Photo source: Radio Romania Regional From classical to contemporary art, from music to theatre and cinema, from painting to sculpture and photography, Romania offers a broad artistic scene that can satisfy any art lover. The stripes stand for Moldova and Walachia, which joined to form Romania in 1859. Discover the Beauty and Mystery of Romania's Castles They, too, dress in more traditional and colorful garb. You can also explore Romania's region of Transylvania, with legends and 132,403,749 stock photos online. Romanian culture sets itself apart from others in the Eastern European region just as it shares some elements with them. You'll get ideas for souvenirs you might find when you visit Romania and learn about other aspects of Romania that you'll encounter on your visit. Traditional patriarchal roles have been disrupted by the years spent under the communist rule, as well as by the economic situation which obliges women to also contribute to the family budget. Stairs in Târgu-Mureș depicting various Romanian personalities. Visiting Italy in May?

Despite popular culture's fantasy images of Dracula, this bloodthirsty leader was a real person. It’s just part of the Romanian culture 8. In 2004, Chad asked the United Nations to look at the issue, but the president of Romania responded that no changes would be made. Throughout the project, several of the city’s steps were painted with Romanian traditional motifs or with the faces of famous Romanian people, such as Constantin Brâncuși, George Enescu or Liviu Rebreanu. Martisor amulets may be nothing but twisted or woven threads, but often a small medallion or coin is attached, giving the amulet individual character. The oldest preserved Romanian glass dates back to the Roman Empire.  Currently, there is a renewed passion for creating art in blown glass and several contemporary Romanian glass artists enjoy world renown.  Most of the professional glass artists are clustered in the northeast, near Botosani.  Glass artisans are also employed in factories located in Avrig, Turda and Buzau, turning out molded, hand-carved and hand-blown pieces, many of which are museum quality.Works of Brancusi are in various locales, but one of the finest collections is in the city of Targu Jiu, in Oltenia province on the southern border of the Carpathian Mountains.  "The Endless Column" Nearby Horezu is a major center for ceramics, wood carving and iron forging and the Horezu Museum of Art showcases some of the best work  of past and contemporary artists.Romania has a great diversity of museums preserving every facet of its history and arts. The fortified monastery of Putna, also in the Bucovina region, is a popular stop. The scenic monastery complex, built in the 1400s, includes a tower gate, a bell tower, chapel, museum, turret, and the surrounding fortified wall. This tradition welcomes springtime and is similar to Bulgaria's Martenitsa holiday. The days leading up to Easter are also important and are marked by traditions similar to those throughout the Christian world. As in most parts of the world, full-time artists and artisans are drawn together, tending to form communities throughout the country, where locales are aesthetically inspiring and economically viable.  Bucharest and a few of the larger towns boast a few galleries showcasing work from such artist communities, but most don't have galleries.  A few examples of local artists' and artisans' work are shown and sold in town museums, but most is sold in street markets adjoining major attractions.  Sellers usually are also the makers and many speak English.  A conversation with them can reveal fascinating facets of Romanian culture.  Craft which are most popular include:Romanian pottery is still made mainly on traditional kick-wheels with simple finishing tools.  Shapes, sizes and patterns reflect the different clays and cultures of diverse areas where are produced.  Color glazes and decorations vary from strong geometrics, to delicate florals, animals and humans.  There are approximately 30 pottery centers throughout the country, each with its own distinctive style, but the main areas are in Horezu in Oltenia;  Miercurea-Ciuc and Corund in western Transylvania; Baia Mare near the northern border, and Radauti and Marginea in Moldavia.At the edge of the street market adjacent to Bran Castle is a peasant cottage with a window behind which an old woman sits at her loom weaving and watching the passing scene.  She'll invite interested visitors into her home, where her English-speaking daughter will explain that she's 74 years old and has been weaving since she was seven.  She still weaves with thread she spins herself from sheep her family keeps in their tiny enclosed courtyard.  On view in her tiny weaving room, which is also her bedroom, is a selection of magnificent throws and spreads that she has woven.  Not for sale, they're priceless examples of this enduring way of life.Textile weaving is the most widespread craft in Romania, handed down from generation to generation, using distinctive family patterns along with those specific to different districts.  Looms still are common in homes and women weave and embroider from childhood through old age.  The predominant fibers, wool and cotton are woven into rugs, wall hangings, table covers and clothing.  Some Romanian weavers and embroiderers still work with threads and yarns they produce themselves, but younger weavers tend to purchase their raw materials.  They weave and embroider just about every cloth article used in their homes, from colorful linen and cotton towels to window draperies, bedspreads, rugs, wall hangings, furniture throws and clothing.  In a village near Sibiu, part of a bride's dowry is still a Masks are linked to folk festivals held predominantly in Maramures and Moldavia.  Typically made from the hides of sheep, goats or cows, the masks are adorned with fabric, hats, pompoms, metallic bits, feathers, beans, straw and animal horns to represent bears and goats, they're traditionally worn to welcome in the New Year during a couple weeks in December and early January.

For dessert, Romanians enjoy a traditional fluffy cake called cozonac. They can also take the form of a blossom, shell, ladybug, heart, or any other shape the maker chooses. The act of going through the village, or from house to house, singing carols dates to pre-Christian times.