Entered by City of Reșița

Reșița, a city of 60,000 people in western Romania, is one of the oldest industrial centres in Eastern Europe, with an identity forged in fire, steel, and hard work. Since 1771, when the first blast furnace was lit, Reșița shaped generations of workers and produced milestones such as Romania’s first steam engine and first locomotive.

After the fall of communism, the collapse of heavy industry triggered severe restructuring and dramatic demographic decline: the city lost 40% of its population in three decades. Once the proud “fortress of fire,” Reșița became an “abandoned factory town,” scarred by unemployment, depopulation, and a collective loss of confidence.