Moneasa

Moneasa
—  Commune  —
Moneasa
Coordinates: 46°27′N 22°15′E / 46.45°N 22.25°E / 46.45; 22.25
Country	Romania
County	Arad County
Population (2002)[1]	1,056
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
- Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)

Moneasa (Hungarian: Menyháza) is a commune in Arad County, Romania, is situated at the foot of Codru-Moma Mountains. Its administrative surface stretches over 6824 hectares and it is composed of two villages, Moneasa (situated at 102 km from Arad) and Rănuşa.

Population

According to the 2002 census, the population of the commune counts 1056 inhabitants, out of which 97.7% are Romanians, 1.7% are Hungarians and 0.6% are of other or undeclared nationalities.

History

Traces of inhabitance on this area dating back to the paleolithic and neolithic have been found in the caverns called "Hoanca" and "Izoi".

The first documentary record of Moneasa dates back to 1597, while Rănuşa was first mentioned in 1556.

Economy

Moneasa is one of the county's communes that have a high economic potential. The exploitation of black and red marble, the springs of mineral waters with bicarbonate - calcic, sodic, oligomineral and semi-thermal, valorizated already in 1866, lumbering and conversion of timber, as well as the exploitation of other touristic resources are the maintainers of the local economy.

Tourism

The commune's primary touristic place is the Moneasa health resort. It is working all year round and it is recommended for treatment of different diseases, mainly rheumatic ones, as well as digestive and gynaecological troubles.

The cavern named "Valea Morii", a natural reservation of national interest, along with the one called "Liliecilor", the water fall "Boroaia", the "Momuţa" peak and the ruins of the blast furnace are the top sights of the commune.

References

1. ^ Romanian census data, 2002; retrieved on March 1, 2010

• România ghid turistic-Ed Sport-turism 1983
• Râurile României-Bucureşti 1971

Coordinates: 46°27′00″N 22°15′00″E / 46.450°N 22.250°E / 46.450; 22.250