The municipality of Râmnicu Vâlcea is the seat of Vâlcea County, an important economic and cultural center of the country, it is located in the central-southern part of Romania, at the confluence of the Olt and Olănești rivers. Ramnicu Valcea stretches to the east of the Capela hill, up to beyond the course of the Olt river, crossing to the south its confluence with the waters of the Olanesti river. It is bordered to the south by Troian hill, and to the southwest by Petrisor hill. To the north, the border of the Ramnicu Valcea municipality is marked by the Cetatuia hill. The city is located on the terraces of Olt, which are more prominent in the western part, because in the eastern area the hills go down almost to the waterline. There are two terraces. In the past, the urban agglomeration was arranged on the upper terrace, due to the frequent floods that Oltul produced. Through the construction of the river and the construction of the dams, the living area also expanded on the lower terrace, the danger of flooding being removed. The old areas, with constructions located close to the Olt river bed, are protected by floods due to the high banks. The average altitude of the locality is 240-260 m.
Within the county, the Municipality of Ramnicu Valcea is located in the central-eastern part, and in the Getici Subcarpathia it falls in the Valcii Subcarpathia between Oltet and Topolog. Ramnicu Valcea is located in a depressed area (Horezu – Olanesti – Muereasca – Calimanesti – Berislavesti – Salatrucu – Dobriceni – Zmeureni). North of the depression widening from Râmnicu Vâlcea there are high hills of over 700 m where ridges appear. Near the city, both on the left and on the right of Olt, such a relief of ridges generated by torrential valleys prevails under the conditions of monoclimatic geological structures (L. Badea, 1955, and Mihaela Dinu, 1995). The distance to the main surrounding cities is easy to travel by car, the road network in the region being recently rebuilt and modernized: Bucharest (175 Km), Pitesti (60 Km), Craiova (123 Km), Sibiu (99 Km) , Targu Jiu (115 Km), Slatina (100 Km). Within the road and railway network, Ramnicu Valcea is an important place, being located on one of the main international roads that connect Central Europe with the Balkan Peninsula, respectively on DN 7 Bucharest – Pitesti – Ramnicu Valcea – Sibiu, but also on the roads national DN 67 Tg. Jiu – Horezu – Ramnicu Valcea and DN 64 Craiova – Dragasani – Ramnicu Valcea. There is no airport, but at the point called Malul Alb, 4 km away from the city, there is a land prepared for the take-off and landing of utility planes. Ramnicu Valcea located in the "Carpatho-Danube-Oltean functional area, unit of the country's territory (Mehedinti, Gorj, Olt, Valcea, Dolj counties) is characterized by the network of localities formed on the background of a dense network of water, with fertile meadows of along which were established early communication routes and old strategic settlements" (V. Cucu). From the point of view of economic-functional zoning, the municipality is located in the area with a complex economic profile of the Oltului corridor and the Ramnicu Valcea Horezu axis. In the zonal plan, Ramnicu Valcea is located in the center of gravity of the territory of Valcea county, halfway between the main north-south axes.
The revolution of 1848 had a strong echo in Ramnicu Valcea. The military camp organized by General Magheru at Troianu - the southern gate of Ramnic, represented a guarantee for the victory of the revolution, which was celebrated on July 29, 1848 "in a field surrounded by trees on the outskirts of the city", on the place where later to arrange the public garden Zavoi. Under the flags of the revolution, a choir led by Anton Pann and a crowd of enthusiasts gathered to celebrate the triumph of the revolution sang songs full of harmony, including "Desteapta-te romane" which would become the national anthem of Romania. Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza stopped twice at Ramnicu Valcea, being greeted with great warmth by the city's inhabitants, who thus greeted the creator of the Union of Principalities. The blood tribute paid by the people of Ramnice for the conquest of the country's independence in 1877 was particularly difficult, but together with the sacrifice of other Romanians, it constituted the foundation of modern Romania. In honor of these heroes, an imposing monument was erected at the foot of the Capela hill, which became a symbol of the city: the Statue of Independence, the work of the sculptor Ion Iordanescu supported by a participant in that war, doctor Gheorghe Sabin who became the prefect of Valcea. In both conflagrations of the first half of the 20th century, the city's inhabitants paid their blood tribute, suffered the same destruction and had the same satisfactions or troubles as all other Romanians. Between the two world wars, Ramnicul developed primarily from an economic and cultural point of view, the population still remaining at an almost constant level (10,000 inhabitants).
In Ramnicu Valcea, at the intersection of Colonel Badescu / Carol I streets, there is the "Casa Simian" Art Museum, built in 1940 and which belonged to the Nae and Tita Simian family. The architectural elements of the Simian House create the impression of an Italian villa with a gorgeous summer garden. The museum hosts works of art by famous artists, such as: Grigorescu, Tonitza, Storck, Vermont, Ressu, Pallady, Tuculescu.
Opposite the "Casa Simian" Art Museum is the "Antim Ivireanul" County Library, which stands out for its unique architecture in Oltenia with a stained-glass dome. The library was inaugurated in 2004 and has over 400,000 volumes of books, periodicals, graphic and audio-visual documents available in several languages of international circulation.
Nearby, with access from Calea Lui Traian, we find the History Museum, housed in a 19th century building, known as the former "Clock School". The History Museum hosts permanent exhibitions, which aim to present aspects of the life and activity of the ancient inhabitants of the Olt Valley. The History Museum has philatelic collections, a collection of old weapons, a collection of prints, old books and many other rare objects with historical value.
From the Museum of History going down to the center of the Ramnicu Valcea municipality, we discover the All Saints Church, built between 1762 and 1764. To get to the Diocese of Ramnicu, we will have to go back 300 meters, going up Traian's way, to the National College. Alexandru Lahovari" from where we will turn left towards the foot of Capela hill. Here is the Bishopric of Ramnic, the second bishopric of the Romanian Country, heir and successor of the Metropolis of Severin.
Returning to the "Casa Simian" Art Museum and going to the right, at a distance of 200 m you will find the Valcea Court, built at the beginning of the 20th century, and the Ramnicu Valcea Court, built between 1906-1907 by the engineer Henri Sousskind. Opposite the Court, at the foot of the Chapel hill, is located the Statue of Independence symbolizing "Romania with a sorrowful face for her brave fallen sons in battle".
500 meters from this place is Zavoi Park (at the exit to Baile Olanesti), one of the oldest parks in the country and recognized as the place where, on July 29, 1848, the Romanian national anthem "Deşeapta" was sung for the first time you, Romanian!"
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