Description

The commune center, the village of Chichiş, is located in the angle formed by the Olt and the Râul Negru, on the border of Covasna County, only 1.5 km from Brașov County along the DN12, at an altitude of 509 meters.

On the territory of the village, pottery fragments—probably dating from the Bronze Age—have been identified, as well as a clay spindle whorl, animal bones, fragments of vessels, and pieces of ceramics. The first historical record attesting to the existence of the settlement dates from 1461. However, by the end of the 13th century the Christian community of the locality was already numerous and wealthy enough to build a Catholic church. After the Reformation, the church was transformed into a Unitarian church and, as a historical monument, it was included on the list of UNESCO.

In 1567, 34 houses were recorded in Chichiş, inhabited by free Székely families with full rights. From the beginning of the 17th century, serfs and cotters also appeared in the village. In 1602, none of the 23 families were serfs; however, in 1614, out of 61 families, 9 were serfs and 2 were cotters, and by 1703, out of 66 families, 32 were serfs. After the formation of the border guard regiments, 440 Székelys were listed in the army records.

More precise data appear in the census conducted in the mid-19th century. The population grew slowly: in 1850 there were 881 inhabitants, in 1900 the number reached 1,170, and by 1941 the population had grown to 2,060. In 1910, seven different religions were recorded: Catholics, Reformed, Unitarians, Evangelicals, Greek Catholics, Orthodox, and Israelites.

In 1675, an anonymous chronicler mentioned the favorable conditions the area offers for animal husbandry. The name of the settlement became firmly established in the collective memory during the struggle for freedom in 1848–1849. Imperial troops occupied Țara Bârsei and advanced toward Three Seats. To stop the advance of the counter-revolutionary forces, the Hungarian revolutionary army mobilized approximately 7,000–8,000 Székelys.

The decisive battle took place on July 2 near the bridge over the Râul Negru. The main figure of the battle was Gábor Áron, a hero of the revolution, who fell in this battle while leading his infantry troops.

Due to the multicultural history of the community, the political regime changes and the successive belonging to Hungary and Romania in the 20th century were not marked by ethnic conflicts. Religious and ethnic tolerance is a characteristic of the locality of which the inhabitants are proud.

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