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Fun facts about Romania

Fun Things About Romania You Probably Didn’t Know

Home » DESTINATIONS » Fun Things About Romania You Probably Didn’t Know

Last Modified: March 10, 2023 //  by Anda //  31 Comments

Romania is a country at the crossroads of Central and Eastern Europe that once used to be my home. While I lived there I didn’t think much of it, but now that I look back, I realize that Romania is a country full of surprises. Besides rich cultural traditions, tasty cuisine and unique places to visit, there are quite a few fun and interesting facts about Romania that very few people know.

City in Romania

FUN AND INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ROMANIA

So if you are curious to find out more, here are some interesting things about Romania:

1. The heaviest building in the world is in Romania

Did you know that according to the Guinness World Records the heaviest building in the world is in Romania? The Palace of Parliament in Bucharest contains 700,000 tonnes of steel and bronze, 1,000,000 square feet of marble, 3500 tonnes of crystal, and 900,000 square meters of wood. 

The Palace is also the second-largest administrative building in the world (after the Pentagon), encompassing 365,000 square meters (3,930,000 sq ft) and 1,100 rooms.

Interesting facts about Romania: the Palace of Parliament is the heaviest building in the world
Interesting facts about Romania: the Palace of Parliament

The gigantic structure was the brainchild of Romania’s former dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu, who spared no expense to build it. Despite being a sad memento to dictatorial madness, the Palace of Parliament is one of the most popular places to visit in Romania. As for its patron – – Ceausescu was executed before he could see his dream castle completed.

READ NEXT: Best Restaurants in Bucharest, Guaranteed to Impress You

2. Romania has a perfectly round-shaped village

Just 40 km away from Timisoara is the only circular village in Romania: Charlottenburg (or Sarlota). The village was built by German settlers in the second half of the 18th century, after the model of the Roundlings in Germany.

The round-shaped village of Sarlota

The houses are built in a radial way around a plaza, at even distances from each other. However, the perfectly round shape is obvious only from above.

3. Romania is home to the tallest wooden church in the world

Did you know that the tallest wooden church in the world is in Romania? The church tower of the Sapînta-Peri Monastery in the region of Maramures measures 78 meters in height and it has a 7 meter-high cross.

Peri Monasteri in Maramures, Romania
Peri Monastery in Maramures, Romania

You can see replica of this church tower at the Village Museum in Bucharest.

4. The first European city to have electric street lights is in Romania

We give very little thought to electric street lights these days. But back in the 19th century, when gas lamps were used to light up the streets, introducing electric street lights was a big deal.

Electric lamps in Timisoara

Imagine not having to pay for thousands of workers who had to spark the gas lamps every evening and then quench them every morning! The interesting thing is that of all the cities in Europe, Timisoara in Romania, was the first one to have street lights installed in 1884.

5. The modern jet engine was invented by a Romanian

Henri Coanda was a Romanian aerodynamics pioneer and engineer. In 1910 he developed an experimental aircraft that used the world’s first jet engine.

During the time of the 2nd World War, there have been many different inventors who tried to perfect the original model of the jet engine invented by Henri Coanda. Thanks to Coanda’s inventions and discoveries, flying is possible today.

6. Romania has a very ‘Merry Cemetery’

For most people, graveyards are sad and uncomfortable places to visit, but that’s not the case of the Merry Cemetery in the village of Sapînta, Romania. The grave markers in this cemetery have a sense of cheerfulness, rather than sadness.

fun facts about Romania: the Merry Cemetery
The Merry Cemetery in Sapînta

Carved from wood, the colorful headstones display a simply-illustrated picture of the deceased and a funny epitaph, like this one for instance:
“Here I rest. Stefan is my name. As Long as I lived, I liked to drink.”
Romanians have quite a good sense of humor!

7. Several famous Hollywood actors are of Romanian Descent

Did you know that several well-known Hollywood actors were of Romanian descent? Edward G. Robinson (famous for his gangster roles in the early age of cinematography) was born in Bucharest, Romania. Johnny Weissmuller (the first actor to play the role of Tarzan in the movie “Tarzan the Ape Man“) was born in the region of Banat, Romania.

Poster of the movie Tarzan

Others, like Dustin Hoffman and Harvey Keitel, were descendants of Romanian immigrants.

8. Romania is halfway between the Equator and the North Pole

Geographically, Romania is located in the Northern hemisphere, but there are a couple of fun facts about its position. Romania is halfway between the Equator and the North Pole. Also, it is equidistant from the westernmost part of Europe –the Atlantic Coast– and the most easterly part –the Ural Mountains.

9. There is a Romanian Version of ‘Mount Rushmore’ on the Danube River

Carved in the rocky bank of the Danube River, near the city of Orsova, is the tallest rock sculpture in Europe, the statue of Dacian King Decebal (135 feet tall).

Decebal Monument
Decebal Monument

The monument, which is a homage to the last king of Dacia (today’s Romania), took 10 years to built and costed over one million US dollars.

10. Romania has its own Arc de Triomphe

Yes, it’s true, Romania has its own Triumphal Arch (Arcul de Triumf) and the interesting fact is that it’s an identical replica of Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile in Paris.

