Romania is a country full of surprises to many visitors when it comes to georgraphy, history, culture, and many other aspects. Did you for example know that it is one of the oldest inhabited countries in Europe? Or where its name comes from and what it means?
Probably not, so time to increase your knowledge with these 26 fun and interesting facts about Romania you have probably never hear of before.
1. The Oldest Traces Of Human Civilization In Europe Were Found There
In the Cave of Bones (Peștera cu Oase) in Caraș-Severin County in south-western Romania human bones were found that date back 37.000-42.000 years. The archaeological founds are among the oldest human remains ever found in Europe.
In the Grăunceanu Valley in Vâlcea County even older traces of human civilization were found very recently. The fossilized bones that were found contain traces of slaughtering, indicating the presence of hominin activity. The fossils are 1.95 million years old, making it the oldest traces of human civilization in Europe.
2. The Dacians Were The First Settlers In Romania
The first settlers in current-day Romania were called Dacians and are considered descendents of earlier Thracian tribes.
It is generally believed that modern Romanians are descendants of the Dacians and many ancient Romanian traditions are said to have originated from them.
3. It Was Ruled By Several Empires
In the past, the territory of current-day Romania was part of several powerful empires. The country (or parts of it) once belonged to the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Russian Empire, and the German Empire.
4. Romania Only Exists Since 1859
The territory of present-day Romania once consisted of several principalities, but in 1859 Alexander Ioan Cuza was elected prince of both Moldavia and Wallachia, which de facto made both regions one country.
In 1862 both principalities were officially united and in 1866 the new country was given the name Romania. This so-called Little Union (Mica Unire) was followed by the Great Union (Marea Unire) in 1918, during which the other regions of Bessarabia, Bucovina and Transylvania also joined Romania.
5. December 1st Is The National Day
The most important national day in Romania is December 1st, which is called Great Union Day (Ziua Marii Uniri). On this day in 1918, the unification of Romania with the other principalities officially took place in the city of Alba Iulia.
6. Romania Means ‘Land Of The Romans’
The name Romania (România) comes from the latin word Romanus which means Roman (Român) and the common suffix -ia indicates a country name. Therefore Romania literally means “Land of the Romans” of ‘Land of the Romanian people”.
The name dates back to the conquest of the the Dacian Kingdom by the Roman Empire. The colonization had a lasting impact on the identity of the people and formed the basis of the Romanian language. Hence the people started to be called “of Roman descent”.
7. Romanian Is The Only Latin Language In Eastern Europe
Most Eastern European languages are of Slavic origin, but Romanian has Latin roots. In fact, Romanian is the only Latin language that is considered a national language in an Eastern European country.
8. It’s Been A Member Of The EU Since 2007
On 1 January 2007, both Romania and Bulgaria were admitted to the European Union and became the 26th and 27th member states.
9. It Became A Full Member Of Schengen In 2025
With the admittance to the EU, border checks remained in place because Romania didn’t immediately join the Schengen zone.
The admittance to the Schengen Area happened in two phases: at first on 31 March 2024 the Schengen rules were applied and passport checks were lifted on air and sea borders with other Schengen countries.
On 1 January 2025, Romania (as well as Bulgaria) became full members of the Schengen Area and passport checks at all internal borders were lifted. This also means that the Schengen visa rules apply to visitors coming to Romania.
10. Moldoveanu Is The Highest Mountain Peak
With a height of 2.544 meters, the Moldoveanu is the highest point in Romania. The peak is part of the Făgăraș Mountains in the Southern Carpathians.
11. Săpânța Is Home To The Happiest Cemetery In The World
The Merry Cemetery of Săpânţa is one of the most unusual cemeteries in the world and is known for its beautifully painted tombstones with bright colours and humorous poems about the lives of the people buried there.
The idea that death does not solely have to be a sad affair has its origins in the Dacian culture, in which it was believed that the soul is immortal and death was celebrated in anticipation of a better life afterward.
12. Săpânța Also Has The Tallest Wooden Church In The World
The small village of Săpânța in Maramureș has another unique attraction as it houses the highest wooden church in the world. The Church of the Archangel Michael with its typical Maramureș style rises to a height of 78 meters.
13. Sibiu Has The Largest Open-Air Museum In Europe
The ASTRA Museum in Sibiu is an open-air museum consisting of a park with over 400 historical houses transported from different regions of Romania. With an area of 96 hectares, it is the largest open-air museum in Europe and the second largest in the world after Muang Boran in Thailand.
