1689 Brașov fire: Difference between revisions

1689 Brașov fire
Date	21 April 1689
Location	Brassó, Principality of Transylvania (now Brașov, Romania)
Type	Fire
Deaths	Around 300

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The 1689 Brașov fire took place in the town of Brassó in the Principality of Transylvania (now Brașov, in Romania; German Kronstadt). It broke out on the afternoon of 21 April in the lower (i.e. southwestern) parts of Burggasse and Schwarzgasse streets (today Str. Castelului and Str. Nicolae Bălcescu). A powerful wind caused the rapid spread of the fire. The fire soon engulfed the entire part of the town facing the Tâmpa mountain. Local fires also appeared in Roßmarkt (today Str. George Barițiu) and Purzengasse (today Str. Republicii). Within a few hours, the entire town was in flames. The White Tower, the Black Tower, the Council House and the Black Church were all damaged in the fire. Church services were held outdoors for a long time. Johannes Honter's renowned library also burnt down. ^[1]

Some people claim that the blaze was started by Habsburg troops during the Great Turkish War as revenge for the Ottomans that burnt parts of Vienna. After the fire in 1689, the Ottoman Army garrison fled the town. ^[1]

Around 300 people died. The town was practically destroyed, and its economic power was severed. For years, Kronstadt remained a city in ruins, blackened by smoke with a lingering, penetrating smell. Most houses were built with wood, which facilitated the spread of flames even further. Moreover, water was scarce in the mountain town. Subsequently, the authorities banned wooden houses, which is why the historic center of Brașov features only stone and brick houses. Reconstruction of the city took place over many decades. ^[1]

A common misconception is that the Black Church got its name because it was sooted by the fire. However, 21st century studies found no signs of the destructive fire. The church got blackened simply because of environmental pollution after Brașov turned into an industrial city.^[2] Furthermore, the name "Black Church" was not used until the end of the 19th century.^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Suciu, Simona (17 June 2013). "Marele incendiu care a distrus Brașovul". Adevărul (in Romanian).
^ Petki Judit: Kulcskérdések a Nagy tűzről. Brassói Lapok, 5 September 2019, page 4.
^ Roth, Harald. Kronstadt in Siebenbürgen - Eine kleine Stadtgeschichte (2010), pp. 162–164, ISBN 9783412206024

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[:0-1] Suciu, Simona (17 June 2013). "Marele incendiu care a distrus Brașovul". Adevărul (in Romanian).

[2] Petki Judit: Kulcskérdések a Nagy tűzről. Brassói Lapok, 5 September 2019, page 4.

[3] Roth, Harald. Kronstadt in Siebenbürgen - Eine kleine Stadtgeschichte (2010), pp. 162–164, ISBN 9783412206024

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[2]

