Deva, Romania

Its name was first recorded in 1269 as castrum Dewa. The origin of the name gave rise to controversy. It is considered that the name comes from the ancient Dacian word dava, meaning "fortress" (as in Pelendava, Piroboridava, or Zargidava). Other theories trace the name to a Roman Legion, the Legio II Augusta, transferred to Deva from Castrum Deva, now Chester (Deva Victrix) in Britain. János András Vistai assume the name is of old Turkic origin from the name Gyeücsa.{{cite web|author=János András Vistai|title= Tekintő – Erdélyi Helynévkönyv|page=236 |url=http://www.fatornyosfalunk.com/helynevkonyv_-_1._kotet_A-H.pdf |language=hu|trans-title=Transylvanian Toponym Book |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710230653/http://www.fatornyosfalunk.com/helynevkonyv_-_1._kotet_A-H.pdf |archive-date=10 July 2011 }} Others assert that the name is probably of Slavic origin where Deva or Devín means "girl" or "maiden" (a similar case exists in Slovakian for the Devín Castle, located at the confluence of the Danube and Great Morava, at the site of the former town of Devín){{cite book | last = Octavian | first = Floca | title = Hunedoara ghid al judeţului | year = 1969 | location = Deva | pages = 50 | quote = Argumente de ordin lingvistic dovedesc că Deva îşi are originea într-un nume slav-sudic(Deva – fecioară).|language = ro}} or from the Old Hungarian name Győ.{{Cite book |last=Kiss |first=Lajos |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ffOsQgAACAAJ |title=Földrajzi nevek etimológiai szótára |date=1983 |publisher=Akadémiai Kiadó |isbn=978-963-05-3346-1 |page=178 |language=hu}} Additionally, it is possible the name Deva was derived from the reconstructed proto-Indo-European dhewa ("settlement"). On medieval maps Deva appears as: Dewan (first mention), Deva, or later Diemrich.

Documentary evidence of the city's existence first appeared in 1269 when Stephen V, King of Hungary and Duke of Transilvania, mentioned "the royal castle of Deva" in a privilege-grant for the Count Chyl of Kelling ({{langx|ro|comitele Chyl din Câlnic}}).{{cite book | last= Octavian | first= Floca |author2=Ben Bassa | title= Cetatea Deva

|series = Monumentele patriei noastre | year = 1965 | publisher=Editura Meridiane

|location = București | language = ro|pages= 14}} In the 14th century Deva with its surrounding villages were part of a Romanian district, and the citadel had four seats under its jurisdiction (Deva, Ilia, Șoimuș, the estates of Criș and the surroundings of Brad), which were part of the royal domain and were ruled by knezes.{{Cite book |author1=Ioan Andrițoiu|author2=Ioan Petru Albu|title=Deva și împrejurimile în sec. IV-XIV|year=2007|page=65|publisher=Sargetia. Acta Musei Devensis|orig-year=1969|url=https://biblioteca-digitala.ro/reviste/sargetia/dl.asp?filename=06-Sargetia-Acta-Musei-Devensis-VI-1969_062.pdf|access-date=31 March 2025|language=ro}} Partially destroyed by the Ottoman Turks in 1550, it was afterward rebuilt and the fortress extended. In 1621 Prince Gabriel Bethlen transformed and extended the Magna Curia Palace (also known as the Bethlen Castle) in Renaissance style.

In 1711–1712, Deva was settled by a group of Roman Catholic Bulgarian merchant refugees from the unsuccessful anti-Ottoman Chiprovtsi Uprising of 1688. The refugees were originally mostly from Chiprovtsi and Zhelezna, though also from the neighbouring Kopilovtsi and Klisura.{{cite web|url=http://orasuldeva.ro/orasul/index.php/populatia|title=Populatia|date=2012-04-11|publisher=Orasul Deva|language=ro|access-date=28 August 2012}}{{cite book|last=Балкански|first=Тодор|title=Трансилванските (седмиградските) българи. Етнос. Език. Етнонимия. Ономастика. Просопографии|trans-title=The Transylvanian (Sedmigradsko) Bulgarians. Ethnicity. Language. Ethnonymy. Onomastics. Prosopographies|publisher=ИК "Знак '94"|location=Велико Търново|year=1996|language=bg|pages=111–115|isbn=9789548709163}} However, the refugees came to Deva from Wallachia and from Alvinc (now Vinţu de Jos, Romania), where a similar colony had been established in 1700.{{cite book|last=Телбизов|first=Карол|title=Български търговски колонии в Трансилвания през XVIII век|trans-title=Bulgarian merchant colonies in Transylvania in the 18th century|publisher=Издателство на Българската академия на науките|location=София|year=1984|pages=17|isbn=9780814793787|oclc=490158032|language=bg}}

