Welcome!

1. My friend and I Welcome!

2. A quest for today

3. Go south-east Good, old Europe

4. Romania is a country located in southeastern Europe, North of the Balkan Peninsula, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea. Almost all of the Danube Delta is located within its territory. It shares a border with Hungary and Serbia to the west, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova to the northeast, and Bulgaria to the south. Romania has the 9th largest territory and the 7th largest population (with 22 million people) among the European Union member states. Its capital and largest city is Bucharest the 6th largest city in the EU with 1.9 million people. In 2007, Sibiu, a city in Transylvania, was chosen as a European Capital of Culture. Romania also joined NATO on March 29, 2004, and is also a member of the Latin Union, of the Francophonie and of OSCE. Go north-west

5. Satu Mare County is a county of Romania. The capital city is Satu Mare. Besides Romanians (58.8% of the population), Satu Mare features a significant ethnic minority of Hungarians (35.2%). In 2002, it had a population of 367,281 and the population density was 83/km². This county has a total area of 4,418 km². In the north there are the Oaş Mountains, members of the Eastern Carpathians group. This makes up around 17% of the surface. The balance consists of hills: 20% of the surface - and plains. The Western part of the county is the Eastern part of the Pannonian Plain. The county is crossed by the Someş River and also Tur River and Crasna River. The county lies partly in the historical region of Maramureş and partly in the historical region of Crişana. Go west!

6. Carei (Nagykároly) is a city in Satu Mare County, northwestern Romania, near the border with Hungary. It has 23,000 inhabitants (2004): 53% Hungarians, 40% Romanians, 3% Roma, and 3% Germans. The municipality contains two settlements: the city of Carei and the village of Ianculeşti. The neighbouring communities are Căpleni, Urziceni, Foieni, Sanislău, Petreşti, Tiream, Căuaş, and Moftin. The city of Carei was first mentioned in 1335 as being a borough of the Károlyi family. Located in Szatmár County in Hungary, it became part of the Kingdom of Romania in 1919/1920. Until 1940, Carei was in Sălaj County. It then reverted to Hungary for a short time during World War II. Carei was re-taken from Hungarian and German troops by the joint counteroffensive of Romanian and Soviet forces on October 25, 1944. This date has since become the Romanian Army Day. After the war ended, Carei, was returned to Romania by the Treaty of Paris of 1947.

7. A short sightseeing tour the castle

8. The foundation stone of the ornamented castle was laid by Karolyi Lancz Laszlo in 1482. King Matei Corvin gave him permission to build the house. After 115 years, in 1529, Karolyi Mihaly rebuilt the stone house to a fortified castle with trench and loop-holed bastion. In 1661, Karolyi Laszlo and Karolyi Adam fortified the castle with additional castle ditches and bastions. In 1790, Count Karolyi Jozsef, according to the plans of the court architect Bitthauser Jozsef, demolished the old building and built a baroque styled “Renaissance castle” with an English garden on some of the basement walls. Between 1894 and 1896, the old castle was rebuilt againt by Count Karolyi Istvan according to the plans of Meining Artur to an ornamented Baronial castle with towers and a high bastion. Nowadays, the building gives place to the library and the museum of the town.

9. Next... the dendrological park

10. The town park gained its present shape in 1890 when a fence made of brick and iron enclosed it. In 1982, considering the 12 ha of rare species of plants, the park was put under protection. There are 208 species of trees and bushes.

11. Then... the theatre

12. On the 5th of October 1907, the new theatre, built under the direction of Bede Antal according to the plans of Kopeczek Gyorgy, was opened with a gala performance. Since 1920, it was also used as a “moving pictures” theatre. In 1953, under the pretext of renovation, its secessionist shape was transformed into a “modern” one. Now it functions as a theatre building.

13. And... the Monument of the Romanian soldier

14. In the centre of the Liberation Square, there is a park with flowers and trees as well as the statuary created by Vida Geza, a sculptor from Baia Mare. The monument was unveiled in 1964

15. To... the “Vasile Lucaciu” Secondary School

16. We’re going to visit the rest of the town a little later. For now... Former Hungarian Civil State School, it became a Romanian State Gymnasium in 1919. On the 1st of September 1923, it becomes the “Vasile Lucaciu” High School, taking the name of the great patriot Vasile Lucaciu as an acknowledgement of his merits in affirming our national identity. The institution represented a real opportunity for all the children in the region with a view to their further education. Some of its graduates were to become outstanding personalities of the Romanian culture. In 1948, following the education reform imposed by the regime, the learning process is reorganized and it becomes a secondary co-ed school. On the 1st of September 1962, the “Vasile Lucaciu” High School becomes Secondary School No. 2, with both Romanian and Hungarian departments. In 1993, the school regains the name “Vasile Lucaciu”. Come in!

19. 12 secondary classes 8 Romanian 4 Hungarian 46 teachers 417 students 25 classrooms 8 Romanian 4 Hungarian 12 primary classes

20. Framework Plan Romanian no. of classes / week

21. Framework Plan Hungarian no. of classes / week

22. Sightseeing the school and... surroundings 3rd 4th 5th 2nd graders 6th 1st 7th 8th Lots of kids in their natural environment

23. The principal's office Spots to roam about... The festivity room C.D.I. The surgery The teachers' lounge The counsellor's office The IT room The sports hall

24. X-tras The arts studio partnerships Shows celebrations and many more... The school magazine trips

25. Thank you, dear friends, for travelling with us today. So long! Speaking of trips...