Gheorghieni, Harghita County, Transylvania, Romania

🇷🇴 Gheorgheni (Gyergyószentmiklós) is a municipality in Harghita County, Romania. It lies in the Székely Land, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania. The city administers four villages: Covacipeter (Kovácspéter), Lacu Roșu (Gyilkostó), Vargatac (Vargatag), and Visafolio (Visszafolyó).

Geography The city is located in the north-eastern part of Harghita County, 57 km (35 mi) north of the county seat, Miercurea Ciuc. It is situated in a mountainous region, at an altitude of 810 m (2,660 ft), and it is crossed east to west by the river Belcina, a right tributary of the river Mureș. Nearby are two natural sites, the Red Lake and Cheile Bicazului, a narrow canyon through the Eastern Carpathian Mountains forming the border with Neamț County.

History Gheorgheni historically formed part of the Székely Land region of Transylvania. It was first mentioned in 1332. It belonged to the Kingdom of Hungary with several interruptions, the Eastern Hungarian Kingdom and the Principality of Transylvania, administratively the town belonged to Gyergyószék. Between 1867 and 1918 it fell within Csík County, in the Kingdom of Hungary.

In the aftermath of World War I, the Union of Transylvania with Romania was declared in December 1918. At the start of the Hungarian–Romanian War of 1918–1919, the town passed under Romanian administration. After the Treaty of Trianon of 1920, it became part of the Kingdom of Romania and fell within Ciuc County. In 1940, the Second Vienna Award granted Northern Transylvania to Hungary. Towards the end of World War II, Romanian and Soviet armies entered the town in October 1944. The territory of Northern Transylvania remained under Soviet military administration until March 9, 1945, after which it became again part of Romania. Between 1952 and 1960, Gheorgheni was part of the Magyar Autonomous Region, and between 1960 and 1968 part of the Mureș-Magyar Autonomous Region. After the administrative reform of 1968, the region was abolished, and since then, the city has been part of Harghita County.