14. It Has The Second Largest Population Of Bears In Europe
After Russia, Romania has the largest population of brown bears in Europe. A few years ago, the number was estimated at 6,000 to 8,000, but this number has grown explosively and according to the latest estimates, the number of bears is now between 10,500 and 13,000.
15. Nicolae Paulescu Invented Insulin
The Romanian physiologist and professor of medicine Nicolae Paulescu (1869-1931) is known for his work in the field of diabetes and the discovery of an antidiabetic hormone now known as insulin.
16. Francesco Illy Invented The Espresso Machine
Born in Timișoara, Francesco Illy is the inventor of the first automatic espresso machine that used pressurized water instead of steam. His invention was revolutionary and is considered the blueprint for modern espresso machines.
This means you might still encounter his legacy every day, but his name may also sound familiar to you. That is because Francesco Illy is also the founder of the famous coffee brand Illy.
17. Mihai Eminescu Is Regarded The National Poet
Mihai Eminescu (1850-1889) is undisputedly considered the national poet of Romania because of his enormous impact on the Romanian language and culture. You will see statues of him all over the country and his birthday, January 15, is even celebrated as the National Day of Culture.
18. Sarmale Is The National Dish
Sarmale is widely considered the national dish of Romania and is on the menu of almost every traditional restaurant. Sarmale are cabbage leaf rolls filled with minced meat, rice, sautéed onions and spices.
Do you want to discover more of the Romanian cuisine? Check out these 15 Traditional Romanian Foods To Try.
19. Peleș Castle Was The First Electrified Castle In Europe
The construction of Peleș Castle in Sinaia was commissioned by of King Carol I in 1873 and was to be equipped with the most modern facilities. In 1884 it was the first castle in Europe to be fully equipped with electricity. The castle even had its own on-site power plant.
20. Timișoara Was First The European City With Electric Street Lights
In 1884, 731 electric lanterns were installed to illuminate a total of 59 kilometres of streets in Timișoara. At the time it was the first city in Europe and, after New York, the second in the world to have electric street lighting.
21. The Scărișoara Cave Is One Of The Largest Underground Glaciers In The World
The Scărișoara Cave is an ice cave in the Apuseni Mountains with the largest underground glacier in Romania. Depending on the time of year, the ice has a mass of between 40,000 and 75,000 square meters and can be up to 20 meters thick.
An accurate comparison is difficult to make, but the Scărișoara Cave is often called the second largest underground glacier in Europe and one of the largest in the world.
22. Most Romanians Are Orthodox
Religion still plays an important role in Romanian society, which is reflected in the number of churches that are still actively used, especially on Sundays.
At around 74%, the vast majority of the Romanian population is Romanian Orthodox. In addition, around 6% is Protestant and 4% Catholic. Other religions, including other Christian streams, Jews and Muslims, each make up less than 1% of the population.
23. There Are More Than 18.000 Churches
Religion has been suppressed for years under the atheistic communist regime, but unlike in many other christian countries, many new churches have been built since the early 1990s.
The total number of churches in Romania is estimated at around 18,300, making it one of the countries with the most churches per capita in Europe.
24. Bucharest Has The Largest Orthodox Cathedral In The World
One of the churches that was built only recently is the People’s Salvation Cathedral in Bucharest. This enormous temple has a height of 127 meters, a length of 126 meters, a width of 68 meters, and can accommodate up to 7,000 visitors. This makes it the largest Orthodox cathedral in the world.
25. De Danube Delta Is The Second Largest Rivier Delta In Europe
The Danube is not only the second longest river in Europe, but also has the second largest river delta on the continent.
The largest part of the Danube Delta is located in Romania and the other part in Ukraine. It is also the best preserved river delta in Europe and a protected nature reserve on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
26. The Rock Sculpture Of Decebalus Is The Largest In Europe
Decebalus (87-106 AD) was the last Dacian king who fought against the Roman Empire to preserve the independence of his country. In honor of this hero, his face was carved out of a collosal rock on the Danube river bank near the city of Orșova in Mehedinți County.
With a height of 55 meters and a width of 25 meters, it is the largest rock sculpture in Europe. The sculture was created between 1994 and 2004, so it even took 10 years to complete!
