My Country Romania, My Hometown Sibiu and My School

-Romania is located in Eastern Europe-We have a population of 19 million people-Our capital city is Bucharest which is called “Little Paris”-We speak Romanian, 1 of the 5 European Latin languages :

French,Italian,Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian-Romania has all major relief forms: Carpathian Mountains,

hills, plains,the Black Sea

How much do you know about Romania?

-The river Danube flows into the Black Sea in Romania forming the youngest continental land in Europe:The Danube Delta.

-Romania has 1/3 of Europe’s thermal and mineral springs-We have the largest salt mine in Europe-Romania is home of 7 Unesco World Heritage Sites-We have the only Merry Cemetery in the world-We have over 190 castles. Bran Castle is the most famous

because it was the inspiration for Dracula's Castle in the Bram Stoker's celebrated novel, "Dracula“.

Forbes.com placed Sibiu no.8 among the 10 “Europe's Most Idyllic Places To Live” 

“ In the heart of Transylvania lies Sibiu, an important but little known city of 160,000. Outside Romania, Transylvania is best

known as the sinister setting of Bram Stoker's novel Dracula. Yet within Romania, the region is known for the outstanding beauty of

its Carpathian mountain landscape and its rich and significant history. In 2007, Sibiu, the city with cobbled streets and pastel

colored buildings, was the European capital of culture.”

The Beginnings

The city of Sibiu was first mentioned in documents in 1191 and is one of the most important cities in Transylvania.

Romanians, Germans(former Saxons) and Hungarians have been leaving here for more than eight hundred years.

In German the city is called Hermannstadt,in Romanian is called Sibiu,derived from the Latin name of the first settlement

Cibinium and Nagyszeben in Hungarian. The first Saxons settlers came from Moselle river region and

Luxemberg and were invited to Transylvania by Hungarian kings to defend the border territories against Turk and Tatar attacks. In exchange for their help in defending the borders

they were offered land and privileges. The next waves of settlers came from Rhineland, Southern Low Countries,

Thuringia, Bavaria and even France.

The Saxons created “the land of the 7 fortresses “Siebenbürgen” or “Transylvania”, seven fortified cities, as well as numerous villages in which fortified churches were raised to serve as a shelter in the event of an attack. These

fortified churches built by the village communities, an architectural formula which is considered unique in whole

Europe.

Charles, Prince of Wales has a long standing interest in Romania and the fortress churches from Transylvania and

has visited the country regularly since his first visit in 1998.He became something of a spokesman for

Transylvania and started buying properties in these villages, restoring them and turning them into guest

houses. Prince Charles claims distant kinship with Vlad the Impaler,the 15th century Wallachian ruler on whom the Irish

novelist Bram Stoker based his Dracula.

1292The first hospital in Romania.1380The first documented school in Romania1494The first pharmacy in Romania1534The first paper mill in Romania1544The first book in Romanian is printed here.1551The first experiment with rockets in the world by

Conrad Hass

Milestones in the Sibiu History

1782Franz Joseph Müller discovers the chemical element

Telur1795At Cisnadie(near Sibiu) is installed the first lightning rod

in SE Europe.1817Brukenthal Museum, the first museum in Romania1852First issue of the oldest newspaper in SE Europe1859The Liars Bridge, the first cast-iron bridge in Romania1904The second city in Europe with an electric tramway 1928The first Zoological Garden in Romania2007Sibiu is European Capital of Culture together with

Luxemburg

Throughout the centuries Sibiu developed as one of the best fortified citadels in Europe and the medieval centre is very well

preserved. The Old Town is devided into the Upper Town and the Lower Town.

School No.13 Sibiu is situated in the district called “Terezian” after the Empress Maria Teresa of Austria

School Life in pictures

About School No.13 Sibiu

It is a general secondary school comprising:

1.Primary / Elementary School – Reception class and grades I-IV

2.Lower Secondary school (Gymnasium) - grades V-VIII

Primary subjects include Math, Romanian Language, a foreign language, English, German,or French, History, Geography, Science, Art, Introduction to computers(optional), Religion, Music, Physical Education and Civic Education.

Upper level pupils (fifth grade onwards) have additional subjects and may have around thirty to thirty-two hours of class per week. Additional subjects include Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Latin and Technology. Some schools may also add one or two optional subjects depending on their choice.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication /communication reflects the views only

of the author, School No.13 Sibiu, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information

contained therein.

Travelling Teds' European Discoveries-Descoperirile Europene ale Ursuletilor Calatori - COM-13-PM-1172-SB-IE