Happy TravellerWelcome to Vaslui, a charming city located in Eastern Romania and the seat of Vaslui County. With a rich history dating back to the Neolithic period, Vaslui has played an important role in the development of the region of Western Moldavia. Today, the city is home to a population of over 55,000 people and boasts a diverse range of cultural attractions and natural landmarks. Join us as we explore the history, demographics, districts, education, economy, transport, sport, and famous natives of Vaslui.
History
Archaeological surveys have revealed that Vaslui has been inhabited since the Neolithic period. From the 14th century onwards, it developed as the provincial town of Vaslui. The town was burned to the ground in 1439 and 1440 when Tatars invaded Moldavia. The peak of Vaslui’s importance was in the 15th century, when it was a second-rank capital of Moldavia, during the reign of Stephen the Great. In 1475, Prince Stephen won his greatest battle against the Ottoman Empire in the Vaslui area. Once the Moldavian capital was moved from Suceava to Iași and the southern town of Bârlad became an administrative center of southern Moldavia, Vaslui declined for the next three centuries to eventually become a local borough (târg).
Demographics
According to the last census, from 2011, there were 55,407 people living within the city of Vaslui, making it the 40th largest city in Romania. The ethnic makeup is as follows: Romanians: 98.63%, Romani people: 1.19%, Lipovans: 0.06%, Other: 0.12%. The majority of the population is of Romanian ethnicity. Members of the Roma minority live compactly in the southwestern suburbs of Rediu and Brodoc, in the southwestern part of the main town (in the neighbourhoods around Traian Street) and also scattered in the rest of the locality. The third ethnic group is that of the Lipovans, who have in the center of the town a church of their Old Believers Christian branch.
Districts
Vaslui has several neighborhoods: 13 Decembrie, Ana Ipătescu, Castanilor, Copou, Delea, Alecu Donici, Gheorghe Racoviță, Green Park, Gura Bustei and Traian.
Education
The city has ten schools, classes I – VIII, named after Ioan Cuza, Dimitrie Cantemir, Constantin Parfene, Elena Cuza, Ștefan cel Mare, Mihai Eminescu, Constantin Motaș, Alexandra Nechita, Vasile Alecsandri, Mihail Sadoveanu. The city also has six high schools, named after Mihail Kogălniceanu, Emil Racoviță, Anghel Rugină, Ștefan Procopiu and Ion Mincu, as well as a Sports High School.
Economy
The main industries in Vaslui are textiles (clothing and knitted wear) and food (baked goods, vegetable oil, meat, dairy). There are also a number of shopping centers and supermarkets.
Transport
The Vaslui railway station is located in the south of the city. In the city, public transport is provided by buses and taxis. The DN24 national road passes through the city in a north-south direction (Iași-Bârlad). The DN2F road heads west to Bacău, and the DN15D road goes north-west to Piatra Neamț. European route E581 lies to the south-east.
Sport
Vaslui is home to FC Vaslui football club which played in Liga I until 2014, and HC Vaslui handball club which are playing in Liga Națională.
Famous Natives
Vaslui is the birthplace of many notable individuals, including: Ioan Adam, Viviana Gradinaru, David M. Hermalin, Lora (singer), Nicolae Milescu, Gheorghe Mironescu, Alexandra Nechita, Alina Plugaru, Corneliu Porumboiu, Nikolai Spathari, Constantin Tănase, Marcela Topor, and Virgil Trofin.
We hope you enjoyed our tour of Vaslui, Romania. With its rich history, diverse cultural attractions, and natural beauty, Vaslui is a must-see destination for any traveler to Eastern Europe.
