Suceava
Suceava (Romanian: [suˈtʃe̯ava] ⓘ) is a municipality and the namesake county seat town of Suceava County, situated in the historical regions of Bukovina and Moldavia, northeastern Romania and at the crossroads of Central and Eastern Europe respectively. It is the largest urban settlement of Suceava County, with a population of 84,308 inhabitants according to the 2021 Romanian census (postponed one year and conducted in 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania).
Suceava
Romanian: Suceava Suczawa | |
|---|---|
Left to right: The Administrative Palace, The Justice Palace, Bukovina Museum, Suceava railway station (Burdujeni), Medieval Seat Fortress of Suceava, Ștefan cel Mare University of Suceava (USV), St. Apostoles Church in Ițcani, St. John of Nepomuk Church | |
Location in Suceava County | |
Suceava Location of Suceava Suceava Suceava (Europe) | |
| Coordinates: 47°39′05″N 26°15′20″E | |
| Country | Romania |
| County | Suceava County |
| Status | County seat |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2024) | Ion Lungu (PNL) |
| Area | |
| • Municipiu | 52.10 km2 (20.12 sq mi) |
| • Metro | 473.29 km2 (182.74 sq mi) |
| Population (2022) | |
| • Municipiu | 84,308 |
| • Density | 1,600/km2 (4,200/sq mi) |
| Romanian ethnic majority with a few smaller minority groups | |
| Demonym(s) | sucevean, suceveancă (ro) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Climate | Dfb |
| Website | Primăria Suceava (ro, en) |
During the late Middle Ages, namely between 1388 and 1564 (or from the late 14th century to the late 16th century), this middle-sized town was the capital of the Principality of Moldavia. Later on, it became an important, strategically-located commercial town of the Habsburg monarchy, Austrian Empire, and Austria-Hungary (formerly belonging to Cisleithania or the Austrian part of the dual monarchy) on the border with the Romanian Old Kingdom.
Nowadays, the town is known for its reconstructed medieval seat fortress (further rebuilt through the EU-funded Regio programme) and its UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Site Saint John the New Monastery (part of the Churches of Moldavia), both local and national tourist attractions. In addition, the Administrative Palace, a historic and civic building dating to imperial Austrian times and designed by Viennese architect Peter Paul Brang, is located in the historic town centre along with the Roman Catholic Saint John of Nepomuk church (one building faces the other).
Suceava is the 22nd largest Romanian city, according to the 2021 census. The city's population has increased exponentially during the second half of the 20th century, from just over 10,000 people in the late 1940s to over 100,000 in the early 1990s.