Cisnădie

Town of Cisnădie/Heltau/Nagydisznód
Population: 14,426(census 2011)

.Cisnădie was mentioned for the first time in a document from the year 1204 under the name "Rivetel". In the 12th century Saxon colonists settled here, and in 1323 the German name Heltau is mentioned. The town flourished, particularly the guilds of blacksmiths and wool weavers (weaving remained the traditional occupation of the town population until the 20th century, when large textile factories were built).

Cisnădie shared most of Transylvania's eventful history. The town suffered several raids, starting with the 1241 raid of the Mongols and continuing with Ottoman attacks. The plague did not spare the town, neither did the fire nor political agitations. In 1806 under Emperor Franz of Austria, Cisnădie/Heltau renewed its market rights, proving prosperity.

The two World Wars demanded their tribute, and in 1945 large parts of the German population has been deported to the Soviet Union (see also Expulsion of Germans from Romania after World War II).

In 1948 all factories were nationalized and run under the Communist regime. Along with its fall, most of the factories collapsed, but in the last years the economic situation has been ameliorating.