Was Călărași always the bustling city we see today? Not quite. Imagine a time long before cars and trains when messages relied on the speed of a horse. Călărași owes its very existence to these horsemen.
Călărași is situated in south-east Romania. It lies on the banks of the Danube’s Borcea branch. The Bulgarian border is about 12 kilometres away. Bucharest is about 125 kilometres away. Călărași is one of six Romanian county seats that lies on the Danube river.
Back in the 17th century Wallachian princes needed a reliable way to send messages. They established a station for mounted couriers. This was on the route from Bucharest to Constantinople. These riders were the călărași. The city got its name from them.
Over time the station grew into a small town. In 1834 Călărași became the capital of the surrounding county. Călărași transformed from a simple courier stop to a vital urban center.
Călărași became an industrial hub. It is a center for lumber and paper production. Food processing and glass manufacturing also occur here. The city also produces textiles and medical equipment. A large steel works represents heavy industry in Călărași.
The city has good transport connections. National roads connect Călărași to other cities. The A2 motorway also has exits for Călărași. The Călărași train station serves the CFR Line 802. Bucharest Constanța and Varna are the nearest major cities.
Călărași boasts several educational institutions. These include middle schools and high schools. Barbu Știrbei National College and Mihai Eminescu Theoretical High School are among them.
The local football team is Dunărea Călărași. It represents the city in the Romanian Liga III.
Many notable figures were born in Călărași. These include actor Ștefan Bănică Sr. and footballer Daniel Bogdan. Maria Cubarida-Crătunescu the first female doctor in Romania was also born here.
Călărași experiences a continental climate. The average yearly temperature is 11.3 °C. The lowest recorded temperature was -30.0 °C. The highest was 41.4 °C.
In 2021 Călărași had a population of 58211.
From its humble beginnings as a mounted courier station Călărași has grown. It transformed into a modern industrial and cultural center. The legacy of those horse riders lives on in the city’s name and spirit.