They numbered in 1716Телбизов, p. 68 51 families and three Franciscan friars, established their own neighbourhood, which was known to the locals as Greci ("Greeks", i.e. "merchants"). Their influence over local affairs caused Deva to be officially called a "Bulgarian town" for a short period, even though the maximum population of the colony was 71 families in 1721. The Bulgarians received royal privileges of the Austrian crown along with their permission to settle and their acquisition of land and property. The construction of Deva's Franciscan friary commenced in 1724 with the funding and efforts of its Bulgarian population, so that the monastery was commonly known as the Bulgarian Monastery. However, the Great Plague of 1738 and the gradual assimilation of the Deva Bulgarians into other ethnicities of Transylvania prevented the colony from growing and by the late 19th century the Bulgarian ethnic element in the town had disappeared completely.

File:RO HD Sinagoga din Deva.jpg

Jews first settled in the town in the 1830s, organizing a community in 1848. Rabbi Moshe Herzog (1893-1898) delivered patriotic sermons in Hungarian. The synagogue was rebuilt in 1925. In 1923, the strictly Orthodox established their own congregation under Hayyim Yehuda Ehrenreich, a rabbinical scholar whose periodical Otzar ha-Hayyim became renowned in Jewish academic circles. In 1927, he set up a press that printed classical Hebrew works.

Zionist organizations were especially active in the mid-1920s. In 1930, there were 914 Jews, or 8.7% of the total. On 5 December 1940, during the National Legionary State, Jewish merchants were forced to give up their shops to members of the ruling Iron Guard. In June 1941, when Romania entered World War II, 695 Jewish refugees from surrounding villages were brought to Deva. In the war's aftermath, many remained there. There were 1190 Jews in 1947; the majority emigrated to Israel after 1948.Shmuel Spector, Geoffrey Wigoder (eds.), The Encyclopedia of Jewish Life Before and During the Holocaust: A—J, p. 308. New York University Press, 2001, {{ISBN|0-8147-9376-2}}

Deva is situated in the central part of Hunedoara County, on the left bank of the middle course of the Mureș River at 187 m above sea level.{{cite book|last=Octavian|first= Floca|title= Hunedoara ghid al judeţului|year= 1969|location = Deva|pages = 50|quote = Deva, localitate de reşedinţă a judeţului Hunedoara, situată în stînga Mureşului, la poalele ultimelor ramificaţii dinspre nord ale munţilor Poiana Ruscăi, la înălţimea de 187 m deasupra mării, deşi este o localitate relativ mică, numărând 34982 (1968), este totuşi un oraş pitoresc, important centru administrativ şi cultural – animată aşezare pe cursul de mijloc al Mureşului.|language = ro}} The city administers four villages: Archia (Árki), Bârcea Mică (Kisbarcsa), Cristur (Csernakeresztúr) and Sântuhalm (Szántóhalma).

{{Historical populations

|source = Census data

|1912 |8654

|1930 |10509

|1948 |12959

|1956 |16879

|1966 |26969

|1977 |60334

|1992 |78438

|2002 |69390

|2011 |61123

|2021 |53113

}}

In 1850, the town had 2,129 inhabitants, of which 1,038 were Romanians (48.8%), 517 Hungarians (24.3%), 255 Germans (12%), 216 Roma (10.1%) and 103 (4.8%) of other ethnicities, meanwhile in 1910, out of 8,654 inhabitants, 5,827 were Hungarians (67.33%), 2,417 Romanians (27.92%), 276 Germans (3.18%) and 134 (1.57%) of other ethnicities.{{cite web|url=http://www.kia.hu/konyvtar/erdely/erd2002/hdetn02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070610215142/http://www.kia.hu/konyvtar/erdely/erd2002/hdetn02.pdf |archive-date=2007-06-10 |url-status=live|title=ERDÉLY ETNIKAI ÉS FELEKEZETI STATISZTIKÁJA}}

At the 2011 census, there were 56,647 people living within the city, making it the 37th largest city in Romania. The ethnic makeup in 2011 was as follows: 89.67% Romanians, 7.79% Hungarians, 1.6% Roma, and 0.91% other. At the 2021 census, Deva had a population of 53,113; of those, 74.28% were Romanians, 5.33% Hungarians, and 19.42% other.{{cite web|url=https://www.recensamantromania.ro/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Tabel-1.03_1.3.1-si-1.03.2.xls|title=Populația rezidentă după grupa de vârstă, pe județe și municipii, orașe, comune, la 1 decembrie 2021|publisher=INSSE|language=ro|date=31 May 2023}}

Automotive, commerce, construction materials and power industries are important to Deva's economy.