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Short description|1689 fire in Kronstadt, modern Brașov}}
+{{Infobox event
-The '''1689 Brașov fire''' took place in the town of Kronstadt in the [[Principality of Transylvania (1570–1711)|Principality of Transylvania]] (now [[Brașov]], in [[Romania]]).
+| title = 1689 Brașov fire
+| date = {{start date|1689|4|21|df=y}}
+| place = Brassó, [[Principality of Transylvania (1570–1711)|Principality of Transylvania]] (now [[Brașov]], [[Romania]])
+| type = [[Fire]]
+| reported deaths = Around 300
+}}
-The fire broke out on the afternoon of 21 April, on the ''Ulița Funarilor'' lane, today's Castelului Street. Spread by a powerful wind, it soon engulfed the entire part of the town facing [[Tâmpa]]. Local fires also appeared in Târgul Cailor (George Barițiu Street) and Porții (Republicii) Street. Within a few hours, the entire town was in flames. The White Tower, the [[Black Tower (Brașov)|Black Tower]], the Council House and the [[Biserica Neagră|Black Church]] were all destroyed. The latter building received its nickname following this fire; services were held outdoors for a long time. [[Johannes Honter]]'s renowned library perished.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=https://adevarul.ro/locale/brasov/marele-incendiu-distrus-brasovul-1_51beacb9c7b855ff569c41b8/index.html|title=Marele incendiu care a distrus Brașovul|first=Simona|last=Suciu|newspaper=[[Adevărul]]|date=17 June 2013|language=ro}}</ref>
+The '''1689 Brașov fire''' took place in the town of Brassó in the [[Principality of Transylvania (1570–1711)|Principality of Transylvania]] (now ''[[Brașov]]'', in [[Romania]]; German ''Kronstadt''). It broke out on the afternoon of 21 April in the lower (i.e. southwestern) parts of ''Burggasse'' and ''Schwarzgasse'' streets (today ''Str. Castelului'' and ''Str. Nicolae Bălcescu''). A powerful wind caused the rapid spread of the fire. The fire soon engulfed the entire part of the town facing the [[Tâmpa, Brașov|Tâmpa]] mountain. Local fires also appeared in ''Roßmarkt'' (today ''Str. George Barițiu'') and ''Purzengasse'' (today ''Str. Republicii''). Within a few hours, the entire town was in flames. The White Tower, the [[Black Tower (Brașov)|Black Tower]], the Council House and the [[Biserica Neagră|Black Church]] were all damaged in the fire. Church services were held outdoors for a long time. [[Johannes Honter]]'s renowned library also burnt down. <ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=https://adevarul.ro/locale/brasov/marele-incendiu-distrus-brasovul-1_51beacb9c7b855ff569c41b8/index.html|title=Marele incendiu care a distrus Brașovul|first=Simona|last=Suciu|newspaper=[[Adevărul]]|date=17 June 2013|language=ro}}</ref>
-Around 300 people died, the town was practically destroyed and its economic power was severed. For years, Kronstadt remained a ruin city blackened by smoke with a lingering penetrating smell. It was said that [[Habsburg Monarchy|Habsburg]] troops deliberately set the blaze during the [[Great Turkish War]]. Most houses were of wood, which facilitated the spread of flames. Moreover, water was scarce in the mountain town. Subsequently, the authorities banned wooden houses, which is why the historic center of Brașov features only stone and brick houses. Reconstruction of the city took over many decades.<ref name=":0"/>
+Some people claim that the blaze was started by [[Habsburg Monarchy|Habsburg]] troops during the [[Great Turkish War]] as revenge for the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottomans]] that [[Battle of Vienna|burnt]] parts of [[Vienna]]. After the fire in 1689, the [[Ottoman Army]] garrison fled the town. <ref name=":0"/>
+Around 300 people died. The town was practically destroyed, and its economic power was severed. For years, Kronstadt remained a city in ruins, blackened by smoke with a lingering, penetrating smell. Most houses were built with wood, which facilitated the spread of flames even further. Moreover, water was scarce in the mountain town. Subsequently, the authorities banned wooden houses, which is why the historic center of Brașov features only stone and brick houses. Reconstruction of the city took place over many decades. <ref name=":0"/>
+A common misconception is that the Black Church got its name because it was sooted by the fire. However, 21st century studies found no signs of the destructive fire. The church got blackened simply because of environmental pollution after Brașov turned into an industrial city.<ref>Petki Judit: ''Kulcskérdések a Nagy tűzről''. Brassói Lapok, 5 September 2019, page 4.</ref> Furthermore, the name "Black Church" was not used until the end of the 19th century.<ref>Roth, Harald. Kronstadt in Siebenbürgen - Eine kleine Stadtgeschichte (2010), pp. 162–164, {{ISBN|9783412206024}}</ref>
 ==References==
 {{reflist}}
+{{coord missing|Romania}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Brasov Fire}}
-[[Category:1689 fires]]
+[[Category:1689 disasters]]
-[[Category:1689 in the Ottoman Empire|Brasov Fire, 1689]]
+[[Category:17th-century fires]]
+[[Category:1689 in the Ottoman Empire|Brașov]]
 [[Category:Fires in Romania]]
 [[Category:History of Brașov|Fire]]