When I was a child, during the geography classes, they told us that the center of the country is in Agnita. Well, it is not exactly there but near Dealu Frumos, and since I was in the area, I had to have a look… There is a debate now and it appears that this center is the “old” one – as some math has been done (and hopefully some satellite measurements) – and now the “new” center is somewhere near the town of Făgăraș, but I tend to create romantic connections with the past, not being interested by what is “scientifically accurate”, but by what used to be “the good old center”… Then, it appears that the “new one” falls in a cultivated field, unmarked by anything… and inaccessible. So… here it is: The Center! You don’t see anything remarkable? Well, I had to use the GPS, ’cause I didn’t see anything remarkable either… So, there are 3 elements… or things… reunited in the same place…

The first element is this banner, in a relatively poor shape, on which it writes in Romanian: “100 de ani de când aici este centrul țării“. Google translates as “100 years since the center of the country has been here”, but a better translation is “100 years since the center of the country is here”, referring to the fact that Romania, as we know it nowadays, was 100 years old when the banner was put there on that hill. Actually, Romania of today (Wallachia, Moldavia and Transylvania) exists in this shape since 1918, so 100 years later we celebrated the centenary and the banner was made and planted there. Before, Romania was only Wallachia and Moldavia, while Transylvania was part of Austro-Hungary. It is also interesting to note that in 1918, when the Great Union happened (in Romanian, Marea Unire), what is now the Republic of Moldavia (or Bessarabia, as we call it), Northern Bukovina (now part of Ukraine) and Southern Dobruja (or the Quadrilateral, now part of Bulgaria) were also parts of Romania (affectionately called by many The Greater Romania), a situation that lasted until 1940, when those territories have been lost and Romania took the shape we know today.

The second element is a monument, with the distinctive Austro-Hungarian eagle on its top. It is somehow surprising that it escaped the rampant historical delusions & hallucinations, as it is from 1858 and the text is written in the German language. It says that, during the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph, that road has been opened for the public transport by the united forces of the communities of Sibiu, Nocrich, Agnita and Cincu. In other words, a piece of history, in the middle of nowhere…

And here is a detail of the third element. It is incredibly rusted and I couldn’t stop myself thinking how much money could be spent on a new banner, given the amounts that are stolen circulating in the country. I mean, there is a guesthouse in the area (visible in the first photo) and you show to the people ‘this‘ banner? I guess it speaks a lot about the inhabitants of these lands (and about the administration, as everyone justly expects from the elected administration to do something). I believe that… if you show yourself to the world in this way… this chiefly means lack of respect for yourself… And then, how do you want to be respected by someone else, a foreigner for instance?!? Despite the rust, I can still read: “Călătorule! Nu uita, tocmai ai trecut prin centrul țării.” In English, “Traveler! Don’t forget, you just passed through the center of the country.” Well… been there!