Transylvanian Association for Romanian Literature and the Culture of the Romanian People

The Transylvanian Association for Romanian Literature and the Culture of the Romanian People (Romanian: Asociația Transilvană pentru Literatura Română și Cultura Poporului Român, ASTRA) is a cultural association founded in 1861 in Sibiu (Hermannstadt). It had an important role in the cultural life and the movement of national awakening for the Romanians in Transylvania.

Its first president was the ethnic Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of Sibiu — Andrei Şaguna. Its vicepresident was the Greek-Catholic priest Timotei Cipariu, and George Bariţiu was secretary.

Shortly after its founding, the association established a boarding school, museum, and large library in its provenance of Sibiu, and later developed a network of ASTRA libraries in Transylvanian towns. On 7 February 1895, ASTRA decided to edit and publish a Romanian Encyclopedia under the supervision of Cornel Diaconovici. It was published in three volumes between 1898 and 1904, and had an important role in the culture and politics of the Romanians.

Today, the central ASTRA library contains approximately half a million works, mostly acquired through donations of the Transylvanian population, local publishing houses, or publication exchanges organized with other libraries.

Gallery

• 
  ASTRA Palace in Sibiu

See also

• Transylvanian School
• ASTRA National Museum Complex

References

• Kent, Allen (1979). Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science. San Francisco: CRC Press. pp. 83–84. ISBN 0-8247-2026-1.

External links

IdeologyEvents

Revolt of Horea, Cloșca and Crișan Moldavian Revolution of 1848 Wallachian Revolution of 1848 Great National Assembly of Alba Iulia Bridge of Flowers
Unifications	Unification of Moldavia and Wallachia Union of Bessarabia with Romania Union of Bukovina with Romania Union of Transylvania with Romania Great Union Greater Romania

FiguresPolitical parties

Current

Greater Romania Party New Generation Party Noua Dreaptă People's Movement Party National Identity Bloc in Europe Alliance for the Union of Romanians Romanian Nationhood Party Social Democratic Party Romanian Socialist Party (2003) National Liberal Party Alliance for the Homeland Romanian Village Party S.O.S. Romania

Former

Romanian National Party Democratic Nationalist Party Bessarabian Peasants' Party Democratic Union Party National Italo-Romanian Cultural and Economic Movement National Romanian Fascio National Liberal Party (Romania, 1875) Romanian Communist Party National Fascist Movement National-Christian Defense League Iron Guard National Liberal Party-Brătianu National Socialist Party Crusade of Romanianism Romanian Front Romanian National Unity Party Socialist Party of Labour Everything For the Country Party People's Party – Dan Diaconescu United Romania Party

OrganizationsPopular culture

Songs	"Cântă cucu-n Bucovina" "Dac-am plecat, Ardealule, din tine" "Deșteaptă-te, române!" "Doamne, ocrotește-i pe români" "Drum bun" "Hora Unirii" "Pe-al nostru steag e scris Unire" "Pui de lei" "Treceți, batalioane române, Carpații" "Trei culori"
Phrases	"Bessarabia, Romanian land"

NationalistsPoliciesRelated topics