Conference Venue

Beclean

Beclean is a town located on the Someșul Mare river corridor, downstream of the Someș-Șieu confluence. It sits between the Transylvanian Plateau and the Someșan Plateau and is the second largest city in Bistrița-Năsăud County, after Bistrița.

Strategically positioned at the crossroads of waterways and roads, Beclean has evolved over time from an ancient noble residence to an ecclesiastical and feudal fortress during the Middle Ages, and eventually to a modern town. First mentioned in historical documents in 1235, Beclean celebrates 779 years since its initial official attestation this year.

The history of Beclean, however, stretches much further back. Archaeological evidence indicates human presence in the area since the Paleolithic era, approximately 50,000 BC. The region continued to develop through the Neolithic (around 50,000 to 1900 BC) and into the Bronze Age (1700-1150 BC). Discoveries of fortified sites, such as the one on Varba near Coldău identified in the 19th century, and the Dacian fortress on Bileag discovered by researchers from the University of Cluj-Napoca and the Bistrița-Năsăud County Museum, further attest to the town’s ancient origins.

Throughout the feudal era, from the 10th century to the mid-19th century, Beclean and its surrounding villages, including Coldău, Figa, and Rusu de Jos, experienced significant social and economic transformation. This period saw the emergence of social stratification within rural communities and the gradual formation of feudal estates. Local Romanian institutions persisted in the form of cnezates (noble communities) and voivodeships (territories ruled by a voivode) for a long time, including during the periods of Pecheneg and Hungarian rule.

Today, Beclean is a notable town in northern Transylvania, a historic province of Romania. It serves as a developing economic and tourism hub, offering various attractions of significant interest, including the Băile Figa Spa, the Beclean Stud Farm, the Hunting Castle Bethlen, the "Casa de Vânătoare" Museum, the Calvinist Reformed Church, the Catholic Church, and the "Sfântul Ștefan" Catholic Church.