Scorniceşti

Infobox Settlement
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = ROU
timezone=EET
utc_offset=+2
timezone_DST=EEST
utc_offset_DST=+3
map_caption = Location of Scorniceşti

|official_name=Scorniceşti


image_shield=
subdivision_type1=County
subdivision_name1=Olt County
subdivision_type2=Status
subdivision_name2=Autolink|Town
settlement_type=Town|
leader_title=Mayor
leader_name=Constantin Nedelea
leader_party=Social Democratic Party
|area_total_km2=168.77
population_as_of=2002
population_total=12802Coor dms|44|34|12|N|24|33|0|E|type:city
website=http://www.primariascornicesti.ro/

Scorniceşti is a town in Olt County, Romania with a population of 12,802. The town is divided into 13 villages and has a total area of 170 km², being the locality with the largest area in the county of Olt, surpassing even its capital Slatina.

Scorniceşti was the birthplace of communist leader Nicolae Ceauşescu, who lived here until the age of 11, when he left for Bucharest to become a shoemaker. During his dictatorship, Ceauşescu wanted to make Scorniceşti a "model town" to house the newly-created "Socialist Man". So, in 1988, he began his plan by demolishing the traditional village houses and replacing them with apartment buildings, and changed the status of the place from "village" to "city" (however, the bulldozers did not destroy the leader's birthhome, which is now one of the local attractions).

Ceauşescu also built a large stadium (with a capacity of 30,000 spectators) for the local football team, FC Olt, which, with the help of the Ceauşescus, was promoted to Divizia A. Nowadays, the team plays in Divizia C.

Dinel Staicu, a Romanian millionaire, announced that he is building a museum in Scorniceşti dedicated to Ceauşescu.

References

*ro icon Florian Bichir, [http://www.evzvest.ro/article.php?artid=143890 "Scorniceşti, oaza de capitalism"] , "Evenimentul Zilei", 25 January 2004
*ro icon Alex Nedea, Catalin Pruteanu, [http://www.jurnalul.ro/articol.php?id=2469 "Scorniceşti, again a village"] , "Jurnalul Naţional", 21 July 2005