Berbești

Berbesti is a small town in the district of Vâlcea in Wallachia region of Romania.

Location

Berbesti is located in the foothills of the Southern Carpathians, on the upper reaches of the river Oltet. The district capital Râmnicu Vâlcea is located about 40 km northeast.

History

The oldest archaeological finds in the territory of the city date back to the Stone Age and the Bronze Age. The first mention of Berbesti dates from 1423. Currently the Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza ( 1859-1866 ) was Berbesti seat of a municipality. Since the 1970s, the hitherto rural character of the place changed fundamentally, as with the promotion of lignite ( low-grade coal ) by a large open pit was started. 2003 Berbesti received the status of a city.

The main industries in addition to the Lignitförderung agriculture ( farming, fruit growing and viticulture, apiculture ).

Population

1930 lived on the territory of today's approximately 3,750 residents, including about 50 Roma; the rest were Romanians. As of the 2002 census, 5,704 inhabitants were counted in the city, including 5,697 Romanians. Only about 550 were living in Berbesti itself, the other in the five incorporated villages.

Traffic

Berbesti has no rail connection. There are regular bus services to Horezu.

Attractions

• Sf. Ioan Botezătorul (1797 ) in the district of Târgu Gânguleşti
• Sf. Nicolae (1863 ) in the village of Valea Mare