Soon the EURE partners will set for an online study visit to Alba Iulia. To prepare for the visit, here is a little presentation of this middle-size city, also known as "The Other Capital" in Romania.
Alba Iulia is the administrative center of Alba County in the west-central part of Romania, located on the Mureș River in the historical region of Transylvania. It is a medium-sized city in Romania with 74,000 inhabitants. Alba Iulia based its sustainable development on attracting non-reimbursable funding. So far the municipality managed to attract during the 2007-2019 period over 200 million Euros for Sustainable development projects in virtually all fields (including energy efficiency). The city is nowadays considered a good-practice at national level in this field and is shown as an example of efficient administration oriented towards the needs of the citizens, investors and tourists.
The main priorities of the city are disseminated within the Integrated Strategy for Urban Development 2014-2023 are: Smart, sustainable and inclusive economic growth; Sustainable tourism based on the rich cultural heritage; Reducing pollution and increasing energy efficiency; Developing a coherent, inclusive and efficient environment for local businesses; Developing mobility infrastructure and public services by using smart solutions; Transforming Alba Iulia into ”a more livable city” in order to reduce workforce migration towards Cluj-Napoca and Sibiu.
The strategic objectives contributing to the achievement of Alba Iulia vision are: 1. Alba Iulia – A SMART, accessible and coherent city; 2. Alba Iulia – A GREEN city with efficient public services; 3. Alba Iulia – A COMPETITIVE and CREATIVE city; 4. Alba Iulia – A European CULTURAL and TOURISTIC OBJECTIVE.
Alba Iulia is historically important for Romanians, Hungarians, and Transylvanian Saxons. In December 2018, Alba Iulia was officially declared Capital of the Great Union of Romania. The city administers four villages.
The main historical area of Alba Iulia is the Upper Town region, developed by Charles VI, the Holy Roman Emperor, in honor of whom the Habsburgs renamed the city by calling it Karlsburg. The fortress, with seven bastions in stellar shape, was constructed between 1715 and 1738. Very important institutions are located inside the fortress: The Union Hall with the National Honour Gallery, The National History Museum of Unification, the Princely Palace (Voivodal Palace), the Orthodox cathedral, the Roman Catholic cathedral, the Batthyaneum Library, the Roman Catholic bishop's palace, the Apor Palace, and the University of Alba Iulia.
