Firijba- the oldest village in Romania

1. Student’s affiliation: Faculty of Management, Economic
Engineering in Agriculture and Rural Development ,
UASVM
- THE OLDEST VILLAGE IN ROMANIA -
Bănescu Gabriela & Negulescu Elena-Ionela
Group 8215
Coordinator: Ph Frumușelu Mihai
Keywords: past, history, traditions

2. It is a ”hamlet” in Popești Parrish, Vâlcea county, located about 8
kilometers from the center of the village and it is known as the oldest
village in Romania. Roads are not paved, the hamlet between the hills,
being difficult to access, especially in the winter.

3. One of the most
beautiful villages in
Romania is hidden
somewhere in a forest in
Vâlcea county, ancestrally
displaying its 500-year old
wooden houses as in a
true live village museum.
The Fairytale-like aspect
of the place gives the
impression of being an
image with ’frozen’ time!
The surrounding forest
offers a picturesque aspect
to the place, but also a
certain silence, totally
enviable for those living in
cities.

4. There are many legends around the strange name of the village.
The most widespread legend says that the name originates from the
woodcutters in the region, whose saws were called “firejuri”. The local
legends reveal that trees from the Firijba forest would have been cut to build
the first wooden churches in Vâlcea county.

5. Though officially recognized only in 1850 with a population of 100 people, by
1900 the village had 150. Today Firijba is home to 11 families and a total of 32
houses.

6. Even if the youngest person there is just over 80 years old, nobody seems to
feel the pains of old age and they continue on working the fields, chopping
wood and tend to their livestock, the same as they’ve done for countless
generations.

7. In an interview with the local, ”Vocea Valcii” newspaper, a village elder says:
“We’re all fine here, we have
nothing to complain about.
We were able to hire
someone with a car which
brings us bread. When we
need something, we walk to
the nearest town and buy it
from the market there.”

8. Among the old villagers there is also the former primary-school
teacher, also known as the Count. He stayed around here, although the
village has no school anymore.

9. Dumitru Șerbănescu recounts how he got this nickname. He said that
during communism, a lot of authorities came to this village and he used to
serve them with local brandy. He said:
“When they left, they
used to talk… he is living
like a count up there! And
since then, they called me
the Count.”

10. Currently, the beauty and uniqueness of the village brought many foreign
tourists thing that has made investors want to transform the place into a
tourist attraction.

11. Some foreign institutions, like the University of Vienna, have taken an
interest in Firijba and its historic background, with the hopes of recreating
the long forgotten ways of the ancient Dacians. The local government has set
some plans to transform the village into a national tourist attraction.

12. Let’s just hope that by doing so, they’ll manage to keep Firijba, its
locals, and the surrounding landscapes as they were for over 2,000
years.

13. In conclusion, Firijba shows the small and old village before the world,
with surly roofed homes and with the air of the long forgetten times. It is
the village of the story, which can not be find anywhere else in the world.

18. 1. http://gipsy.ninja/firijba-old-forgotten-romanian-village/
2. http://www.romaniajournal.ro/the-500-year-old-village-in-valcea-
sheltering-only-20-inhabitants/
3. http://www.wonderful-
romania.com/index.php/component/k2/item/320-firijba-the-oldest-
village-in-romania-survived-the-dacian-time-air-tale-village
4. http://www.ramnicuvalceaweek.ro/?p=18377
5. https://pressone.ro/welcome-to-firijba/
6. http://www.cunoastelumea.ro/firijba-cel-mai-vechi-sat-din-romania-
a-supravietuit-de-pe-vremea-dacilor-satul-cu-aer-de-poveste/
7. http://satul.net/harta-firijba-vl/
8. http://stiri.tvr.ro/firijba--un-loc-uitat-de-lume--iubit-de-
oameni_72180.html

19. Thank you !