Brăila

**Brăila** (; ; Turkis: İbrail) is a ceety in Muntenie, eastren Romanie, a port on the Danube an the caipital o Brăila Coonty. It is locatit in the close vicinity o Galaţi. The ''Sud-Est'' Regional Development Agency is locatit in Brăila.

Accordin tae the 2011 Romanie census thare wur 180,302 fowk livin athin the ceety o Brăila, makkin it the 11t maist populous ceety in Romanie.

## History

A dounset at this location on the left bank o the Danube, in Wallachie, wis mentioned wi the name *Drinago* in a Spainyie *Libro de conoscimiento* ("Beuk o knawledge", circa 1350) an in several Catalan portolan chairts (Angelino de Dalorto, 1325/1330 an Angelino Dulcert, 1339). This mey hae been an erroneous transcription o *Brillago*. In Greek documents o roughly that time, the ceety is referred tae as *Proilabum* or *Proilava*, a Greek leid adaptation o its Slavic name, *Brailov*. In German leid sources, it is mentioned as *Uebereyl*. The oreegin an meanin o the name is unkent.

As a kaza, the toun an its surroondin aurie wis controlled bi Ottoman Turks frae 1538–1540 until 1829 (it wis restored tae Wallachia through the Akkerman Convention); the Ottomans cried it *Ibrail* or *Ibraila*.

Brăila wis attackit, plundered, an set fire tae bi the forces o Moldavie Prince Stephen the Great on 2 Februar 1470, durin the retaliation campaign against Wallachie Prince Radu the Fair, who haed alleed hissel wi the Ottomans. It wis briefly ruled bi Michael the Brave, prince o Wallachie (1595–1596).

Durin the 19t century, the port became ane o the three maist important ports on the Danube in Wallachie, the ither twa bein Turnu an Giurgiu. The ceety's greatest period o prosperity wis at the end o the 19t century an in the early 20t century, when it wis a important port for maist o the merchandise comin in an goin oot o Romanie.

## Demographics

As o 2011 census data (est.), Brăila haes a population o 180,302, a decrease frae the figur recordit at the 2002 census. The ethnic makup wis as follaes:
* Romanies: 97.21%
* Lipovans: 1.14%
* Roma: 0.97%
* Greeks: 0.1%
* Ither: 0.3%

### Metropolitan aurie

## Economy
Accessible tae smaw an middlin-sizit oceangoin ships, Brăila haes lairge grain-handlin an warehoosin facilities. It is a important industrial centre an aw, wi metalwirkin, textile, fuid-processin, an ither factories.

## Ceetyscape
Brăila haes the follaein auries: Centru (Center), Viziru (1, 2, 3), Călăraşi 4, Ansamblul Buzăului, Radu Negru, Obor, Hipodrom, Lacu Dulce, Dorobanți, 1 Mai, Comorofca, Calea Galați, Gării, Apollo, Siret, Pisc, Brăilița, Vidin-Progresul, Islaz an Chercea.

## Landmarks

Streets radiating frae near the port towards Brăila's center are crossed at symmetrical intervals bi concentric streets following the geometric design of the auld Ottoman fortifications.

The auld centre o the ceety haes mony 19t century biggins, some o thaim fully restored. The maist important monuments are the Greek Church, erected at 1865 bi the Greek commonty, the ''Sfinţii Arhangheli'' Kirk, umwhile *[[mosque|jāmi]]* durin the Ottoman rule (till 1831), the 19t century *Sfântul Nicolae* Kirk, frae the 19t century an aw, the Maria Filotti Theatre, the Palace o Cultur an its Airt Museum, the History Museum, an the auld Watter Touer. The latter hooses a restaurant an a rotation seestem (360° in ane oor).

Anither important steid is the Public Garden, a pairk situatit abuin the bank o the Danube wi a view ower the river an the Măcin Muntains. Early in 2006 the municipality receivit European Union funds tae renovate the auld centre o the ceety, aimin tae transform Brăila intae a major tourist attraction o Muntenia.

The Kirk o the Holy Airchangels is the auldest in the ceety. Begun in 1667, the umwhile mosque wis transformit intae an Orthodox Kirk in 1808.

## Transport
Brăila features ane o the auldest electrical tram lines in Romanie, inauguratit at the end o the 19t century an still in uise. Brăila's bus seestem is operatit bi the toun haw in cooperation wi Braicar Company, wi fower primar bus configurations available servicin maist o the ceety.

## Local media
The ceety haes several local newspapers, includin *Obiectiv-Vocea Brăilei*, *[[Monitorul de Brăila]]*, *[[Ziarul de Brăila]]* an *Arcașu*'. It haes three telly stations an aw: Mega TV, an the local stations of Antena 1 an Pro TV.

## Internaitional relations

### Twin touns - sister ceeties
Brăila is twinned wi:
* **[[Pleven]]** in Bulgarie.
* **[[Calais]]** in France.
* **[[Argostoli]]** in Greece.
* **[[Katerini]]** in Greece.
* **[[Bitola]]** in Macedonie.
* **[[Kavadarci]]** in Macedonie.
* **[[Denizli]]** in Turkey.
* **[[Nilüfer, Bursa|Nilüfer]]** in Turkey.

## Freemit airtins

## Notes