Galați ( , ,"Galaţi" (US) and ; also known by alternative names) is the capital city of Galați County in the historical region of Western Moldavia, in eastern Romania. Galați is a port town on the river Danube. and the sixth-largest of all cities on the river Danube. According to the 2021 census it is the 8th most populous city in Romania. Galați is an economic centre based around the port of Galați, the naval shipyard, and the largest steel factory in Romania, Galați steel works.
Etymology and names The name Galați is disputed in origin. One theory suggests it is perhaps derived from before the Mongol invasion of Rus', in which Galați was known as Malyi Halych ('Little Halych') as part of the Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia.Arkas, M. Istorii︠a︡ Ukraïny-Rusi. [History of Ukraine-Ruthenia]. "Obshchestvennaia Polza" Publishing. 1908.Paliy, O. Halychyna from sea to sea or Where have 'vuiky' came from . Ukrayinska Pravda. 28 February 2013 Another prominent theory suggests it is derived from the Cuman word , derived from the Persian 'kala', an Arabic borrowing meaning "fortress". Apart from these two, other theorists suggest the root "gal" may have came from an old Slavic word, meaning "muddy", which later underwent a semantic transformation, acquiring the meaning of "black". Thus, the adjective "gal", through the suffix "aț" was substantivized,I. Bogdan, Diploma Bârlădeana din 1134. Principality of Bârlad, in "Annals of the Romanian Academy. Memoirs of the Historical Section", s. II, tom. XI, Bucharest, 1889, p. 115 . similar to another theory which suggests a link with Serbian galac. The region of Galatia in Turkey, has also been used to explain its etymology due to the presence of some historic archaeological findings in the city.
Galați has several exonyms: ; (also an archaic English term); ; ; ; ; ; and .
History
Ancient origins Archeological evidence points to occupation of the region in the Neolithic period. For example, northwest of the town of Galați, on the eastern shores of the Malina marshes, fragments of ceramic-type Stoicani Aldeni, stilex and tools made of bone have been found. A stone sceptre, from the late Bronze Age, belonging to the Coslogeni culture was found on the marshes' southern bank. Galați town itself developed from an ancient Dacian settlement of the sixth and fifth centuries BCE where there was a ford across the Danube river. In 101 to 102 and 105 to 106, the Dacians fought wars against the Romans and the area became part of the Roman empire. A strong Roman fortress was built at Barboși to defend the ford across Danube. From the 300s a Daco-Roman settlement developed at a ford south of the site of the Church of the Virgin.
Medieval period There is evidence of continuous inhabitation of Galați since the 600s. A treasure hoard consisting of 12 silver coins issued between 613 and 685 was found in a Byzantine tomb near the Church of the Virgin. Western and Byzantine coins from the time of Emperor Michael IV (1034–1041) were also found. At one time , the city became part of the Republic of Genoa Territories and was called "Caladda". In 1445, a document signed by Stephen II of Moldavia mentions Galați. In 1484, Chilia was conquered by Ottomans. Galați township remained Moldova's only port, not only for domestic trade but also for trade with Turkey and Poland.
Early modern period In 1590, the Galați Jewish cemetery was opened.
The Ukrainian Cossack Hetman Ivan Mazepa, who died on 1709 in Varniţa, Bessarabia, was buried in Galați. He was buried in a brick tomb.
In 1710, Tatars plundered Galați after the Russo-Moldavian failure at the Battle of Stănilești.
In 1775, Russia established a consulate in Galați. Despite this, the city was nonetheless burned by the armies of the Russian general Mikhail Kamensky during the Russo-Turkish War of 1787–92.
19th century In 1812, following the annexation of half of the Moldavia by Russia, including all of the sea shore and almost all of Danube, Galați ended up as the Moldavia's only port.
Due to unrest in this part of Europe, Galați port became a site for the construction of large warships. Abbot Boskov, a Romanian traveller, stated: "I saw a large boat, the way those who say Turks caravels, which is on site, ready to be launched into the water. He was commissioned by Isaac-aga, big tax collector of Constantinople. The ship was huge, seventeen seventy steps, and loaded with eighty-four bronze cannons."
As the Greek Revolution begun in the region, specifically in Iași, Galați was also a significant core of the revolutionary organization Filiki Eteria and led by Vasilios Karavias there were conflicts against the Ottomans in 1821. On 30 May 1821, an the first battle between Filiki Eteria and the Ottoman Army occurred in the city, resulting in an Ottoman victory. The Ottomans destroyed the city almost completely and massacred its population, as reprisals.
Growth
Despite the wars and unrest, Galați developed based on trade (especially grain exports). In 1805, France and England established vice-consulates. In 1832, the School of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel is founded. Two years later, in 1834, Austrian ships were having scheduled arrivals and in 1837, Galați was declared a free port (this was revoked in 1882). In 1850, James Buchanan, the U.S. president, sent a vice-consul to Galați and the U.S. opened a consulate in 1858. Galați was also a trading port for German lands. When the Crimean War (1854–1856) ended, Galați became a seat of the Danube European Commission. In 1869, the Mihai Eminescu municipal park opened and by 1870, factories were opening. By, 1908 they numbered 41. On 13 September 1872, the King Charles I railway station and northern city rail tunnel opened. The River station opened shortly after on 24 September 1880. In 1889, the V. A. Urechia library opened.
