Taraclia

Sister cities

• Aksakovo
• Nova Zagora
• Sliven

History

The earliest archaeological sites near the present day city show the existence of a settlement belonging to the Gumelnița culture, discovered in 1980. Human activity shows the construction of dwellings, dugouts, flint tools, grain and animal bones, pointing to livestock herding. Clay artifacts show influence from the Cucuteni–Trypillia culture pointing to the area being a contact point between the two cultures. Excavations have revealed large dwellings alongside ceramics, bronze and gold. The settlement likely ceased to exist due to a recorded wild fire in the area, wiping out the local Gumelnița. Following the retreat of the Gumelnița, the Yamnaya culture spread into the area, shown by various burial mounds and wooden chariots found in the area, outgrown by the Catacomb culture. During the Middle Bronze Age, members of the Multi-cordoned ware culture settled the region. They made distinct burial mounds, with the deceased usually buried facing the east. In the 7th century the Bulgar Khan Asparuh led the Bulgar horde to the region of Budjak and the Danube, including the present day are of Taraclia. Migrations to the area lasted until the 8th century until the established First Bulgarian Empire retreated from Budjak due to pressure from the Pechenegs. In 1569 around 30 clans of Nogais from the Astrakhan area arrived in the Budjak area, with several latter waves following. In the period of 1606-1637 the region was dominated by Nogai-Tatars of the Manghud tribe, which lasted until the Russian annexation of Bessarabia in 1812. The settlement of Taraclia was founded in 1813, although they have been settling there much earlier. It is believed the city derives its name from a Nogai-Tatar village named "Tarak" meaning ridge or comb, located south of the present day city or…

Most-observed species

• Gray/Purple Heron

  Ardea cinerea Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  201
• Great Egret

  Ardea alba Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  182
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  166
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  165
• European Starling

  Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  163
• Black-headed Gull

  Chroicocephalus ridibundus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  159
• Barn Swallow

  Hirundo rustica Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  154
• Crested Lark

  Galerida cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  150

Most recent

• M 4.9 — 2020-04-24
  1 km ESE of Ungureni, Romania
• M 4.3 — 2017-08-16
  1 km ENE of Ci?mele, Romania
• M 4.1 — 2013-09-30
  2 km SW of Schela, Romania
• M 4.1 — 2013-09-29
  2 km ESE of Schela, Romania
• M 3.2 — 2007-01-07
  4 km NE of Corni, Romania
• M 2.6 — 2006-04-09
  5 km NE of Hanu Conachi, Romania