Siret Facts for Kids

For the river, see Siret (river). For other uses, see Siret (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids

Siret

German: Sereth

Town

Former Siret town hall

Coat of arms

Location in Suceava County

Siret

Location in Romania

Country

Romania

County

Suceava

Area

43.40 km² (16.76 sq mi)

Elevation

324 m (1,063 ft)

Population

(2011)

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Time zone

EET/EEST (UTC+2/+3)

Postal code

725500

Area code

(+40) 02 30

Siret is a town in northeastern Romania, located in Suceava County. It's a very old town and was once the capital of the medieval Principality of Moldavia in the late 1300s. Today, Siret is the 11th largest town in its county, with about 6,700 people living there according to the 2021 census. The town also includes two smaller villages called Mănăstioara and Pădureni.

Exploring Siret's Location
- Border Crossing and Railways
- Rivers and Roads
A Look at Siret's Past
Understanding Religions in Siret
- Jewish Community History
- Current Religious Groups
Siret's Population Over Time
- Ethnic Groups in Siret
Famous People from Siret
Siret's Global Connections
- Sister Cities
Images for kids
See also

Exploring Siret's Location

The town of Siret is found at the very edge of Suceava County, in the northeast of Romania. It's only about 2 kilometers away from the border with Ukraine. This makes Siret an important place for people and goods to cross between Romania and Ukraine.

Border Crossing and Railways

Siret has special places for both cars and trains to cross the border. The Vicșani railway station, located west of Siret, is where trains are checked when they cross into Ukraine. Trains in Romania use a standard track width, but in Ukraine, they use a wider track. Siret is one of the few places in Romania that has special equipment to change the train wheels or move goods, so transportation can continue without problems.

Rivers and Roads

Siret is located on the right bank of the Siret River. It sits about halfway between the cities of Chernivtsi (in Ukraine) and Suceava (in Romania). A major road, the European route E85, also passes through the town, making it easy to travel to and from Siret.

A Look at Siret's Past

Holy Trinity Church (1352), one of the oldest churches in Romania

Siret has a long and interesting history. Between 1211 and 1225, a fortress was built by the Teutonic Knights on a hill near the town. However, this town and its castle were destroyed by the Tatars in 1241.

Early Mentions and Capital City

The first official mention of Siret in historical papers dates back to 1339. It was also mentioned as a "Russian city" in a list from 1370-1390. For a short time in the late 14th century, Siret was the capital of the Principality of Moldavia, which was an important state in the region.

Changes in Rule

In 1770, the Imperial Russian Army took control of Siret. After this, a serious illness spread through the town. From 1775 to 1918, Siret and the rest of Bukovina were part of the Habsburg monarchy (later Austria-Hungary). During this time, many important Ukrainian groups and schools were active in Siret.

World War II and Beyond

During World War II, Soviet troops captured Siret on April 3, 1944. This happened as part of a larger military operation.

Understanding Religions in Siret

The Roman Catholic church in downtown Siret, once used by the German community.

Siret has a history of different religious groups living together. In the 13th and 14th centuries, Christian missionaries came to the area. In 1371, a Catholic bishopric (a church district led by a bishop) was set up in Siret, which was the capital of Moldavia at the time. This was an important religious center. However, when the capital moved from Siret to Suceava around 1388, the importance of the Siret bishopric slowly faded.

Jewish Community History

A Jewish community was present in Siret by the mid-1500s. By the early 1900s, many Jewish people in Siret worked in business. From 1912 to 1918, the town even had a Jewish mayor. During World War I, many Jewish families left Siret to escape the fighting, and when they returned, they found their homes damaged.

In 1930, about 2,121 Jewish people lived in Siret, making up 14% of the town's population. However, during World War II, in June 1941, the authorities forced the Jewish people of Siret to leave their homes and move to other places, eventually to a region called Transnistria. In 1944, Soviet troops freed about 460 Jewish people from Siret who were still there. Many of them later moved to Palestine.

Current Religious Groups

Today, most people in Siret belong to the Romanian Orthodox Christian faith. There are also smaller groups of Roman Catholics, Pentecostals, Greek-Catholics, and other Evangelical Christians.

Siret's Population Over Time

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1910	7,948	—
1930	9,905	+24.6%
1948	8,058	−18.6%
1956	5,664	−29.7%
1966	8,018	+41.6%
1977	8,264	+3.1%
1992	10,071	+21.9%
2002	9,329	−7.4%
2011	7,721	−17.2%
2021	6,708	−13.1%
Source: Austrian and Romanian census data and/or official estimates

The population of Siret has changed quite a bit over the years. The town had its largest population in 1992, when more than 10,000 people lived there. By the 2021 census, the population was 6,708.

Ethnic Groups in Siret

According to the 2011 census, most of the people in Siret (about 95.85%) are ethnic Romanians. There are also smaller groups of Ukrainians (2.55%), Poles (0.72%), Germans (0.42%), and Russians (0.28%).

Famous People from Siret

Many notable individuals have come from Siret, including:

Yitzhak Artzi - an Israeli politician
Elisabeth Axmann - a Romanian-German poet
Leo Katz - a writer and journalist
Mykhailo Mykhailyuk Ilkovych - a Ukrainian poet
Elisabeta Lipă - a famous Romanian rower
Victorin Ursache - a Romanian archbishop

Siret's Global Connections

Siret is part of a special group called the Douzelage. This is a unique partnership of 24 towns from different countries across the European Union. This program started in 1991 and helps these towns connect through regular events and festivals.

Sister Cities

Siret is twinned with many towns around the world. Being "twinned" means that towns form a special friendship to promote cultural exchange and understanding. Here are some of Siret's sister cities: