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BRAILA
City Landmarks
Museums
Nearby Attractions
Day Trips
City Essentials
Transportation
Accommodations
Tourist info
Maps
Location: Eastern Romania (County: Braila)
Size: 12.8 sq miles (33.2 sq km)
Elevation: 65 ft. (20 meters)
Population: 210,400
Inhabited since: 4th century BC
First documented: 1300s
CITY HIGHLIGHTS
The settlement of Braila, located on the banks
of the Danube River, was first mentioned in
several Catalan portolan charts around the
year 1325/1339 and in the 1350 Spanish Libro
de conoscimiento {Book of knowledge} with
the name of Drinago. In Greek documents the
town was referred to as Proilabum or Proilava,
an adaptation of its Slavic name, Brailov.
From 1538–1540 until 1829 the town and its
surroundings were controlled by the Ottoman
Empire, who changed its name into Ibraila.
During the 19th century, the town became one of the three most important ports on the Danube River in the region of Walachia, the other two being Turnu Magurele and Giurgiu. Most of the goods exported from Romania where loaded and shipped from here.
Braila’s Old Town, severely damaged during the Russo-Turkish war of 1828-1829 and rebuilt in the 1830s, retains some of its 19th century grandeur when the city’s investors made fortunes in the shipping business and built elegant villas, some of which have been fully restored.
Johnny Raducanu, Romania’s very own Louis Armstrong, founder of the Romanian Jazz School, was born in Braila in 1931.
Braila features one of Romania’s oldest electrical tramlines. Launched at the end of the 19th century the system is still in use.
The Old Town, spread around Traian Square (Piata Traian), features several points of interest: the Romanian Orthodox Church (Sf. Mihail si Gravril), which served as mosque during the Ottoman rule; the Greek Church built between 1862 and 1872, displaying frescoes painted in 1890 by Romanian artist Gheorghe Tattarescu; the 1865 St. Nicholas Church (Biserica Sf. Nicolae), the 19th century Maria Filotti Theatre - named after the Romanian actress, Maria Filotti (1883-1956), the Braila County Museum, and the historical Water Tower.
For a view of the nearby Macin Mountains, stroll through Braila’s public park, located above the bank of the Danube River.
Museums
Braila County Museum (Muzeul Judetean Braila)
Address: Piata Traian 3
Telephone: (339) 401.002
Email: sediu@MuzeulBrailei.ro
http://www.muzeulbrailei.ro/eng/first_page_eng.htm
Open:
Wed – Sun. 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (May – September)
Wed – Sun. 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (October – April)
Closed Mon. & Tue.
Admission charge
Located in the former French Hotel (Hotelul Francez), an elegant two-story building dating back to 1855, the museum features an Archeology section focusing on local Neolithic and Bronze Age sites, a History section with numerous furniture and traditional objects displays, an Art section, as well as an Ethnographic and Folk Art section. A valuable collection of sepia photos provide an interesting foray into the history of Braila during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Nearby Attractions
Macin Mountains National Park
Where: 15 miles (25 km) east of Braila
Access: car (on DN22 D)
www.parcmacin.ro/en/
400 million years ago, this mountain range stretched all the way to Western Europe. Its traces can still be found in Bohemia and the French Central Massif. Today, Tutuiatu Peak, the highest peak of the oldest mountain range in Romania, reaches just 1,495 ft.
Sarica Niculitel Vineyards & Niculitel Basilica
Where: 30 miles (50 km) west of Tulcea
Access: car, bus
Address: Str. Viticultori 2, Macin
Telephone: (240) 573.368
Email: office@curtearegala.ro
www.alcovin.ro
The town of Niculitel is well known for its vineyards, but also for a Christian basilica built in 370 AD during the reign of Emperor Valerius. In 1971, a violent storm washed away the ground concealing the church, revealing a unique monument, a crypt housing the bones of four Christian martyrs (Zotikos, Attalos, Kamasis and Phillipos). The four coffins can now be seen at Cocos Monastery.
Day Trips
The city of Tulcea
Exploring the Danube Delta
Location: 48 miles (80 km) east of Braila
Access: car or bus to Tulcea and then ferryboat
www.RomaniaTourism.com/Danube-Delta.html
The Danube Delta is comprised of an intricate network of waterways and lakes divided between the three main estuary channels of the Danube. The area of floating reed islands, forests, pastures and sand dunes covers 3,000 square miles and is home to a vast array of wildlife. Located at the tip of the three channels, Tulcea makes a great starting point for exploring the Delta.
