BUZAU

city, capital of Buzau judet (county), southeastern Romania, on the Buzau River, approximately 60 mi (100 km) northeast of Bucharest. Its location near the foothills of the Eastern Carpathians at the limit of the Danube Plain fostered its development as a market and trading centre. It was first documented in the records of the Brasov merchants in a reference to the Buzau Fair of 1431. The Romanian Orthodox cathedral was built around 1500 and rebuilt in 1650. The county around Buzau is rich in orchards, market gardens, and vineyards. It has metallurgical engineering and plastics industries. Pop. (1989 est.) 145,423. judet (county), southeastern Romania, occupying an area of 2,344 sq mi (6,072 sq km). The Buzau mountain range, part of the Eastern Carpathians and the sub-Carpathian mountains, lies in the west, rising above settlement areas in the valleys and lowlands. The Buzau River and its tributaries drain eastward. Buzau (q.v.) city, the county capital, has been an economic centre with ties to Bucharest and Brasov since the 15th century. Manufactures include metals, machinery, and chemicals. Rmnicu Sarat has oil refineries and factories that produce textiles, wine, and cigarettes. Oil fields are located at Sarata-Monteoru, Berca, and Arbanesi. Building materials are produced in Patrlagele. Agricultural activities in the county consist of livestock raising and wheat cultivation. Stephen (Stefan) the Great's army won battles against the Turks in Rmnicu Sarat in 1473 and 1481. A 17th-century church in Rmnicu Sarat contains frescoes, and a Romanian contemporary art museum is located in the town. A monastery founded in 1650 is situated in Magura. Other towns include Pogoanele, Beceni, Vintila Voda, and Ulmeni. Railway and highway connections extend through Buzau city. Pop. (1990 est.) 526,200.