Did you know that Romania is home to the heaviest building in the world? The Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest holds this record, weighing an estimated 4,098,500,000 kilograms. Constructed over 13 years during the reign of Nicolae Ceaușescu, this colossal structure is also the second largest administrative building in the world, right after the Pentagon in the United States.

Here are 50 interesting facts about Romania, my native country.

1. Romania is the ninth-largest country in Europe by area, spanning aapproximately 238,397 square kilometers.
2. Bucharest, the capital of Romania, is known as “Little Paris” due to its impressive architecture.
3. Romania prides itself on its Latin linguistic heritage, with Romanian being one of the five Romance languages.
4. Romania is home to the largest population of brown bears in Europe.
5. Movile Cave, located near Mangalia, is unique in the world, hosting over 33 species of animals that live only there.
6. Romania is home to Bran Castle, known worldwide as “Dracula’s Castle”.
7. The Anghel Saligny Bridge in Cernavodă is the third longest bridge in Europe.
8. Romania is known for its numerous castles, including Peleș Castle and Corvin Castle.
9. Romania houses the world’s only museum dedicated to gold: The Museum of Gold in Brad.
10. Romania is the second-largest producer of plums in the world.
    
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11. Henri Coandă, a Romanian aerodynamics pioneer, invented the first jet plane.
12. Gheorghe Hagi, one of the most well-known Romanian football players, was in three World Cups for the Romanian national football team.
13. Romania won the first prize at the International Wine Competition in Bordeaux in 2016.
14. George Emil Palade, a Romanian cellular biologist, won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1974.
15. Romania is one of the most religious countries in the world, with over 18,000 Orthodox churches.
16. The Black Sea, which also borders Romania, is home to numerous endemic marine species.
17. Although Romania is a secular state, the majority of the population identifies as Orthodox Christians.
18. World-famous gymnast Nadia Comăneci is the first athlete to receive a perfect 10 score at the Olympics.
19. The Danube Delta, the largest and best-preserved delta in Europe, is a UNESCO site.
20. Hoia-Baciu Forest, known for paranormal phenomena, is often called the “Bermuda Triangle of Romania”.
    
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21. Voroneț Monastery, nicknamed the “Sistine Chapel of the East”, is renowned for its exterior frescoes of intense blue, known as “Voroneț blue”.
22. Romania hosts the largest natural gas reservoir in Europe, located in the Black Sea.
23. Romania is one of the largest wine producers in the world, with a history of viticulture dating back over 4,000 years.
24. Cluj-Napoca, the country’s second-largest city, is considered the cultural center of Transylvania.
25. Romania has 7 sites listed in the UNESCO World Heritage, including the Dacian Fortresses in Orăștie Mountains, known in Romanian as Sarmizegetusa Regia.
26. Romania is the third most musical country in Europe, after Sweden and Ireland, hosting several world-renowned music festivals.
27. Romania has the largest number of traditional shepherds in Europe.
28. Romania is home to approximately 13,000 species of fauna, many of which are unique in the world.
29. Romania is home to the largest administrative structure in the world after the Pentagon: the Palace of Parliament in Bucharest.
30. The Carpathian Mountains, running through the center of the country, cover one third of the total area of Romania.
    
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31. In Romania, there are over 60 balneo-climatic resorts that are recognized nationally and internationally.
32. Romania is one of the most important honey producers in Europe.
33. Some of the most important wine regions in Romania include Dealu Mare, Cotnari, and Murfatlar.
34. Romania is known for its rich traditions, including traditions related to the Easter and Christmas celebrations.
35. Constantin Brâncuși, one of the greatest sculptors of the 20th century, hails from Romania.
36. In Romania, there are about 1,000 museums, including the Village Museum and the Astra Museum in Sibiu.
37. Maramureș, a region of Romania, hosts some of the tallest wooden churches in the world.
38. In Romania, there are over 12,000 historic monuments, including fortresses, churches, and memorial houses.
39. Luciano Pavarotti said the best soprano he has ever heard was Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu.
40. Apuseni Natural Park houses over 400 caves, some of which are open to the general public, such as Bear’s Cave (Peștera Urșilor) or Scărișoara Cave.
    
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41. Mihai Eminescu, considered the greatest Romanian poet, is celebrated every year on January 15th, his birthday, a day designated as the National Culture Day in Romania.
42. Romania has a higher forest density than the European average, with over 27% of the country’s territory covered by forests.
43. Salina Turda, a salt mine turned into an underground amusement park, is a unique attraction in Romania.
44. The Transfăgărășan route, named by the British car show Top Gear “the best road in the world”, is one of the most famous routes in Romania.
45. In Romania, there are over 5,000 lakes, including Bucura Lake, the largest glacial lake in the country.
46. Romania is home to the world’s tallest wooden structure, Săpânța-Peri Monastery, with a tower of 78 meters in height.
47. The population of Romania is approximately 19 million people, placing it 7th in the European Union.
48. The Medieval Festival of Sighișoara, one of the oldest and largest festivals of its kind in Europe, attracts thousands of visitors each year.
49. Romania is home to 13 national parks and three UNESCO-recognized biosphere reserves.
50. The 64–km long Danube-Black Sea Canal, is the longest navigation canal in Europe after the Volga-Don Canal in Russia.

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In the comments section below, tell me: Which place in Romania you would absolutely like to visit? Until next time, take care. Ceau.