Arges

Arges County exists because Wallachia was born here. Curtea de Arges became the capital under Basarab I, who ruled c. 1310-1352 and secured independence by defeating Hungarian forces at the Battle of Posada in 1330 - the founding moment of the first Romanian principality. Earlier, this was Dacian territory: King Burebista's Argedava served as a political center on the Wallachian Plain. The Arges River flows from Moldoveanu Peak (2,544m, Romania's highest) through the county, and the 1966 Vidraru Dam created a 166-meter barrier - the fifth largest in Europe at completion - generating hydroelectric power through 42km of tunnels. Today Arges is one of Romania's most industrialized counties: Dacia Renault's car plant at Mioveni produces vehicles that have become Romania's top export. Pitesti, the county capital, hosts oil refineries and machinery production. ARO off-road vehicles were manufactured at Campulung until 2006. Salt mines near Apa Sarata operated from Roman times through the 12th century. Agriculture persists in the southern plains - vineyards, orchards, livestock. By 2026, automotive manufacturing and hydropower will continue defining Arges as an industrial powerhouse within an ancient political landscape.