Brasov

According to Dragoș Moldovanu, the name of Brașov came from the name of local river named Bârsa (also pronounced as "Bărsa") that was adopted by Slavs and transformed to Barsa, and later to Barsov, finally to Brasov. According to Pál Binder, the current Romanian and the Hungarian name Brassó ([ˈbrɒʃʃoː]) are derived from the Turkic word barasu, meaning "white water" with a Slavic suffix -ov. Other linguists proposed various etymologies including an Old Slavic anthroponym Brasa. The first attested mention of this name is Terra Saxonum de Barasu ("Saxon Land of Baras") in a 1252 document issued by Béla IV of Hungary. According to some historians, Corona was name of the city-fortress while Brassó was referring to the county, while others consider both names may refer to the city and the county as well. …

The oldest traces of human activity and settlements in Brașov date back to the Neolithic age (about 9500 BCE). Archaeologists working from the last half of the 19th century discovered continuous traces of human settlements in areas situated in Brașov: Valea Cetății, Pietrele lui Solomon, Șprenghi, Tâmpa, Dealul Melcilor, and Noua. The first three locations show traces of Dacian citadels; Șprenghi Hill housed a Roman-style construction. The last two locations had their names applied to Bronze Age cultures—Schneckenberg ("Hill of the Snails"; Early Bronze Age) and Noua ("The New"; Late Bronze Age). Transylvanian Saxons played a decisive role in Brașov's development and were invited by Hungarian kings to develop towns, build mines, and cultivate the land of Transylvania at different stages between 1141 and 1300. …

Braşov is situated in central Romania, 85 kilometres (53 mi) northwest of Ploiești. It is at the foot of the Transylvanian Alps. Brașov has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification: Dfb). The highest temperature ever recorded at the Brașov Ghimbav Meteorological Station is 37.3 °C (99.1 °F), on July 5, 2000, and the lowest is −33.3 °C (−27.9 °F), on January 8, 2015. Brașov has a temperature amplitude of 70.6 °C (127.1 °F), which is high by European standards.

Industrial development in Brașov started in the inter-war period, with one of the largest factories being the aeroplane manufacturing plant (IAR Brașov), which produced the first Romanian fighter planes used during World War II. After signing the armistice with the USSR on September 12, 1944, the factory started repairing trucks, and in October 1945 it began manufacturing agricultural tractors. IAR 22 was the first Romanian-made wheeled tractor. In 1948 the company was renamed Uzina Tractorul Brașov known internationally as Universal Tractor Brașov. Aircraft manufacturing resumed in 1968 at first under the name ICA and then under its old name of IAR at a new location in nearby Ghimbav. A big part of the factory at Brașov was demolished during 2013 and 2014, to make way for buildings, shopping mall and recreation parks. …

With its central location, Brașov is a suitable location from which to explore Romania, and the distances to several tourist destinations (including the Black Sea resorts, the monasteries in northern Moldavia, and the wooden churches of Maramureș) are similar. It is also the largest city in a mountain resorts area. The old city is very well preserved and is best seen by taking the cable-car to the top of Tâmpa Mountain. Temperatures from May to September fluctuate around 23 °C (73 °F). Brașov benefits from a winter tourism season centred on winter sports and other activities. Poiana Brașov is the most popular Romanian ski resort and an important tourist centre preferred by many tourists from other European states. The city ranks on the second place in terms of tourism arrivals countrywide, after the capital Bucharest. …

The Brașov local transport network has 44 urban bus and trolleybus lines and 19 metropolitan bus lines. There are also regular bus lines serving Poiana Brașov, a nearby winter resort and part of the city of Brașov. All are operated by RAT Brașov. In the past, a tramway system served Brașov from 1892 to 1960. A new tram system opened in August 1987, serving a single route with a fleet of 20 Romanian-built articulated cars in its first years, later replaced by used trams from Leipzig and Frankfurt. However the city's second tram system lasted less than 20 years, closing in November 2006. Because of its central location, the Brașov railway station is one of the busiest stations in Romania with trains to/from most destinations in the country served by rail. …