After the union of the Romanian principalities in 1859, with Alexandru Ioan Cuza as leader, development in Galați increased. Zeletin wrote, "The birth of the modern Romanian state must distinguish two main currents – one exuberant but superficial, based on liberal ideas which depart from Paris to Bucharest and Iași. The other is quieter but deep, leaving from London to Galați and Brăila: English is the current capitalist economy." (Romanian Bourgeoisie, Zeletin, Stephen.)
1900–1947
Between 1900 and the beginning of World War I, Galați continued its trade in grain and timber with sixteen consulates. Galați was part of Covurlui County.
In 1907, social unrest among the peasant classes precipitated intervention by the Romanian army. In 1911, a statue of the poet Mihai Eminescu was erected.
World War I
Galați remained under Romanian control during World War I. Romanian soldiers fought alongside those of Russia against the army of the Central Powers. Galați was bombed by retreating Russian troops in January 1918.
Interwar period In 1919, a high school for Jewish students opened. A first air race between Galați and Bucharest was held in 1926 following the end of the construction of the Galați Airport. The 1930 Romanian census recorded 100,000 residents in Galați. After Bucharest, Chișinău, Iași and Cernăuți, Galați was Romania's fifth city. In 1938, the Ținutul Dunării de Jos (Lower Danube Land) was established.
World War II On 30 June 1940, during the Romanian withdrawal from Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina following the Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina, Romanian soldiers opened fire on civilians gathered near the railway station in the 1940 Galați massacre. The International Commission on the Holocaust in Romania estimated that roughly 300 people were killed, most of them Jews.
During World War II, Galați was bombed by the Soviet Air Forces and Luftwaffe. The Anglo-Americans destroyed, by the air raid of 6 June 1944, part of the military airport, the church of Sf. Vineri and the houses located in the direction of aircraft flight. The railway station, inaugurated on 13 September 1872, was destroyed as were many other historic buildings and most of the old town. On 27 August 1944, Galați was captured by Soviet troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front in the course of the Jassy–Kishinev Offensive. During World War II, Galați was bombed by the Soviet Air Forces and Luftwaffe. The Anglo-Americans destroyed, by the air raid of 6 June 1944, part of the military airport, the church of Sf. Vineri and the houses located in the direction of aircraft flight. The railway station, inaugurated on 13 September 1872, was destroyed as were many other historic buildings and most of the old town. On 27 August 1944, Galați was captured by Soviet troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front in the course of the Jassy–Kishinev Offensive.
Jewish community Before World War II Galați hosted 22 synagogues and in 1926, it was the base for the Zionist Revisionist Organization of Romania. On 30 June 1940, several hundred civilians, most of them Jews, were killed by Romanian soldiers in the 1940 Galați massacre. Although Galați's Jewish community suffered further persecution by Romanian authorities during World War II, the community was not destroyed in the Holocaust. Since the 1940s the community has gradually diminished through emigration.
Communist period (1947–1989)
After World War II, Galați was rebuilt along communist lines. The town's population was about 80,000. In 1956, a proposal to join Brăila and Galați was made and the building of a speed tram pier was proposed with a Swiss company. The plans never materialized. In 1958, the Galați Airport was abolished. Construction of the Galați steel works began in 1960 and the plant opened in 1966. The population at this time was 151,000. In 1971, the Făurei – Galați railway capacity was increased, and, in 1982, it was electrified.
On 11 September 1989, a Bulgarian ship collided with a cruise ship near Galați. 151 passengers and crew died (all but sixteen). "Ships crash on Danube" Associated Press. 11 September 1989. Accessed 8 July 2012.
Contemporary period In 2004, Romania's first information technology park opened in Galați.
On 14 July 2005, Galați was affected by widespread flooding. The Siret river reached record levels and across Romania, the death toll reached 21. In 2010, broken flood barriers caused flooding of the Valley City area of Galați.
On 29 May 2026, a block of flats in Galați was hit by a Russian Geran-2 drone, injuring two people and causing a fire. About 70 people were evacuated.
Geography
Topography Galați is located in southeastern Romania. Its coordinates are latitude 45 ° 27 'north and longitude 28 ° 02' east. Its area is . Galați lies in the southern part of the Moldavian Plateau on the left (west) bank of the Danube at the junction of the river Siret (west) and the Prut River (east), near Lake Brates. It is from the Black Sea. The nearest town is Brăila, to the south. Galați is built on three geological terraces. One lies beneath "Valley City", with elevations between . The other two, which make a fan shape, have elevations of (the site of the old town, now the city centre) and (the site of the modern city) respectively. The Danube is considered the "life-blood" of Galați. The Danube is the second longest river in Europe ), with an average flow of per second in the Galați section. After the Siret River, the largest tributary in Romania, joins the Danube, the flow is . After the Prut River joins the Danube, the flow becomes . The Danube flows have significant seasonal variation. The maximum flows occur in May; . The minimum flows occur during the summer; .
Climate Under the Köppen climate classification, Galați falls within either a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) if the isotherm is used or a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) if the isotherm is used. Galați experiences four distinct seasons.