Adrian Paunescu

Adrian Păunescu (20 July 1943 – 5 November 2010) was a Romanian poet, journalist, and politician. Though criticised for praising dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu,[1] Păunescu was called "Romania's most famous poet"in a Associated Press story, quoted by the New York Times.


Born in Copăceni, Bălţi County, in what is now the Republic of Moldova, Păunescu spent his childhood in Bârca, Dolj County. He did his secondary studies at Carol I High School in Craiova.
Păunescu studied philology at the University of Bucharest and became a writer and journalist. He was an influential public figure for Romanian youth throughout the 1970s and early 1980s.Though he was criticised for writing flattering poems about dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu, Păunescu remained popular in Romania, where he appeared on television several times a week.
As posthumously summarized by newspaper România Liberă, Păunescu "is still viewed as a hero by the man in the street" although "intellectuals continue to question his integrity and the literary value of his work".

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Posted in: Craiova,People

Sport - FC Universitatea Craiova

Fotbal Club Universitatea Craiova  is a Romanian professional football club from Craiova. They became the first Romanian football team to reach the semi-finals of a European tournament, during the UEFA Cup in 1982–83.

The football history in the city of Craiova began in the year 1921, when the first teams were founded; "Craiovan Craiova" and "Rovine Grivita Craiova".

In the year 1940, the two teams from Craiova merged, resulting in one of the most successful Romanian football teams in the Interwar period; “FC Craiova” , which was also the first team from the city of Craiova winning the Romanian championship in the season 1942–1943. However the title was not officialised by the Romanian Football Federation because of World War II.
Finally in 1948 “Universitatea Craiova” took life at the initiative of a group of students and professors, a team which latter would become one of the most popular and successful teams from Romania.

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Posted in: Craiova,Sport

Cities and History: CRAIOVA

Craiova, which occupied the site of the Dacian and Roman city Pelendava, was formerly the capital of Oltenia. One of the most important geto - dacian settlement of the Craiova aeria (Mofleni zone) was Pelendava, dating since the period 400 - 350 BC as the archaeological findings indicate. At the beginning of the second century AD, the Romans have built here a Roman camp, made from hard soil, afterwards made from rock and bricks (during the time of Hadrian, 117 - 138). Due to the favourabile geographical position, the protection of the Roman camp and the military garrison, the Roman Pelendava has known a thriving life. The settlement is mentioned in the Tabula Peutingeriana - a map of the Roman Empire, made at the request of the Roman emperor Caracalla. The year 225 (when this map was finished during Severus Alexander) is considered the first documentation mentioned of the oldest settlement from the nowadays city area.

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Posted in: Craiova,History