A private University of Ecology and Tourism was established in the city in 1990, and the academic centres of Timișoara and Cluj-Napoca have opened branches in the city. Deva is also the home of Romania's national women gymnastics training center called Colegiul National Sportiv "Cetatea" Deva [https://web.archive.org/web/20120402051313/http://cetatedeva.licee.edu.ro/prima%20pagina.HTML].

Here is a list of the high schools from Deva:

• Decebal National College [http://www.cnd.ro/]
• National Pedagogical College “Regina Maria” [https://infopedadeva.ro]
• Colegiul Național Sportiv "Cetatea" [http://cnscetatedeva.ro/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517074543/http://cnscetatedeva.ro/ |date=17 May 2014 }}
• Sigismund Toduță High School of Arts [http://artedeva.ro/]
• Téglás Gábor Theoretical High School [http://devatgi.ro/en]
• Transylvania Technical College [http://www.cttdeva.ro/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517063419/http://cttdeva.ro/ |date=17 May 2014 }}
• Grigore Moisil Technical High School [http://ltgmoisildeva.ro/]
• Dragomir Hurmuzescu Technical College [http://www.energeticdeva.ro/]

Traian Theoretical High School was disbanded in 2014 and the students were enrolled at Decebal National College.

• François Bréda
• María Corda
• Matthias Dévay
• Florentina Iusco
• Kocsárd Janky
• Bogdan Juratoni
• Raluca Lăzăruț
• Maria Neculiță
• Franz Nopcsa von Felső-Szilvás
• Dora Pavel
• Paul Radu
• Pál Réthy
• Daniela Silivaș
• Adrian Sitaru{{Cite web |title= Romania Insider Wiki: Film directors - Adrian Sitaru|date=22 January 2014 |url=https://www.romania-insider.com/romania-insider-wiki-film-directors-adrian-sitaru}}

Deva has a humid continental climate (Koppen: Dfb) with warm summers and cold winters. Precipitation peaks in the month of June.{{Cite web|title=Meteo Romania {{!}} Site-ul Administratiei Nationale de Meteorologie|url=http://www.meteoromania.ro/|language=ro-RO|access-date=2020-05-19}}

{{Weather box

| width = auto

| metric first = yes

| single line = yes

| location = Deva (1991–2020)

