Prahova County (Judet), its towns and general history

Situated on the slopes of the southern Carpathians with over 873,000 inhabitants, Prahova County contains mountains, hills and plains. The northern boundary of Prahova County is Brasov County. On the east is Buzau County. To the south are Ilfov and Ialomita counties. Dambovita County is the western boundary of Prahova County. One of the physically smallest counties of Romania, Prahova's population density is double that of the rest of Romania: 186 inhabitants per sq. km. Administratively, Prahova County has 100 territorial administrative units: fourteen urban areas with two towns, twelve cities, and eighty-six communes. Economic activities in addition to oil production include cereal crops, orchards, cattle breeding and forestry.

The capital city, Ploiesti, has about 300,000 inhabitants and lies sixty kilometers north of Bucharest and forty kilometers from Otopeni International Airport. Dating from 1503, Ploiesti began refining its oil reserves in 1857. The Oil Museum is a tourist attraction. Tourism is a main county resource. Prahova judet presents a unique flora and fauna filled region combining resorts and ethnographic interest. Ploiesti is the county capital and was founded by vojevod Mihail the Brave, a military leader and unifier of the Romanians. The town contains the Art Museum, Clock Museum, History Museum; Petroleum Museum; Nichita Stanescu Museum in Hagi Prodan House), and I.L. Caragiale Museum, Natural Science Museum, Folk Carpet Museum and the Cathedral. In 1967, Ploiesti became a university center and home to Ploiesti University, formerly the Gas & Petroleum Institute.

The three regional resorts are the upper Prahova Valley with Bucegi massif, Teleajean Valley and Ciucas massif, and the Slanic resort and its Doftana River. Azuga, Breaza, Busteni, Poiana, Sinaia [link to SINAIA], and Tapului attract tourists year-round. Azuga's mineral water spa, fifteen kilometers from Busteni, dates from the thirteenth century. Busteni resort is 135 km from Bucharest, between the Caraiman and Cosila Peaks and has the 1910 Cantacuzino Castle. The Teleajen Slanic Valleys spas include Cheia, Slanic, and Valenii de Munte. Slanic, in the Slanic Valley, is known for air cures inside one of Europe's largest salt mines. Other Slanic places of interest are picturesque Salt Mountain, 14 kilometer-long Salt Drift, the Salt Museum, and Piatra Verde Peak. Valenii de Munte, surrounded by forested and pastured hills, hosts scientists at the "Nicolae Iorga" Summer University. At Breaza Gh. is Bibescu Palace. At Vladenii de Munte are the Cheia, Suzana, and Zamfira Monastery and the Schiulesti Hermitage as well as the Nicolae lorga House Museum and the Nicolae Tonitza House Museum.

PRAHOVA COUNTY (JUDET)

ITS TOWNS & GENERAL HISTORY

General Prahova County Information