For the Polish village, see Solca, Poland. For the organization, see Sociedad de Lucha Contra el Cancer.

Solca
—  Town  —
Tomşa Vodă Street, downtown Solca
Coat of arms
Solca Location of Solca
Coordinates: 47°42′9″N 25°49′54″E / 47.7025°N 25.83167°E / 47.7025; 25.83167Coordinates: 47°42′9″N 25°49′54″E / 47.7025°N 25.83167°E / 47.7025; 25.83167
Country	Romania
County	Suceava County
Status	Town
Government
• Mayor	Valeruț Țăranu-Hofnăr (Social Democratic Party)
Area
• Total	64.63 km2 (24.95 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	2,422
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Website	Official site

Solca is a town in Suceava County, Bukovina, Romania, with a population of 2,422 inhabitants (2011 census). Its name is derived from that of the river flowing through it, in turn derived from Slavic sol ("salt") – in reference to the area's salty springs.

Solca is the smallest town in Suceava County and one of the smallest towns in Romania. In 2002, Solca had 4,456 inhabitants and the town administered the village of Poieni-Solca. Following a local referendum held in August 2004, Poieni-Solca was split from the town of Solca in March 2007 and became a commune. Solca was left with around 2,500 inhabitants.

General information[link]

Aerial view of downtown Solca

Solca is located in the central-eastern part of Suceava County, at the foot of the eastern part of Obcina Mare Mountains, in Solca-Cacica Depression. The town is situated at the border of Suceava Plateau and the Eastern Carpathians, at an average altitude of 522 metres. Solca river crosses the town. Solca is a place known for the beauty of the natural landscape and the high quality of its air.

Solca borders on with the following communes: Marginea (in North West), Arbore (in North and North East), Poieni-Solca (in South and South East), Cacica (in South) and Mănăstirea Humorului (in West). The town is situated at a distance of 23 km from the city of Rădăuți, 32 km from the town of Gura Humorului, 48 km from the city of Suceava (the county seat) and 464 km from Bucharest.

The town is celebrated for its monumental Romanian Orthodox church, the former Sts. Peter and Paul's Monastery (1613-1623), also knowns as Solca Monastery, built by Voievod (Ruling Prince) Ştefan Tomşa II of Moldavia and closed by the Habsburgs in 1785, and a beer factory that ranks among the oldest in the country (1810). Salt springs are located in the northern forested area. Solca is also relatively close to the Cacica salt mine and the Arbore church.

In Solca there is a Romanian traditional house which dates from the 17th century. This house was transformed in museum in 1971. Other points of interest are the motel (known as Hanul Solca), the sanatorium with the summer garden, the central park, the Tomşa-Vodă High School, the Roman Catholic Church (which dates from 1868) and Pietrele Muierii (a monument of nature located near the town).

Despite the fact it has the status of a town, Solca has a rural aspect in many areas of its. During the Communist regime, there were built around 10 apartment blocks along the two main roads that cross the town. Solca isn't connected to the Romanian national railway system.

History[link]

The town of Solca was first mentioned in a document issued by Moldavian Prince Alexandru cel Bun on January 15, 1418. On March 7, 1502, the boyar Luca Arbore buy this village from the grandchildren of Cârstea Horaeț and Şandru Gherman. Subsequently, Metropolitan Gheorghe Movilă offers this village to Sucevița Monastery.

"Bere Solca", label from 1972 of the famous beer produced in Solca

At the beginning of the 17th century, the village is bought by the Moldavian Prince Ştefan Tomşa II (1611-1615, 1621-1623) and he builds here a monastery (known as Sts. Peter and Paul's Monastery or Solca Monastery). In the following centuries, Solca becomes a market town for the surrounding area.

In 1775, together with the rest of Bukovina, Solca becomes part of the Habsburg Monarchy, and is eventually part of Austria-Hungary. During this period, many German, Polish and Jewish families establish here. Solca becomes a well known summer resort, its renowned fresh air helping the town to develop during the following century. In 1810, one of the oldest beer factories in Romania opens in Solca. The Solca Beer becomes the main symbol of this town.

At the initiative of doctors E. Beilich (1845) and Hermann Poras (1892) a sanatorium for lung diseases is opened, with an aditional summer garden, so the tourism industry increases.

During World War I, the town is the scene of Eastern Front battles between the armies of Austria-Hungary and the Russian Empire. After 1918, the town (along with the rest of Bukovina) becomes part of Kingdom of Romania and remains a seeking resort, especially for those with lung diseases.

After the Romanian Revolution of 1989, Solca has a period of regression. The sanatorium is turned in a chronic diseases hospital and eventually, in 2011, in an asylum for the aged. The beer factory and the summer garden are abolished, the high school decreases in prestige and quality of teaching. Today, Solca isn't a resort anymore and the main occupation of its inhabitants is agriculture.

v t e Suceava County, Romania Cities Suceava (county seat) Câmpulung Moldovenesc Fălticeni Rădăuţi Vatra Dornei Towns Broşteni Cajvana Dolhasca Frasin Gura Humorului Liteni Milişăuţi Salcea Siret Solca Vicovu de Sus Communes Adâncata Arbore Baia Bălăceana Bălcăuţi Berchişeşti Bilca Bogdăneşti Boroaia Bosanci Botoşana Breaza Brodina Buneşti Burla Cacica Calafindeşti Capu Câmpului Cârlibaba Ciocăneşti Ciprian Porumbescu Comăneşti Cornu Luncii Coşna Crucea Dărmăneşti Dolheşti Dorna-Arini Dorna Candrenilor Dorneşti Drăgoieşti Drăguşeni Dumbrăveni Fântâna Mare Fântânele Forăşti Frătăuţii Noi Frătăuţii Vechi Frumosu Fundu Moldovei Gălăneşti Grămeşti Grăniceşti Hănţeşti Hârtop Horodnic de Jos Horodnic de Sus Horodniceni Iacobeni Iaslovăţ Ilişeşti Ipoteşti Izvoarele Sucevei Mălini Mănăstirea Humorului Marginea Mitocu Dragomirnei Moara Moldova-Suliţa Moldoviţa Muşeniţa Ostra Păltinoasa Panaci Pârteştii de Jos Pătrăuţi Poiana Stampei Poieni-Solca Pojorâta Preuteşti Putna Rădăşeni Râşca Sadova Satu Mare Şerbăuţi Siminicea Slatina Straja Stroieşti Stulpicani Suceviţa Şaru Dornei Şcheia Todireşti Udeşti Ulma Vadu Moldovei Valea Moldovei Vama Vatra Moldoviţei Vereşti Vicovu de Jos Voitinel Volovăţ Vultureşti Zamostea Zvoriştea