City Essentials
Transportation
- By air
- By bus
- By car
- By train
- Public Transportation
- Taxi Comanies
By air
Braila does not have a local airport. The closest airports are located in:
Bucharest Otopeni - Henri Coanda (OTP)
- www.otp-airport.ro / 137 miles away
Bucharest Baneasa – Aurel Vlaicu (BBU)
- www.baneasa-airport.ro / 137 miles away
By bus
Braila Bus Stations (Autogari)
www.autogari.ro/Braila/?sbd=Braila&lang=UK
Daily domestic bus service from/to:
Bucharest, Bacau, Barlad, Brasov, Buzau, Constanta, Dorohoi, Fetesti, Galati, Iasi, Macin,
Mangalia, Medgidia, Piatra Neamt
Roman, Sibiu, Suceava, Tulcea, Vama Veche
For a complete list please visit:
www.autogari.ro/Braila/?sbd=Braila&lang=UK
By car
The recommended route from Bucharest to Braila is:
Bucharest – Urziceni – Buzau – Faurei - Braila (E85 – DN 2B)
Distance: 137 miles (229 km)
Approximate travel time: 3 hours
| Travel distances from Braila to: | |
|---|---|
| City | Distance (Miles) / (Km) |
| Bucharest | 137 mi / 229 km |
| Arad | 402 mi / 671 km |
| Baia Mare | 350 mi / 583 km |
| Brasov | 149 mi / 248 km |
| Constanta | 123 mi / 205 km |
| Iasi | 160 mi / 266 km |
| Oradea | 401 mi / 669 km |
| Satu Mare | 378 mi / 630 km |
| Sibiu | 235 mi / 392 km |
| Sighetu Marmatiei | 322 mi / 537 km |
| Sighisoara | 219 mi / 365 km |
| Suceava | 202 mi / 338 km |
| Timisoara | 400 mi / 667 km |
| Tulcea | 48 mi / 80 km |
By train
Braila Train Station (Gara Braila)
Trains from/to European cities run via Bucharest.
For a list of international trains with service to/from Romania please visit: www.RomaniaTourism.com/Transportation.html#ByTrain
There are daily direct trains connecting Braila with:
Bucharest (journey time: 3 ½ hours)
Buzau (journey time: 2 hours)
Constanta (journey time: 3 ½ hours)
Galati (journey time: 3/4 hours)
For train service from/to other cities you will have to change trains in Bucharest. There is no direct train service between Braila and Tulcea.
To check the latest train schedules for domestic routes please visit the website of the Romanian Railways: www.cfrcalatori.ro
The site has complete information about domestic train schedules and fares.
Note: For departures from/to Bucharest please select Bucuresti Nord.
SNCFR's advance booking office (Agentia de Voiaj SNCFR Cluj-Napoca)
Address: Str. Independentei, Bloc B1, 1st Floor
Telephone: (239) 611.168
You can get train schedule information and make reservations up to 24 hours in advance at this office. Tickets for same-day travel can only be purchased at the station.
Public Transportation
Braila's public bus system is servicing most of the city.
Taxi companies
Taxi As - (239) 683.333
Taxi 949 - (239) 949
Taxi Dan '95 - (239) 611.111
Univip Taxi - (239) 619.100
- Accommodation
- Tourist Info
- Maps
Accommodation
For a list of available accommodations please check our
Accommodations Guide.
Tourist Info
Weather
Braila Weather Forecast:
http://www.foreca.com/Romania/Braila
Postal services & Telephone
Main Post Office
Address: Str. Danubiului 8
Telephone: (239) 672.222
Open: Mon. – Fri. 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.; Sat. 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.; Closed Sun.
Note: Post offices display a postal horn symbol and the word Posta.
Telephoning Braila from Abroad
International Access Code (011 for US and Canada) + 40 (country code) + 239 or 339 (area code) + telephone number (six digit number)
Pharmacies & Hospitals
There are several pharmacies (farmacie) open 24 hours a day in the city.
Emergency Hospital (Spitalul Judetean de Urgenta Braila)
Address: Soseaua Buzaului 2
Telephone: (239) 692.222
| Braila — Useful Telephone Numbers | |
|---|---|
| Braila Area Code (Prefix) | (239)or (339) |
| Local & County Archives (Arhivele judetene) Address: Str. Plevnei 8 bis, Braila 810111 |
(239) 613.147 |
| City Hall (Primaria) Address: Piata Independentei 1 |
(239) 694.850 |
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