Travel Guide Gheorgheni

This former forestry center of 16,000 inhabitants, situated at the foot of the Gurghiu and Hășmaș mountains, doesn't have much to offer the visitor. But as the main town in the north of Harghita county, Gheorgheni (in Hungarian Gyergyószentmiklós) is a good starting point for exploring the region - Lake Rouge, Borsec or Toplița - and a must-see on the way to Moldavia, via the superb Bicaz Gorge road. It's also an opportunity to discover Romania's Hungarian community, since Magyars make up almost 90% of the population here. Since the 17th century, Gheorgheni has also been home to a large Armenian merchant community. The Baroque Armenian church (strada Biserica Armeană), built in the 18th century, bears witness to this period. It is surrounded by a city wall. The town is organized around piața Libertății, a triangular-shaped square surrounded by some fine buildings. From here, the pedestrian Miron Cristea street leads off, concentrating shops and entertainment.