Catane Township

Overview:

The township of Catane with a population of 2024, is composed of two villages: Catane (residence) and Catane Noi, being located in the Danube plain, has the following neighbourhoods: to the north the village of Covei, to the south the Danube River, to the east the township of Bistreţ, to the west of the township of Negoi. The relief of the township is plain. The total area is 4659 ha. The largest share is the plain relief form (95% of the total area and the remaining 5% being forests and others). The township is crossed by DN 55 A which passes through the village of Catane and by the County Road 551 A which passes through the village of Catane Noi. The connection to the nearest railway is at a distance of 12 km from the township in Boureni. The nearest cities are Băileşti, Calafat, Segarcea and Craiova. Main water courses: Bălăşan and Strâmba streams.

Contact details:

Phone number: 0251-319662

www.primaria-catane.ro

Brief history:

The history of Catane is lost in the mists of time. The village of Catane was originally called Strâmba, a name taken from Strâmba pond, which was on its southern side and which in 1900 stretched over 50 ha. Also from this pond took its name Strâmba Estate (Strâmbele), which was from ancient times the royal estate (from Radu IV the Great - year 1499, given in the possession of Govora Monastery in Vâlcea county), and which appears in the archives of the reign of Radu Voivode in 1535 as “the settlement over Jiu, which is called Strâmbele, all of it, and with the ponds and with the backwater and the corners all, and the pond and backwater, and in the plains, and Dumbrava Nisipului, and up to the border of Călugăreni and from here to the border of the Hristeani”.

Identification data:

The town hall of Catane township is located on DN 55 A, Str. Principală, no. 208 (Postcode: 207431), Catane township, Dolj County.

Points of interest:

The Church „St. Nicholas” dates back to 1843 and was built by Biv Vel Serdar Nicolae Iota. The first known church in the village was located in a “hut with edge”, while the construction we see today was completed. The church was built by the serdar (middle-ranking nobleman, captain of the horsemen) Nicolae Iota (from his name comes its patron saint), a former tenant on Strâmba estate, for 30 years, dedicated to Govora Monastery. The construction began in 1842 and was finished the following year, being inaugurated (opened) by Serdar Casandra, wife of Nicolae Ioţa (who died that year). In 1884 the church was floored with planks and garments were bought. At the urging of some church hierarchies, in 1904 it was decided to rebuild and radically restore the church, which had been deteriorated, but also because the population had increased and became unwieldy. Reconstruction was completed in 1906. Two towers were added, one large in the centre/middle and one in front next to an older one.

Old School: In 1859, the school became a public one. It started from 5 students in 1859, reaching 150 in 1908 school year, of which 136 were boys and 14 were girls. The first school was the earthen hut where the church was. The next school was located in the Town Hall, across the street from the church, where it is now the Pharmacy (formerly “Council” or “Council House”). After two moves to private houses, in 1890 the school was built, with grades I-IV, across the street from the current Town Hall, at first with a single classroom, with 14 “non-systematic” (non-identical) wooden benches. Later, after 1908, a classroom was built and, next door, the “class master”, used in the years after 1950 as a kindergarten. In 1913, a new school with 2 classes and chancellery was built, which was demolished after 1989.

Old Town Hall: The first Town Hall in Catane was a house, covered with cane, somewhere east of today’s pharmacy place across the street from the church. Then, in its place was built a house covered with planks, which functioned as a town hall but also as a school (houses of council). In 1907, the town hall (later People’s Council) was built on the site of today’s pharmacy. The old town hall (where the pharmacy now is located) was built in 1907, with 4,000 lei borrowed from the estate owner Ion Mitrănescu, at the persistence of the former mayor Stan Tuțescu.

Heroes Monument: Next to the church is the monument built in honour of the villagers, 71 in number, who perished in the First World War (1916-1919) giving their lives, as shown on its base, “for the wholeness of the nation”. Its price was borne by the village and was sanctified in 1924. It was a gesture of gratitude and respect for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to the country, which was not repeated after the Second World War.

Other information:

Personalities:

Jean Pădureanu was a Romanian football player who played for Craiova University and Gloria Bistriţa. Although he was born in Băileşti, the first part of his childhood was spent in Catane, his father being mayor and then president of CAP.

Local events:

Township’s Day is celebrated on 21st of May.
The communal fair is held on Tuesdays.

Images Gallery:

en_US