Arcul de Triumf in Bucharest was originally constructed in wood, shortly after Romania gained its independence in 1878. But in 1936 a new triumphal arch replaced the old wooden structure which was disintegrating. The new arch was modeled after Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile, in Paris.

11. Peles Castle in Romania was the first European castle entirely lit by electrical current

Romania’s famous Peles Castle, located in the mountain resort of Sinaia, was the first castle in Europe that had electrification. The electricity came from the castle’s own plant.

Peles Castle in Romania
Peles Castle in Romania

Peles, which is one of the most beautiful castles in Romania, was the royal hunting retreat of Carol I of Hohenzollern, King of Romania.

12. A Romanian city was the first one in Europe to introduce horse-drawn trams

In 1869, Timisoara was the first European city to introduce horse-drawn trams.

13. One of Europe’s largest underground glaciers is in Romania 

Deep in the forests of the Apuseni Mountain in Romania, lies he second biggest underground glacier in south-eastern Europe: the glacier at Scarisoara. This is also one of the oldest giant ice blocks on the planet. Radiocarbon dating indicates that the glacier is over 3,500 years old.

Scarisoara Ice Cave in Romania
Scarisoara Ice Cave

Scarisoara Ice Cave is quite spectacular and is one of the many reasons to visit Romania.

14. Romania was the first Communist country to ever win the European Cup

In 1986, the Romanian soccer club Steaua Bucureşti became the first Eastern European club ever to win the prestigious European Champions Cup title. 

soccer team playin on the stadium

This was a matter of great national pride, since soccer is by far the most popular sport in Romania.

15. The Danube Delta is Europe’s best-preserved delta

Spreading over 1,500,000 acres, the Danube Delta is Europe’s largest and best preserved delta.

Stork in the Danube Delta
The Danube Delta

The Danube Delta is home to hundreds of species of birds, particularly two species of pelicans, herons, storks, cormorants and terns.

OTHER FUN FACTS ABOUT ROMANIA

1. Romanian Gymnast Nadia Comăneci was the first to ever score a perfect “10” in the Olympics and won three gold medals, one silver and one bronze, all at the age of 15.
2. Romania has reached the Davis Cup finals three times.
3. Many of the scenes in the movie Borat were actually shot in Glod, a tiny village in Romania, not in Kazakhstan. 
4. Romania has an underground amusement park and museum located in Salina Turda, a former salt mine.
5. The famous Illi coffee brand was established by a Romanian

Did you know any of these fun facts about Romania?

Interesting things about Romania

Interested in taking a trip to Romania? You may also like these:
7 Things to Do in the Citadel of Sighisoara
Riding the Mocanita: a Nostalgic Train Raid in Maramures, Romania
What You Should Know About Romanians Before You Travel to Romania
7 Traditional Romanian Dishes That Will Make You Drool

Category: DESTINATIONS, Europe, RomaniaTag: Travel Tips

About Anda

Anda is an award winning travel writer, avid globetrotter and passionate photographer. She is the voice behind "Travel Notes & Beyond," a collection of stories and travel impressions from her wanderings around the world. When she is not busy writing, traveling, or editing photographs, you can find her hiking in the foothills behind her house together with her husband and their dog.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kunda

    January 24, 2024 at 1:22 pm

    Is English common in Romania?

    Reply
    • Anda

      January 24, 2024 at 2:13 pm

      English is pretty wide spoken in Romania, especially among the younger generations. Even people in their 50s and 60s in big cities speak it pretty well.

      Reply
  2. Lucian

    September 24, 2022 at 9:10 am

    Neither Harvey Keitel or Dustin Hoffman are born in Romania. Keitel is born in New York while Hoffman is born Los Angeles

    Reply
    • Anda

      September 24, 2022 at 6:58 pm

      No they weren’t. They are of Romanian descent. Their parents were immigrant jews from Romania.

      Reply
  3. Kyle

    July 26, 2022 at 12:30 pm

    I like these informations of my country!and I had gone to the former salt mine! it was beautiful

    Reply
    • Anda

      July 26, 2022 at 1:02 pm

      Glad you liked my roundup, Kyle.

      Reply
  4. Aarika

    February 12, 2021 at 12:07 pm

    This is such a great article! I love learning more about Romania. There are so many interesting things that I never knew. I would love to visit one day!

    Reply
  5. Anosa Malanga

    February 11, 2021 at 12:46 am

    My itchy feet really wants me to travel but due to travel restrictions, I just need to stay at home. Reading travel stories made me miss more the travel experiences I had. For now, I will just travel by reading posts like this for the meantime! Feels like I’m on Romania too!

    Reply
  6. Rajkumar Gaikwad

    February 4, 2021 at 9:36 pm

    Informative blog. Romania is such a beautiful country in its scenic view as well as in its architecture. The facts shared in the blog makes it more fascinating for travelers to visit Romania

    Reply
    • Anda

      February 5, 2021 at 4:32 am

      Glad to hear you found this information interesting.

