Potcoava

Potcoava is a town in Olt County in the Great Wallachia in Romania.

Location

Potcoava lies in the lowlands Câmpia Boianului, a part of the Wallachian Plain. The district capital Slatina is located about 20 km southwest.

History

Potcoava 1423 was first mentioned in a decree of the Wallachian prince, Dan II. The oldest church is attested from 1684, a school in 1813.

The long dominated by agriculture place changed its character after were discovered oil and natural gas during the Second World War and since then also exploited. Other important branches of industry are the food and textile industries.

2004 Potcoava was declared a city.

Population

1930 lived on the territory of today's approximately 4,500 residents. As of the 2002 census, 6,111 inhabitants were counted in the city, including 5,637 Romanians and 472 Roma. Approximately 2,600 lived in Potcoava itself, the other in the four incorporated villages.

Traffic

Potcoava is on the railway from Piteşti after Piatra Olt. At the stations Potcoava and Sinesti keep only local trains, currently (2009) about six per day in each direction. There are good bus connections to Slatina.