Pâncota

Pâncota ( German and Hungarian Pankota ) is a small town in the county of Arad in Romania.

Geographical location

Pâncota lies in western Romania, in the easternmost part of the Great Hungarian Plain, on the western edge of the Apuseni Mountains. The county capital Arad is located about 35 km southwest. Pâncota is located on the railway line from Arad to Brad. In both directions, at (2009) five commuter trains daily. There are bus connections to Arad and Câmpeni. Until 1991 also reversed the local railway Arad - Podgoria after Pâncota.

History

In the area of the present city were the remains of a Dacian settlement from the 2nd / 3rd Century found. The name Villa Pankotha was first mentioned in 1202/1203; the assignment to the present city, however, is uncertain. 1216, according to the historian Sándor Márki on the territory of a Benedictine abbey Pâncota testifies; presumably, the settlement was formed around its abbey. Pâncota belonged to the Kingdom of Hungary.

After the Mongol invasion in 1241 a castle was built. 1322 was the seat of an abbey archdeaconry. The Hungarian king Louis I gave in 1375, the castle of the noble family Losonczy, in whose possession it remained about 170 years. 1475 Pâncota was raised to the oppidum ( market town ).

After the Battle of Mohács ( 1526) fell apart, the Kingdom of Hungary. Pâncota was part of the dependent from the Ottoman Empire Principality of Transylvania and finally occupied and plundered by the Turks; the Benedictine Abbey went out. The Transylvanian Prince Sigismund Báthory recaptured Pâncota 1595, before the town was taken again by the Turks in possession. During the Ottoman occupation was Pâncota seat of a subordinate administrative unit.

After several defeats Turkish troops against the Austrians Pâncota came in 1699 in the Treaty of Karlowitz in Austria - Hungary. In the place first settled in Hungary. He became the seat of a feudal system; in the years 1756 and 1784 there were riots of the serfs.

1776 could be taken in the First Schwabenzugs 46 German families in Pâncota down; 1817 was followed by another 11 families from Gosheim. During this time, a native of Poland Duke Schulkowsky bought the manor in Pâncota.

Economy

In the second half of the 19th century was the largest Pâncota market town in the county of Arad. It was an intense viticulture. The estate of the Duke family fell in World War I and came to the region with Romania in the years 1918/1920 in the possession of the Romanian state.

After the First World War, a furniture factory was established. Most residents, however, continued to live on agriculture. During the period of Communist rule, and even more after the Revolution of 1989 most of the German inhabitants emigrated to the Federal Republic of Germany. 1968 Pâncota was declared a city.

The main industries are agriculture and food processing. In addition, a brick factory, a factory for car accessories, a wood-processing company, clothing factories, a bakery and a mill.

2011 near Pâncota a petroleum deposits of about 1.5 million tons with an estimated value of over one billion euros was discovered by the company Universal Premium Bucharest. According to managing director Victor Rosu, the company has so far invested around ten million euros in research and prospecting, to feed starting this sum will grow to 15 million euros. The exploitation is estimated at 20 years. The oil is located in the relatively shallow depth 500-2100 meters. Drilling at the site have already been launched in August 2011 and resumed after an interruption during the winter months beginning April 2012. The exploitation of oil reserves will contribute according to Mayor Joseph savior to the creation of 250 new jobs.

Population

1880 lived on the territory of today's 6,217 people, including 3,468 Romanians, 1,341 Hungarians and 1,078 German. 4,132 lived in Pâncota itself, 2,085 in today eingemeindeten place Maderat. In 1910 the population reached its peak with 8,022 and has since tended to decline. As of the 2002 census, 7,186 inhabitants were registered in Pâncota, including 5,699 Romanians, 604 Hungarians, 589 Roma, 216 German, 50 Ukrainians and 22 Slovaks. 5,804 lived in the city proper, 1,382 in Maderat.

Attractions

• Schulkowsky Palace (1825-1850), now the town hall
• City center (mostly 19th century)
• Historic post office (18th century)
• Cetatea Turcească ( Turkish castle ), but probably from vortürkischer time (13th century)

Born in Pâncota

• Gergely Csiky (1842-1891), Hungarian playwright