Gherla | |
|---|---|
 Overview of Gherla in May 2004 | |
 Coat of arms | |
 Location in Cluj County | |
  Gherla Location in Romania | |
| Coordinates:47°1′12″N23°54′0″E / 47.02000°N 23.90000°E /47.02000; 23.90000 | |
| Country | Romania |
| County | Cluj |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2020–2024) | Ovidiu Drăgan[1] (PNL) |
Area | 36.3 km2 (14.0 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 250 m (820 ft) |
| Population (2021-12-01)[2] | 19,873 |
| • Density | 550/km2 (1,400/sq mi) |
| Time zone | EET/EEST (UTC+2/+3) |
| Postal code | 405300 |
| Area code | (+40) 02 64 |
| Vehicle reg. | CJ |
| Website | gherla |
Gherla (Romanian pronunciation:[ˈɡerla];Hungarian:Szamosújvár;German:Neuschloss) is amunicipality inCluj County,Romania (in the historical region ofTransylvania). It is located 45 kilometres (28 mi) fromCluj-Napoca on the riverSomeșul Mic, and has a population of 19,873 as of 2021. Three villages are administered by the city: Băița (formerlyChirău, andKérő in Hungarian), Hășdate (Szamoshesdát) and Silivaș (Vizszilvás).
The city was formerly known asArmenopolis[3] (Armenian:ՀայաքաղաքHayakaghak;German:Armenierstadt;Hungarian:Örményváros) because it was populated byArmenians.[4]
A clay tablet containing a fragmentaryOld Persian cuneiform of theAchaemenid kingDarius I was found at Gherla in 1937. It may be connected to Darius I's epigraphic activities in relation tohis Scythian campaign of 513 BC as reported byHerodotus.[5][6][7]
The locality was first recorded in 1291 as a village namedGherlahida, (probably derived from theSlavic wordgrle, meaning "ford"). The second name was Armenian (Հայաքաղաք,Hayakaghak) meaning "Armenian city"; it took theMedieval Latin andGreek official nameArmenopolis, as well as the German alternative nameArmenierstadt. Later, the nameSzamosújvár was used in officialHungarian records, meaning "the new town on theSomeș".
The modern city was built in the early 18th century byArmenians, successors of theCilician Armeniandiaspora, who had originally settled inCrimea andMoldavia, and moved to Transylvania sometime after 1650. After a two years' campaign by theArmenian-Catholic BishopOxendius Vărzărescu, they converted from theArmenian Apostolic Church to theArmenian Catholic Church; an Armenian Catholic cathedral in Gherla was consecrated in 1748.[8]
Gherla is the seat of theOrdinariate for Catholics of Armenian Rite in Romania, as well as that of aGreek-Catholicdiocese – theCluj-Gherla Diocese (suffragan to theGreek-Catholic Archbishop of Alba Iulia and Făgăraș-Blaj, who resided inBlaj). In the center of the city lie the SaintGregory the Illuminator and the Holy Trinity Armenian Cathedral. The main Armenian-Catholic church was built in 1792. The Greek Catholic diocese was created by thePapal BullAd Apostolicam Sedem of November 26, 1853, and the first bishop wasIoan Alexi.
AHabsburg fortress was built here and converted to aprison in 1785. During theCommunist regime, the prison was used for political detainees. Today it is a Romanian high-security prison.
During theYears of Revolution of 1848 and 1849, Gherla was the stage for numerous battles between the warring parties, changing hands several times. The Austrian commanderKarl von Urban and his Romanian Regiment liberated the city three times from Hungarian revolutionary forces, winning the Battle of Szamosújvár on 13 November 1848, a landmark of the stormy period. Starting in 1867, Gherla was no more part of the Principality of Transilvania and was annexed until 1918, to theKingdom of Hungarycomitatus ofSzolnok-Doboka.
After the collapse ofAustria-Hungary at the end ofWorld War I, and the declaration of theUnion of Transylvania with Romania, theRomanian Army took control of Gherla in December 1918, during theHungarian–Romanian War. The town officially became part of the territory ceded to theKingdom of Romania in June 1920 under the terms of theTreaty of Trianon. During theinterwar period, the city was the headquarters ofplasa Gherla, withinSomeș County, after which it became part ofȚinutul Crișuri.
In the wake of theSecond Vienna Award of August 30, 1940, the territory ofNorthern Transylvania (of which the city of Gherla was part) reverted to the Kingdom of Hungary. In early September, theHungarian administration was installed, and proceeded to take discriminatory measures against Romanians andJews, forcing many Romanians to take refuge in Romania. Gherla had a significant Jewish population which was decimated duringthe Holocaust, due to Horthyst regime and the policies ofFerenc Szálasi after September 1, 1944. Towards the end ofWorld War II, however, the town was taken back from Hungarian andGerman troops by Romanian andSoviet forces in October 1944. After 1950, the city became the headquarters of Gherlaraion within theCluj Region. Following the administrative reform of 1968, Gherla became part of Cluj County.
After the war, most of the remaining Jewish population left the city. TheGherla Synagogue and the Holocaust Memorial Monument are visited by tourists from many countries.[citation needed] The town is also often visited byOrthodox pilgrims on their way to the nearby village ofNicula andNicula Monastery.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 6,857 | — |
| 1930 | 6,608 | −3.6% |
| 1948 | 6,663 | +0.8% |
| 1956 | 7,617 | +14.3% |
| 1966 | 12,766 | +67.6% |
| 1977 | 17,599 | +37.9% |
| 1992 | 26,277 | +49.3% |
| 2002 | 24,232 | −7.8% |
| 2011 | 20,982 | −13.4% |
| 2021 | 19,873 | −5.3% |
| Source: Census data | ||
According to the2021 Romanian census, Gherla has a population of 19,873, a decrease of 5.3% from the previous census.[9] At the2011 census, there were 20,982 people living within the city; of those, 15,952 (76.0%) wereRomanians, 3,435 (16.4%)Hungarians, 735 (3.5%)Roma, and 61 (0.3%) others, including 16Germans (more specificallyTransylvanian Saxons).[10]
Gherla Once a predominantly Armenian settlement called Armenopolis in the 17th century...
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Armenierstadt".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
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