Arad (Romanian pronunciation: [aˈrad] ( listen); German and Hungarian: Arad) is the capital city of Arad

County, situated in the regions of Crișana and Banat,[3] both of which are sometimes considered
parts of Transylvania. It is the third largest city in Western Romania, behind Timișoara and Oradea,
and the 12th largest in Romania, with a population of 159,704.
A busy transportation hub on the Mureș River and an important cultural and industrial center, Arad
has hosted one of the first music conservatories in Europe,[4][5] one of the earliest normal schools in
Europe,[6] and the first car factory in Hungary and present-day Romania.[7] Today, it is the seat of
a Romanian Orthodox archbishop and features a Romanian Orthodox theological seminary and two
universities.
The city's multicultural heritage is owed to the fact that it has been part of the Kingdom of Hungary,
the Eastern Hungarian Kingdom, the Ottoman Temeşvar Eyalet, Principality of Transylvania, Austro-
Hungarian Empire, and since 1920 Romania, having had significant populations
of Hungarians, Germans, Jews, Serbs, Bulgarians[8] and Roma[9] at various points in its history.
During the second half of the 19th century and the beginning on the 20th century, the city has
experienced rapid development. The most impressive displays of architecture that are still the
popular sights of Arad today, such as the neoclassical Ioan Slavici Theater,
the eclectic Administrative Palace and the neogothic Red Church, have been built in this period.
The evidence of Pre-Indo-European civilisation occurs with the establishment of the first settlement
on the northern bank of the Mureş River in the 5th millennium BC, and the extension of the human
settlements on the left bank of the Mureş River occurs in the 4th millennium BC. In the 3rd
millennium BC prosperous settlements appear on both banks and on the islands of the Mureş River
belonging to an Indo-European civilisation, which peaked around 1000 BC. Excavations made for
the foundations of the Astoria Hotel found a human skeleton from the Bronze Age.[10]
The first Dacian settlements appear in the 1st millennium BC. In the 5th century a group
of Scythians settled in the region but were assimilated by the Dacians. And between the 4th and 3rd
centuries, the Celts settled on both banks of the Mureş River, in the vicinity of the existing
settlements. The coexistence of the Celts lasted about two centuries and ended with their
assimilation by the more numerous Dacians.
The Dacian settlement in the south of the Micălaca district was conquered by the Roman troops
between 101 and 102. During the Second Dacian War (105-106), the Emperor Trajan conquered
territories north of Mureş River, making them part of the Roman Dacia. In the Aradul Nou area, the
Roman army built the fort Castra of Aradul Nou that housed the legion Legio IV Flavia Felix. During
the period between the 2nd and 4th centuries Dacian and Sarmatian settlements were present in the
area of today's city, with intense commercial relations with the Roman Empire.
In the 10th century the Hungarians began their expansion in Transylvania, one of the main access
routes being the valley of Mureş. Ruler Glad, under the threat of the Hungarian expansion, built a
fortress at Vladimirescu-Schanzen, which the Hungarians conquered and destroyed in the middle of
the tenth century. Another ruler, Achtum, rebuilt it but the Hungarians destroyed it again in 1028.
Arad was first mentioned in documents in the 11th century. The Mongol invasion of the Kingdom of
Hungary in 1241 showed the importance of the fortifications on this place, to which were added in
the second half of the 13th century more stone fortresses at Șoimoș, Șiria, and Dezna. The Ottoman
Empire conquered the region from Hungary in 1551 and kept it until the Peace of Karlowitz of 1699.
Arad became an eyalet center, which comprised the sanjaks of Arad, Lugoj,
Kacaș, Beşlek and Yanova from 1660 till 1697, when it was captured by Austrians (Serbian
Militia under command of Subota Jović) during Ottoman-Habsburg wars (1683–1699). After 1699,
the city was ruled by the Habsburg Monarchy. At the beginning of the 18th century, Arad became the
center of the Eastern Orthodox Eparchy of Arad. According to 1720 data, the population of the city
was composed of 177 Romanian families, 162 Serbian, and 35 Hungarian.[11]
The first Jew allowed to settle inside the city was Isac Elias in 1717.[12] Eventually the Jewish
population of Arad numbered over 10,000 people, more than 10% of the population, before
the Second World War.[13]
The new fortress was built between 1763 and 1783. Although it was small, it proved formidable
having played a great role in the Hungarian struggle for independence in 1849. The city possesses a
museum containing relics of this war of independence.[14]
Courageously defended by the Austrian general Berger until the end of July 1849, it was captured by
the Hungarian rebels, who made it their headquarters during the latter part of the Hungarian
Revolution of 1848. It was from Arad that Lajos Kossuth issued his famous proclamation (11 August
1849), and where he handed over the supreme military and civil power to Artúr Görgey.[14]
The fortress was recaptured shortly after the surrender at Világos (now Șiria, Romania), with the
surrender of general Artúr Görgey to the Russians. It became an ammunition depot. Thirteen rebel
generals were executed there on 6 October 1849, by order of the Austrian general Julius Jacob von
Haynau. These men are known collectively as the 13 Martyrs of Arad, and since then Arad is
considered the "Hungarian Golgotha". One of the public squares contains a martyrs' monument,
erected in their memory. It consists of a colossal figure of Hungary, with four allegorical groups, and
medallions of the executed generals.[14]
Arad enjoyed great economic development in the 19th century. In 1834 it was declared a "free royal
town" by Emperor Francis I of Austria.
Aradu Nou / Neu Arad / Újarad ("New Arad"), situated on the opposite bank of the Mureș river, is a
neighborhood of Arad, to which it is connected by the Trajan bridge. It was founded during the
Turkish wars of the 17th century. The works erected by the Turks for the capture of the fortress of
Arad formed the nucleus of the new settlement.[14]
In 1910, the town had 63,166 inhabitants: 46,085 (73%) Hungarians, 10,279 (16.2%) Romanians,
4,365 (7%) Germans.[15]