Erdely

Erdély is the Hungarian name for Transylvania, a historic region located in central Romania. It lies largely within the Carpathian arc and includes parts of the Transylvanian Plateau and the surrounding mountains. The area is known for its varied landscapes, cultural diversity, and a long history of settlement by Romanians, Hungarians, and Germans.

Historically, Erdély was part of the medieval Kingdom of Hungary from the 11th century and later became a core region of the Habsburg-ruled Austro-Hungarian Empire. After World War I, Transylvania united with Romania under the Treaty of Trianon in 1920. It was briefly occupied by Hungary during 1940–1944 under the Second Vienna Award and returned to Romania after World War II, with borders confirmed by the Paris Peace Treaties of 1947.

Demographics and culture: today Romanians form the majority in the region, with a significant Hungarian-speaking minority concentrated in Székely Land (larger swathes of eastern and central Erdély). A historic German minority, the Transylvanian Saxons, diminished substantially after 1990. Hungarian and Romanian are widely used in education, media, and public life, alongside minority languages and religious communities such as Roman Catholic, Reformed, Greek Catholic, and Orthodox traditions.

Notable features: Erdély includes major cities such as Cluj-Napoca, Brașov, Sibiu, and Târgu Mureș, with Cluj-Napoca serving as a major academic center. The region is known for well-preserved medieval towns and fortified churches, a UNESCO World Heritage site, as well as the Carpathian mountains and the Apuseni ranges, which offer diverse natural landscapes and traditional rural culture.