| Jan record high C = 15.5

| Feb record high C = 20.9

| Mar record high C = 28.4

| Apr record high C = 31.6

| May record high C = 32.9

| Jun record high C = 36.6

| Jul record high C = 40.0

| Aug record high C = 39.1

| Sep record high C = 37.1

| Oct record high C = 33.1

| Nov record high C = 25.0

| Dec record high C = 16.7

| year record high C = 40

| Jan high C = 2.7

| Feb high C = 6.3

| Mar high C = 12.1

| Apr high C = 18.3

| May high C = 22.9

| Jun high C = 26.4

| Jul high C = 28.4

| Aug high C = 28.8

| Sep high C = 23.1

| Oct high C = 17.3

| Nov high C = 9.9

| Dec high C = 3.5

| year high C = 16.6

| Jan mean C = -1.2

| Feb mean C = 1.0

| Mar mean C = 5.7

| Apr mean C = 11.3

| May mean C = 15.8

| Jun mean C = 19.4

| Jul mean C = 21.1

| Aug mean C = 20.9

| Sep mean C = 15.8

| Oct mean C = 10.4

| Nov mean C = 5.0

| Dec mean C = 0.1

| year mean C = 10.4

| Jan low C = -4.3

| Feb low C = -2.8

| Mar low C = 0.6

| Apr low C = 5.3

| May low C = 9.8

| Jun low C = 13.2

| Jul low C = 14.6

| Aug low C = 14.5

| Sep low C = 10.4

| Oct low C = 5.7

| Nov low C = 1.4

| Dec low C = -2.6

| year low C = 5.5

| Jan record low C = -21.5

| Feb record low C = -22.3

| Mar record low C = -8.1

| Apr record low C = -1.4

| May record low C = 4.0

| Jun record low C = 5.3

| Jul record low C = 6.4

| Aug record low C = -1.2

| Sep record low C = -8.0

| Oct record low C = -11.6

| Nov record low C = -22.0

| Dec record low C = -22.3

| year record low C = -22.3

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation mm = 29.3

| Feb precipitation mm = 26.4

| Mar precipitation mm = 32.7

| Apr precipitation mm = 50.5

| May precipitation mm = 70.0

| Jun precipitation mm = 83.4

| Jul precipitation mm = 69.8

| Aug precipitation mm = 58.2

| Sep precipitation mm = 51.3

| Oct precipitation mm = 42.9

| Nov precipitation mm = 34.5

| Dec precipitation mm = 36.5

| year precipitation mm = 585.5

| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

| Jan precipitation days = 6.8

| Feb precipitation days = 6.3

| Mar precipitation days = 6.9

| Apr precipitation days = 8.1

| May precipitation days = 10.5

| Jun precipitation days = 10.2

| Jul precipitation days = 7.7

| Aug precipitation days = 6.4

| Sep precipitation days = 7.1

| Oct precipitation days = 6.9

| Nov precipitation days = 6.7

| Dec precipitation days = 6.9

| year precipitation days = 90.5

| Jan sun = 70.4

| Feb sun = 104.1

| Mar sun = 160.6

| Apr sun = 189.8

| May sun = 221.3

| Jun sun = 249.4

| Jul sun = 268.3

| Aug sun = 262.6

| Sep sun = 190.2

| Oct sun = 153.1

| Nov sun = 86.5

| Dec sun = 54.4

| year sun = 2010.7

| source = NOAA{{cite web

|url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Romania/CSV/Deva_15230.csv

|title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Deva

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|access-date = January 11, 2024}}

}}

Deva is dominated by the Citadel Hill, a protected nature reserve because of its rare floral species and the presence of the horned adder. Perched on the top of the hill are the ruins of the Citadel built in the 13th century. Tourists can visit the Citadel by climbing the hill or using the cable car. The machinery covers a distance of 160 meters and it can transport up to 16 people.{{Cite web |url=http://www.primariadeva.ro/cetatea-deva/acces-telecabina |title=Acces telecabina |access-date=7 June 2014 |archive-date=5 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211005112440/http://www.primariadeva.ro/cetatea-deva/acces-telecabina |url-status=dead }}

{{wide image|RO_HD_Deva_Cetate_Vedere_NORD.jpg|1000px|Deva seen from the Citadel (view towards the North)}}

{{wide image|RO_HD_Deva_Cetate_Vedere_EST.jpg|1000px|Deva seen from the Citadel (view towards the East)}}

{{clear}}

Deva's tourist attractions include the Arts Theatre, the Patria Cinema, the Old Centre and the Citadel Park, where there are the statues of Mihai Eminescu and Decebal and the Magna Curia Palace. There is also the Aqualand Complex, a recently built leisure centre situated near the Citadel Park. It is an important tourist spot for the Transylvania region.[http://www.infopensiuni.ro/cazare-deva/obiective-turistice-deva/aqualand-deva_6912 Aqualand Deva] Downtown the city, the House of culture and the musical fountain represent two elements that define the town centre of Deva.[http://www.infopensiuni.ro/cazare-deva/obiective-turistice-deva/ Obiective turistice Deva]

{{wide image|Deva noaptea.jpg|1000px|Deva by night}}

Deva is considered the Gymnastics capital of Romania because the National gymnastics training center is located in the city. Many of the country's Olympic gymnasts have trained in Deva, including Nadia Comăneci.{{Cite web|title=THE SEARCH FOR NADIA|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1979/11/19/the-search-for-nadia-the-author-plunges-into-the-mists-of-transylvania-in-quest-of-the-worlds-favorite-gymnast-nadia-comaneci-she-had-been-perfect-then-she-had-faded-from-view-now-it-develops-there-is-a-new-nadia|last=Ottum|first=Bob|website=Sports Illustrated Vault {{!}} SI.com|language=en-us|access-date=2020-05-01}}

• {{flagicon|FRA}} Arras, France
• {{flagicon|FRA}} Cherbourg-Octeville, France
• {{flagicon|HUN}} Szigetvár, Hungary
• {{flagicon|PRC}} Yancheng, China

File:Cetatea medievală Deva, în lumina răsăritului.jpg|Deva Citadel

File:Deva 2011 - Magna Curia and Citadel.jpg|Magna Curia

File:Teatrul Deva3.JPG|Art Theatre

File:Deva, kostel.jpg|Church of the Franciscan monastery, founded by a Bulgarian colony in 1724

File:Deva Prefecture 2011-5.jpg|Hunedoara County Prefecture

{{reflist}}

{{commons category|Deva}}

• {{wikivoyage-inline|Deva}}
• [http://www.primariadeva.ro/ Deva City Hall Official Site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910215232/http://www.primariadeva.ro/ |date=10 September 2017 }} {{in lang|ro}}

{{RoJudCapitals}}

{{Municipalities and Towns of Hunedoara County}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Populated places in Hunedoara County

Category:Localities in Transylvania

Category:Cities in Romania

Category:Capitals of Romanian counties