Roșia Montană Market Square

You are in the market square of the mining town, and all around you can see buildings standing against the passage of time. Many of them have seen better days, while others proudly rise in the midst of restoration processes or are already restored. You're probably wondering, like all visitors, why this discrepancy? Well, some of the buildings are inhabited, and some owners have restored them, but approximately 80% of the properties in the village were purchased by the foreign investor who wanted to open one of the largest gold mines in Europe here, and the fate of the buildings remained uncertain, with many of them undergoing advanced degradation. Waiting for better days, these buildings stubbornly remind passers-by of the pride and glory they once carried, so let's discover their story.

In the area where you are standing you can see the local store. Upon closer inspection, you notice on the white facade a Roman inscription embedded in the plaster, fascinating, isn't it? The house, built at the end of the interwar period, in 1939, is a typical example of local architecture, which was transmitted without significant changes throughout the modern era and into the first decades of the communist period. An especially valuable aspect of the architecture of Roșia Montană in the past was the display on the street-facing facades of ancient stone blocks, such as funerary steles, inscriptions, or architectural fragments, recovered from Roman constructions or installations. This practice became increasingly common in the 19th century when ancient artifacts were incorporated into building facades. Today, most of these pieces have been transferred and are exhibited at the lapidarium that forms part of Rosia Montana's mining museum. 

When you stand with your back in front of the store, you will notice, on your left, the Cultural Center. Built in the early decades of the 20th century by the Roman Catholic Parish, it was initially conceived as a community space. Over time, the building was expanded by adding annexes to its southern side. The main facade still reflects the stylistic influences of Eclecticism, with applied ornaments and vernacular elements such as closed tympanums with wood and wooden grilles. Currently, the Cultural Center is used for various cultural and community events, serving as a meeting and reunion place for the local community. 

The space in front of the cultural center, is where the markets were held. Miners busy with the pursuit of gold bought their cereals and other foodstuffs at this market, where farmers from neighboring areas brought their products for sale. The lack of any other occupations, even related to food production, favored the development of the commercial segment in the Market area, where weekly markets were also organized.

The network of villages surrounding Roșia Montană, with the town at its core, developed a distinctive pattern of economic exchange. While Roșia served as a mining center, it relied on neighboring villages for food supplies and some services. The area's ethnic diversity is notable, with various groups of miners, including Germans, Austrians, Hungarians, and Italians, settling here at different times. This diversity adds to the predominantly Romanian and Hungarian population, concentrated in the historic center. Social dynamics within Roșia Montană are closely tied to mining activity, with a clear social hierarchy reflecting differences in wealth and occupation. Wealthy miners inhabit the central and upper parts of the village, while those from peripheral areas or newcomers face social barriers.

You have listened to the content dedicated to Roșia Montană’s market square. I encourage you to explore the market square and its surroundings. Following the alley in the back of the Cultural center there is a collection of  buildings belonging to the Roman Catholic Confession leading you towards the Roman Catholic Church. Following the main road you will find the Hungarian neighborhood with the Unitarian Church and the Brazi area, while on the opposite direction you can see the old Casino followed by the German neighborhood called ‘Berg’ and beyond starts the agricultural and picturesque area of the locality called Țarina.

The UNESCO tour of Rosia Montana is a project implemented by the non-governmental organization ‘Rosia Montana in Patrimoniul Mondial’. The audio-tour is co-financed by Romania’s Administration for National Cultural Funds. We based our story telling on local anecdotes and the works listed on the bibliography on our website. We encourage you to follow the trail that we prepared for you via our website. This will ensure that you discover all objects and their stories of Rosia Montana. Have a pleasant journey and ‘drum bun’ as we say here.