      Reply
  7. Medha Verma

    January 24, 2021 at 8:15 pm

    I visited Romania about 2 years ago and absolutely loved it! I couldn’t make it to Maramures though and that made me very sad. However, I did have a friend living in Bucharest so I managed to visit some of the places you mention in your post. She also told me that the Palace of Parliament in Bucharest is still not complete entirely. Is that true?

    Reply
    • Anda

      January 24, 2021 at 9:32 pm

      It is complete, Medha.

      Reply
  8. Marielle

    January 23, 2021 at 12:16 am

    These fun facts are truly so fun and interesting to know! I’ve always wanted to visit Romania and now when I go, the information you’ve provided will surely stick with me. I’m so amazed how the heaviest building is located in Romania, how there’s a Merry Cemetery and an Arc de Triomphe over there. Overall, the country looks so incredible. The architecture is beautiful and I’ve heard it’s cheap so it’s next on my bucket list!

    Reply
  9. Raksha

    January 22, 2021 at 4:56 pm

    Romania was very interesting for me. I traveled there in 2018 for 1.5 weeks and the experience was very bittersweet. I loved the places and the travel but I still felt a bit weird at times. I wish I had gone to Mount Rushmore as that looks super cool. I did visit the Parliament and it was really beautiful.

    Reply
    • Anda

      January 22, 2021 at 5:45 pm

      I’d be curious what made you feel weird, Raksha.

      Reply
  10. Chloe Beaver

    January 22, 2021 at 7:21 am

    These are all such interesting facts! I chuckled a bit at the heaviest building in the world fact, because that’s not a metric I have ever thought about measuring, but after seeing the photo of the building I completely understand! I love those street lamps too, they are so authentically European. Would love to visit this country and see some of these facts in person!

    Reply
    • Anda

      January 22, 2021 at 5:46 pm

      I hope you will, Chloe. Romania has some very cool places to visit.

      Reply
  11. Subhashish Roy

    January 21, 2021 at 10:41 pm

    Wow this is some great piece of information. One of the few countries that I have still not visited in Europe is Romania and hence it was an eye opener. Love the wonderful view of the Round Village. Also love the look of the tallest Wooden Church. Also never knew that electric street lights were first introduced here.

    Reply
  12. Linda (LD Holland)

    January 21, 2021 at 7:35 am

    Every fact about Romania was interesting as this is a place we have not yet thought about visiting. I did love the different views of the cities and smaller villages. We often visit cemeteries and learn so much about the history of the area. A “Merry Cemetery” would be an interesting stop for us. I love the idea of celebrating life with cheerfulness. Certainly lots of interesting things to visit in Romania.

    Reply
  13. Ambica Gulati

    January 20, 2021 at 2:32 am

    Very interesting facts. The only thing I knew about Romania till now was the shamanic practices. But the idea of a Merry Cemetry is so unique and amazing. The oldest underground iceberg is another cool geo site. You must be so proud of have been born in such a spectacular country.

    Reply
    • Anda

      January 20, 2021 at 10:02 am

      You are confused, Ambica. Shamanic practices are not associated in any way to this part of the world, but rather Asia and North America.

      Reply
  14. Trisha Velarmino

    January 19, 2021 at 12:00 pm

    Thanks for this post, it made me want even more to go to Romania and visit all this places, it definitely looks more intersting than what we normally hear about all the way to this side of the world.

    Reply
    • Shreya Saha

      January 24, 2021 at 9:23 pm

      This is definitely some great piece of information. I did not know Romania hack the First street light in Europe. Also the medicine metry looks really interesting. I am glad to know that Romania has its own version of Arc de Triumphe and its own version of Mount Rushmore.

      Reply
  15. Akos Galfi

    January 19, 2021 at 8:47 am

    Very good post, Beautiful pictures.
    Interesting even for people living in Romania !!!
    Waiting for the next !!!

    Reply
    • Anda

      January 19, 2021 at 4:48 pm

      Really glad you liked it! Your English is perfect!

      Reply
  16. Rosemary Kneipp

    January 19, 2021 at 12:06 am

    Hi Anda, thank you for those fun facts. As you know your posts inspired our two trips to Romania and we weren’t disappointed. We love your country.

    Reply
    • Anda

      January 19, 2021 at 5:06 pm

      I’m glad to hear that, Rosemary.

      Reply
  17. Shara

    January 18, 2021 at 4:38 pm

    I love the Merry Cemetery! (but I love all cemeteries) Very interesting. Articles like these make me want to travel somewhere more than a “go here, do this” article.

    Reply
    • Anda

      January 18, 2021 at 5:37 pm

      All of us miss traveling these days, Shara.

      Reply
  18. Priscilla

    January 18, 2021 at 8:47 am

    Interesting and fun facts! Beautiful baroque street lights and that King’s face carved in the mountain! I’m watching the English Game which is the story of soccer evolving from a “gentleman’s” game to the working man and the world dominating sport it is today. Hope you and Laz are doing well and we will see each other again in 2021!

    Reply
    • Anda

      January 18, 2021 at 11:55 am

      Hope to see you too, Priscilla.

      Reply

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