Transylvania | Classification

Short introduction

Transylvania is a region without an administrative status, vaguely defined by geographical coordinates. Transylvania World classifies Transylvania into three regions: Central Transylvania, Political Transylvania and Transylvania World.

Classification of Transylvania by geographical areas

Current day Transylvania is an area without an administrative status, at the same time not being precisely defined by geographical coordinates. Taking into account the definition and etymology of this area – developed by the Transylvania World association – in agreement with Romania’s ethnography, etymology and anthropology, we classify Transylvania on three geographical expansion levels: Central Transylvania, Political Transylvania and Transylvania World.

Transylvania’s geographical-historical outline, developed by Transylvania World association, has nothing to do with the different definitions and political-historical concepts which are not generally accepted by the historical and political environment. Transylvania World’s definition greets the online international medium, especially the ones interested in the touristic and economic aspects, our purpose being a vast unified abroad promotion of Romania’s potential.

Central Transylvania

Central Transylvania map

Central inner Carpathian Transylvania represents the geographical area inside of the Carpathian arc and it complies with the etymological Latin segment “trans-silvam”, meaning “beyond the forest” in Romanian. By “forest” we understand the Carpathian Mountains and the Sub-Carpathian areas within the Carpathian arc.

Political Transylvania

Political Transylvania map

Political Transylvania (which contained different geographic areas according to the political situation of the former Romanian countries and became an integral part of Romania, without administrative status, since December 1, 1918) includes Central Inner Transylvania and the hills and mountains areas from Western Romania up to the official Romanian border with Hungary. Transylvania World association does not involve in quarrels and does not want to win a dispute concerning the historical concepts which have been generating political debates regarding this territory.  We are only interested in promoting the touristic and regional economic potential within Transylvania World.

Transylvania World

Transylvania World map

Transylvania World matches both senses of the Latin etymological segment “trans-silvam, meaning “to cross from one point to the other” and “beyond the forest”. We refer to this territory as Central Transylvanian area, Political Transylvanian area and the entire space made up of the Outer Eastern Carpathians and Southern Carpathians, dominated by forests, where one can feel the traditional Transylvanian influence merging with the local traditions beyond the mountains.

Based on the etymology of the term “Transylvania”, Transylvania World Association considers and outlines the Transylvanian geographical territory as being the one correspondent to Transylvania World, when not specifying “Central” or “Political” Transylvania.

 

Note: The Transylvania World concepts are an essential part of the association brand and their usage has to quote the source and reference this website.

Discover Transylvania on our website www.TransylvaniaOfficial.com

Other concepts

    Overview

  • Overview of the definitions and concepts developed by Transylvania World Association and the key points of our research.
  • Official concepts

  • Transylvania (Definition, etymology, geography, history and its present state)
  • Carpathian Mountains (Definition, setting, the connections between legends and reality)
  • Cucuteni Civilization (Definition, geography, facts about the oldest civilization of Europe)
  • Ancient Dacians (About the ancient Dacian people, predecessors of the Romanians)
  • Vlad the Impaler (Also known as "Vlad Draculea" or "Vlad Dracula", one of the most important European leaders who stopped the islamic takeover of Europe in the Middle Ages)
  • The traditional Transylvanian village (definition and overview)
  • Household in Transylvania (About the traditional transylvanian households)
  • Mithological concepts

  • Dacian mythology (Mythology spawned on today's territory of Transylvania, where the Dacians lived, the ancestors of today's Romanians)
  • Werewolf (Incorrectly promoted as a negative character, the concept has generated from the Dacian mithology)
  • Vampire (Definition and concept; global promotion because of the Transylvanian traditions)
  • Dracula (The fantastic character also known as "Count Dracula" or "The vampire Dracula", inspired by the transylvanian traditions and the real historical character Vlad the Impaler)

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© Transylvania World Association | 2023