Description

Sfântu Gheorghe is the most important city of Covasna County, in the historical region of Three Seats (Trei Scaune), and at the same time the largest Hungarian-majority city in Transylvania.

Sfântu Gheorghe is the county seat of Covasna and is also considered the most dynamic city, whose intense—yet often turbulent—history justifies this status.

According to archaeological evidence, the story of the area goes back to the Stone Age, with traces of both settled and migratory lifestyles identified from those times. The settlement took its name from Saint George, the patron saint of its first church, and the oldest surviving written record dates back to 1332.

With the establishment of Covasna County in 1968, Sfântu Gheorghe received the status of municipality and became the county seat. The town’s former market-town character changed significantly during the socialist period, both economically and socially. After the regime change, the city’s leadership undertook numerous efforts to modernize Sfântu Gheorghe, with visible results in its appearance, development dynamics, organized events, and the progressive mindset of its inhabitants.

Today, Sfântu Gheorghe is a place where everyone—both residents and visitors—can find something appealing: from its oldest heritage of ideological, traditional, and scientific significance to its vibrant living culture, as well as various leisure and sports activities.

A brief history of the city

Our region has been inhabited since the Stone Age, with traces of many populations discovered here. The city was named after the patron saint of its church: Saint George. The settlement was first mentioned in 1332, when it had an independent parish, and its priest paid 15 banali in the papal tithe. As a city (civitas), Sfântu Gheorghe was first mentioned in a document from 1461, and in another document from 1492 it already appears as a privileged town.

Throughout its existence, the city was destroyed several times, the most violent being the Tatar and Ottoman attacks of 1651 and 1661, which almost completely destroyed it. Only a small part of the population survived these devastating sieges. Documents show that life remained difficult afterward, with droughts and plague epidemics following.

During the reign of Empress Maria Theresa, the Székely inhabitants were forcibly organized into military border guard units. Those who refused were arrested and imprisoned. In addition to compulsory military service for men, the town had to bear the costs of the stationed garrisons. These harsh conditions help explain why the inhabitants strongly opposed Austrian rule during the 1848–1849 revolution.

The 1848 War of Independence marked the most glorious period in the city’s history. The inhabitants joined the struggle, formed armed battalions, and, after failed negotiations with Austrian command, declared resistance against the Austrian Empire. An important role was played by Gábor Áron, a common man who undertook the casting of cannons for the revolutionary army.

After the failure of the revolution, reprisals followed. The city archive was destroyed, as Russian and Austrian soldiers used its volumes to cover the muddy streets. Sfântu Gheorghe was forced to pay compensation, and confiscations and arrests became daily occurrences.

Normality returned only around 1860, when the region began to develop again. In 1861, a mayor and local council were elected for the first time. In the following years, the first textile factory was built, and institutions such as the Székely National Museum, an orphanage, and a hospital were established.

Sfântu Gheorghe became the first city in the Székely Land with a textile factory and the first where electricity was introduced. It was also the first in the region to have a theater hall.

Among its distinguished honorary citizens were the famous writer Mór Jókai and Lajos Kossuth, a hero of the 1848–1849 Hungarian Revolution.

Following the dramatic changes after World War I and the Treaty of Trianon, the city became part of Romania. Between 1940 and 1944 it returned to Hungary, and after World War II it became part of Romania again.

Between 1652 and 1960, Sfântu Gheorghe was part of the Hungarian Autonomous Region, and in 1960 it was assigned to the Stalin Region. The city became a municipality in 1967, when Romania underwent administrative reorganization and Covasna County was established. Today, Sfântu Gheorghe is the county seat. The socialist years significantly changed the city’s character, but in recent decades efforts have been made to reduce the effects of the communist era.

The city today

Sfântu Gheorghe is a rapidly developing municipality and the seat of Covasna County.

According to the 2021 census, the population is 50,080, down from 56,006 in 2011. The majority of inhabitants are Hungarian (69.25%), with a Romanian minority (18.93%), while for 11.29% ethnicity is unknown. Religiously, most are Reformed (34.06%), followed by Roman Catholics (28.27%), Orthodox (16.17%), Unitarians (5.23%), and Evangelical Lutherans (1.15%), while for 12.26% religious affiliation is unknown.

The city has 23,235 dwellings, 99% with electricity, 95% with drinking water, and 67% with sewage systems. Since the 1990s, new residential districts have been developed.

Key sports facilities include Arena Sepsi, the municipal stadium and sports base, the swimming complex, and the ski slope at Șugaș-Băi.

Cultural institutions include the Tamási Áron and Andrei Mureșanu theatres, the “Háromszék” Dance Ensemble, the “Bod Péter” County Library, the Municipal Cultural House, the “Gyárfás Jenő” Art Gallery, and the “Míves” House. Since 1997, higher education has been represented by Babeș-Bolyai University through faculties of Economic Sciences and Business Administration, Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences, and Environmental Science.

Industrialization in the city began with the first textile factory in the Székely Land. In 1879, a tobacco factory was also built. With the construction of the railway line Brașov – Târgu Secuiesc – Miercurea Ciuc, the city became part of the national railway network, and by 1908 electricity was already available.

In the 1970s, the socialist leadership introduced a new wave of industrialization, building machinery and furniture factories.

In the early 1990s, after the 1989 revolution, the transition to a market economy led to the closure of many large socialist-era enterprises. More recently, foreign investors have appeared, especially in light industry (clothing, cardboard, and textiles).

On the outskirts of the city lies Șugaș Băi, a spa resort known for its mineral waters rich in carbon dioxide, with therapeutic effects. It was discovered in the 1840s when miners searching for gold instead found beneficial gases, marked today by mofettas. Șugaș Băi is also ideal for winter sports, equipped with ski lifts and artificial snow machines.

Visitors can choose from several hotels and guesthouses, with facilities including swimming and recreation centers, aerobic halls, and nearby horseback riding opportunities.

The city also offers excellent restaurants where guests can enjoy a wide variety of traditional dishes.

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