Vidra: Culture, Rivers and Hilly Country

Culture and History

In the municipality of Vidra, the Muzeul Țării Vrancei is housed in the first school of the former Vrancea district. Its five rooms contain pottery from Irești, traditional carpets, and folk costumes. The collection also includes old documents, as well as historical documents and pictures. The museum’s collection therefore brings together examples of crafts, textiles, clothing, writing, and visual materials.

The village of Vidra has been documented since 1400. The building known as „Şcoala cu Coloane“ was built in 1850 and is considered to be of great importance for the history of Vrancea and of the Romanian education system.

A monument in Vidra is known as „Crucea lui Chilian“. It takes the form of a two-metre-high bronze cross. Local residents erected it in 1936 on a cube-shaped stone pedestal. The monument commemorates four heroes from Vrancea. They were sentenced to death in Focșani and executed by firing squad. It also commemorates all the heroes from Vrancea who fell in the war for national reunification.

The „Monument al eroilor căzuți în Primul Război Mondial“ in Vidra is a war memorial. The artistic ensemble „Poarta Vrancei“ was founded in 1980. It included a vocal group, boys’ and girls’ groups, and traditional dances from Vrancea.

Landscape and Rivers

Vidra lies on a plateau. Gentle hills surround the town, while Măgura Odobești and the Vrancea Mountains dominate Vidra. The municipality of Vidra lies in the hilly country at the transition between the Curvature Carpathians, the Subcarpathian hills, and the Putna Valley.

In the Vrancea Depression, the municipality forms the entrance to the basin and mountain area of Vrancea County. The name „Poarta Vrancei“ refers to this entrance. The municipality of Vidra lies on the banks of the Putna River, where it takes in the waters of the Vizăuți River.

Routes and Local Events

The national road DN 2D passes through the municipality of Vidra. It connects Focșani with Târgu Secuiesc and Brașov. A cycle tourism event followed a route featuring several tourist attractions. One of the destinations was Vidra – Muzeul Vrancei. The event also promoted the digital map of the Țării Vrancei route.

A weekly municipal market takes place in the municipality of Vidra on Sundays. In addition, there are nine traditional local fairs. They are held every year, once a month, from 23 April to 6 December.

Other Places

Other places: Valea Neagră, Odobești, Adjud, Tulnici, Soveja, Golești, Nănești, Focşani.

Archaeology

In the village of Tichiriș, which belongs to the municipality of Vidra, an archaeological site lies on the terrace of the Putna River. The site dates from the Upper Palaeolithic.

Crafts

Doru Fecioraș from Irești is one of the few people in Vrancea—possibly the only one—who still masters the pottery craft.

To the higher-level travel overview: Vrancea.