Mureș (river)

The Mureș or Maros is a long river that stretches for 789 kilometers across Eastern Europe. It starts in the Hășmașu Mare Range in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, not far from where the Olt River begins. The river then flows into Hungary, where it eventually joins the Tisza River near the city of Szeged.

As it moves through the land, the Mureș passes through several areas in Romania, including the counties of Harghita, Mureș, Alba, Hunedoara, Arad, and Timiș. In Hungary, it runs through the county of Csongrád. Big cities along its path include Târgu Mureș, Alba Iulia, Deva, and Arad in Romania, and Makó and Szeged in Hungary.

Long ago, during medieval times, people used the Mureș River to transport and trade salt on large rafts. Today, parts of the river in Hungary are protected, such as the Körös-Maros National Park, which helps keep the natural landscape safe.

Name

The Mureș River was first written about by the ancient writer Herodotus in 485 BC. He called it Maris. Later, a writer named Strabo called it Marisos. In Latin texts, it was named Marisus. By 948 AD, a Byzantine emperor named Constantine VII mentioned it as Morisis.

In German, the river had several names like Mieresch, Marosch, or Muresch. This was because of German-speaking settlers and past rule by the Habsburgs. When the Ottomans controlled the area, they called it Maroş or Muriş.

History

Since ancient times, the Mureș River has been an important waterway for travel and trade. It was like a highway for people living north of the Danube River.

During ancient wars between the Romans and the Dacians, controlling the Mureș River was very important for the Roman army. One famous Roman leader, Aelius Hadrianus — who later became Emperor Hadrian — led troops through the Mureș Valley. They used ships on the river to move supplies like gold, iron, salt, and wood to Rome and other places. The city of Apulum became a major river port because it was where the river path met important land roads connecting many cities.

Towns and villages

The river Mureș flows through many towns and villages. Starting from its source, some of the towns along the river are Toplița, Reghin, Târgu Mureș, Luduș, Ocna Mureș, Aiud, Teiuș, Alba Iulia, Geoagiu, Orăștie, Simeria, Deva, Lipova, Arad, and Nădlac in Romania, and Makó and Szeged in Hungary.

The river also passes through many smaller communities in different counties. These include places in Harghita County, Mureș County, Alba County, Hunedoara County, Arad County, Timiș County, and Csongrád County.

Tributaries

The river Mureș has many smaller rivers that flow into it. These are called tributaries. Here are some of the rivers that join the Mureș from different sides:

Left side: Senetea, Șumuleul Mare, Borzontul Mare, Borzontul Mic, Pietrosul, Bacta, Piatra, Eseniu, Martonca, Gălăuțaș, Măgheruș, Gudea Mare, Sălard, Iod, Sebeș, Idicel, Deleni, Gurghiu, Beica, Habic, Petrilaca, Terebici, Pocloș, Niraj, Sărata, Șeulia, Ațintiș, Fărău, Rât, Târnava, Sebeș, Pianul, Cioara, Cugir, Vaidei, Romos, Orăștie, Turdaș, Strei, Cerna, Căoi, Leșnic, Plai, Dobra, Abucea, Valea Mare, Peștiș, Izvor, Suliniș, Pârâul Mare, Șiștarovăț, Sinicoț

Right side: Chindeni, Strâmba, Belcina, Lăzarea, Ditrău, Jolotca, Ciucic, Toplița, Călimănel, Zebrac, Ilva, Răstolița, Gălăoaia, Bistra, Râpa, Lueriu, Luț, Șar, Voiniceni, Cuieșd, Valea din Jos, Lechința, Pârâul de Câmpie, Arieș, Unirea, Ciugud, Aiud, Gârbova, Geoagiu (Alba), Galda, Ampoi, Valea Vințului, Blandiana, Băcăinți, Homorod, Geoagiu (Hunedoara), Bobâlna, Lazu, Vărmaga, Certej, Boholt, Căian, Boz, Sârbi, Băcișoara, Gurasada, Zam, Almaș, Petriș, Troaș, Vinești, Stejar, Julița, Grosul, Monoroștia, Bârzava, Conop, Milova, Șoimoș, Cladova, and Száraz-ér

Images

Mureș River in its upper course at Rușii-Munți, Mureș County, Romania

Mureș River in Filea, Mureș County, Romania

Mureș River at Simeria, Romania

Mureș River at Sânpaul, Romania