Hunedoara is a city in
Hunedoara district, SW
Transylvania. Being an industrial city for
centuries, it has suffered much, especially during the communist era.
In the last decades entire neighborhoods of concrete
apartment buildings have been built to house the increasing number of people
working in the factories. However, the first such neighborhoods were built
with a pleasant architecture and streets lined with trees, more than half a
century ago in the upper town. The city was relatively wealthy because
of the foundries and steel mills which employed about 70000 workers.
However, after the collapse of communism the factories fell into decay.
The town is now struggling to survive and only about 20000 employees still
work in the now, mostly derelict factories, which are slowly being
dismantled. However, there is a good side to this: the town is not
being chocked by dust and pollution anymore.
Hunedoara receives little
tourism, and only for its impressive gothic castle. It is a gateway to
the nearby Hatzeg land and the Retezat and Poiana Rusca mountains and can be
used as a base to explore the region. There is only one hotel in the
city, the "Rusca", but private accomodations can be found. |