1.14%
  • Roma: 0.97%
  • Greeks: 0.1%
  • Other: 0.3%

Metropolitan area

Geography

Brăila is part of the strategically important Focșani Gate.

Economy

Accessible to small and medium-sized oceangoing ships, Brăila has large grain-handling and warehousing facilities. It is also an important industrial center, with metalworking, textile, food-processing, and other factories. The naval industry is one of the focus of Brăila's revenue bringers.

Cityscape

Brăila has the following districts: Centru (Center), Viziru (1, 2, 3), Călărași 4, Ansamblul Buzăului, Radu Negru, Obor, Hipodrom, Lacu Dulce, Dorobanți, 1 Mai, Comorofca, Calea Galați, Gării, Apollo, Siret, Pisc, Brăilița, Vidin-Progresul, Islaz, and Chercea.

Landmarks

thumb|[[Maria Filotti Theatre]]

thumb|Hotel Danubiu in Traian Square

Streets radiating from near the port towards Brăila's center are crossed at symmetrical intervals by concentric streets following the geometric design of the old Ottoman fortifications.

The old center of the city has many 19th-century buildings, some of them fully restored. The most important monuments are the Greek Church, erected in 1863–1872 by the Greek community; the Church of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, former jāmi during the Ottoman rule (until 1831) and oldest church in the city; the 19th-century St. Nicholas Church; the Maria Filotti Theatre; the Palace of Culture and its Art Museum; the History Museum; and the old Water Tower. The latter houses a restaurant and a rotation system (360° in one hour). Still, the city has some landmarks from the 20th century, such as the Palace of Agriculture.

Another important site is the Public Garden, a park situated above the bank of the Danube with a view over the river and the Măcin Mountains. Early in 2006 the municipality received European Union funds to renovate the old center of the city, aiming to transform Brăila into a major tourist attraction of Muntenia.

The other important park of the city is the Monument Park, one of the largest urban parks in Romania, covering an area of up to . The park is home to the Natural Science permanent exhibition of Brăila Museum, hosting several dioramas that depict the flora and fauna of the region.

The city also hosts an Armenian Apostolic church from the 19th century, the St. Mary Armenian Church.

Transportation

Brăila features one of the oldest electrical tram lines in Romania, inaugurated at the end of the 19th century and still in use. Brăila's bus system is operated by the town hall in cooperation with Braicar Company, with four primary bus configurations available servicing most of the city. Brăila also has a railway station.

Culture

Local media

The city has several local newspapers, including Obiectiv-Vocea Brăilei, Monitorul de Brăila, Ziarul de Brăila and Arcașu.

Rivalry with Galați

Brăila has a deep rivalry with neighbouring Galați. This conflict has a long history and has reached the point of being studied by academics. In fact, a group of Romanian researchers have already published the book Galați – Brăila. Trecut. Actualitate. Perspective ("Galați – Brăila. Past. Present. Perspectives").

Notable people

  • Petre Andrei
  • Ana Aslan
  • Anton Bacalbașa
  • George Baronzi
  • Daniela Buruiană
  • Beatrice Câșlaru
  • Alexandru Chipciu
  • Georgia Crăciun
  • Anișoara Cușmir-Stanciu
  • Hariclea Darclée
  • Catrinel Dumitrescu
  • Constantin von Economo
  • Andreas Embirikos
  • Gabriela Enache
  • Maria Filotti
  • Liviu Floda
  • Pnina Granirer
  • Paulică Ion
  • Nae Ionescu
  • Panait Istrati
  • Joseph M. Juran
  • Antigone Kefala
  • Valentin Mavrodin
  • Manea Mănescu
  • Ștefan Mihăilescu-Brăila
  • Gheorghe Mihoc
  • Mina Minovici
  • Diana Mocanu
  • Petru Mocanu
  • Jean Moscopol
  • Serge Moscovici
  • Valeriu Niculescu
  • Perpessicius
  • Alina Popa
  • Camelia Potec
  • Nicolae Rainea
  • Johnny Răducanu
  • Eugen Schileru
  • Mihail Sebastian
  • Tudorel Stoica
  • Costică Toma
  • Christos Tsaganeas
  • Andrei Tudor
  • Mihai Tudose
  • Ida Verona
  • Ilarie Voronca
  • Eléna Wexler-Kreindler
  • Iannis Xenakis
  • Marius Zirra

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

Brăila is twinned with:

  • Pleven in Bulgaria.
  • Shumen in Bulgaria.
  • Calais in France.
  • Argostoli in Greece.
  • Katerini in Greece.
  • Bitola in North Macedonia.
  • Kavadarci in North Macedonia.
  • Denizli in Turkey.
  • Nilüfer in Turkey.
  • Beşiktaş in Turkey.

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File:Maria Filotti Braila.jpg

File:Spitalul Judetean de Urgenta Braila.jpg

File:Palatul Agriculturii, Braila.jpg

File:Braila - faleza (1).jpg

File:Braila - faleza (2).jpg

File:Braila - faleza (3).jpg

File:Braila - Mihai Eminescu street (1).jpg

File:Braila - Mihai Eminescu street (2).jpg

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Notes

References

  • Laurențiu Rădvan, At Europe's Borders: Medieval Towns in the Romanian Principalities, Brill, 2010,