Hârșova

Hârşova (also spelled Hîrşova; ; Хърсово, Harsovo) is a town located on the right bank of the Danube, in Constanţa County, Romania.

The village of Vadu Oii is administered by the town. The village is linked with the Giurgeni commune over the Danube via the Giurgeni-Vadu Oii Bridge.

Etymology
Carsium is the ancient name of Harsova (Hârşova). It is to be found in sources from the 2nd to the 10th century as Karsoum, Karsos, Karso in Greek text and Carso, Carsio, Carsion, Carsium in Latin ones. On cartography documents from the 16th to the 18th century on we encounter the variant Hirsova in Ottoman documents. The etymology of the ancient name but also of the modern one has aroused the scientists interest. Tomasek and Detschew believe that the place name Carsium-Carso is of Thracian origin (it may name, furrow, field, or, rock, stone); Beshevliev and Bogrea assign it a Celtic origin (stone). The modern variant has concerned C. Moisil and N.Iorga, according to whom the actual name derives from Hirsu) Romanian adaptation for Chrysos, about which we have information from the Byzantine chronist Nicetas Choniates). Popular etymologies are also mentioned, coming from Ottoman and Romanian traditions. Bulgarian scientists link the actual name to other South-Danubian place names, derived from Hors, a very ancient local divinity. Romanian linguists consider that the actual toponym Hârşova (Harsova) has its origins in the old variant Carsium, which has normally changed phonetically in time during language evolution (c-h, a-i-î(â), r=r, s-ş). The new variant Cîrs-/Cîrş-/Hîrş-, was completed with the Slav suffix -ova. In the 16th century the toponym Hirşova/Hîrşova was already definite. (Bibliography- Constantin Nicolae, CARSIUM-HÂRŞOVA, note de toponimie, Pontica, 44, 2011, p. 183-195)

History
Hârşova is an old town with seven millennia. In the south-east of the town, on the Danube, is a neo-Neolithic settlement developed as a bump about. 12 m due to destruction and repainting the house of clay. Research here have identified a human community that dealt with hunting, fishing, farming and animal husbandry. Have been identified through research, trading with communities in more remote areas. Following periods are illustrated. On the hearth of the village there are several settlements of the Bronze and Iron. In ancient times, communities here have experienced the strongest growth. They have been in close contact with cities on the western coast of the Black Sea (Histria and Tomis, especially). Strongly marked Roman history people here. Most likely, in the second half of century AD was built in the Roman fortress known Carsium name (a toponym related aspect of Thracian origin rocky area, from which derives its name today, Slavicized, the village.

The point of view that the current name comes from words, hîrsîz-ova, which means ford thieves, is completely wrong and unrealistic in terms of topography. In Kadi documents during the Ottoman rule, city name is passed Harisova and German maps of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries we find the name Chirschowa, Hirsowe, Kersova and in the nineteenth century, Hirsowa. In the eighteenth century the famous traveler Evlia Celebi, which visited the city, specify the name comes from the expression, shaggy Leave geliyor,,! which means, comes the bear (scratch) of plain (plain). words which were spoken by the conquering sultan fortification. advocates used the city bear skins to frighten the Turks. When Sultan cried,,, Leave geliyor shaggy,,!, thus sealing its name.

City is destroyed in the Age of invasion and rebuilt many times. are certified during the reconstruction of emperors Constantine Great and Justinian IV-VI century AD From the second half of the seventh century, after the settlement south of the Danube Bulgarians break up contacts with the Eastern world. Only in the tenth century the Byzantines returned to the Danube and reconstruct old fortifications, among which that of the Carsium. It is possible that in the thirteenth century settlement has been under Genoese administration. In XIV century, while Mircea the Old, enter into the Romanian Country. Between fifteenth century and early nineteenth-century Ottoman fortress is. town sees a great flowering.

In 1651 Evlia Celebi is a description of it: have 1600 houses, mosque, bath, bazaar and was defended by a wall 3000 steps. Shortly before its destruction, the city is captured in a drawing after that are famous lithographs by A. von Saar in 1826. In the nineteenth century Transylvanian mocani coming here to build the modern city. The city center is situated on the Danube. around the port are built shops, warehouses, banks, and on the west hill, a school and a church as monumental. School housed a museum, the first regional museum of Dobrogea. During the first World War the city was burned completely. major damage has been done in World War II. era marked the beginning of the downfall of the communist regime city. From a center of grain trade, administrative and judicial center was rebuilt with a new identity. were closed court, prosecutor, Museum. economy has taken a craft nature. lack of resources, the city declined. Many residents have migrated to neighboring towns (Tulcea, Constanta, Slobozia).

In the last years of communism, all old buildings, the historic downtown, especially left in ruins were demolished and blocks were built. the neighborhood stood and where he built an industrial wire and cable undertaking that operates a shipyard partially rusted today. At 20 years after the collapse of the communist regime, and found the old town not destiny. Those dreams have taken place yet to make a strong industrial center, which is impossible in the absence of natural resources and adequate infrastructure. This is that the city emblem adopted in 1933, the cross and crescent were replaced with semiroata toothed, almost nonexistent symbol of an industry, and anchor, symbol port, but also of hope, in this case, quite by chance. Starting from experience of other similar settlements in Europe and the near space, should be put in the resources available: clay, very good for building materials, scale, historical monuments can be a basis for cultural tourism and sulphurous thermal waters upstream excellent rheumatic diseases. (C.Nicolae)

Demographics
At the 2011 census, Hârșova had 7,476 Romanians (84.47%), 6 Hungarians (0.07%), 490 Roma  (5.54%), 829 Turks (9.37%), 9 Tatars (0.10%), 27 Lipovans (0.31%), 4 others (0.05%), 9 with undeclared ethnicity (0.10%) .