Mures
Szekely cultural heartland now producing half of Romania's natural gas while maintaining ethnic equilibrium
When Magyar Székelys established their marketplace where the Mures River bends through Transylvania's central plateau in the 12th century, they created more than a trading post—they planted a cultural anchor that would maintain distinct identity through Hungarian, Ottoman, Habsburg, and Romanian rule. Targu Mures grew as the symbolic heart of Szekely Land, hosting Transylvanian parliament sessions after gaining free royal city status in 1616. Today this 50-50 Romanian-Hungarian county produces half of Romania's natural gas alongside Sibiu, while its chemical and pharmaceutical industries build on centuries of resource processing. The 8,500+ private companies navigate a complex ethnic landscape where bilingual street signs and parallel cultural institutions maintain careful equilibrium.