Between the late 18th and very early 20th centuries, Beiuș constituted one of the most important learning centres of the Romanian language in Crișana.
Demographics
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±%
1880
2,947
—
1890
3,385
+14.9%
1900
4,016
+18.6%
1910
4,648
+15.7%
1920
4,303
−7.4%
1930
4,293
−0.2%
1941
8,220
+91.5%
1948
5,807
−29.4%
1956
6,851
+18.0%
1966
8,744
+27.6%
1977
9,960
+13.9%
1992
12,353
+24.0%
2002
12,089
−2.1%
2011
10,667
−11.8%
2021
9,745
−8.6%
Source: Census data
At the 2011 census, the city had a population of 10,667; the ethnic structure of the population was: 89.8% Romanians, 7.3% Hungarians, 2.6% Roma, and 0.3% other. At the 2021 census, Beiuș had a population of 9,745; of those, 81.3% were Romanians, 5.03% Hungarians, and 4,88% Roma.[3]
Estate of the Oradea Bishopric is mentioned for the first time in the Regestrum Varadiensis. It was mentioned under Benenus in 1291, Belinis in 1300 and Benenes in 1309.
1451. Beiuș became a royal free city under John Vitez of Zredna.
Seal of Beiuș showing Ladislaus I of Hungary inscribed around: "Sigillum Oppidi Belenes".
1552. Oradea Bishopric tithe list counts more than 420 settlement houses.
Today, Beiuș is a peaceful place, combining few ethnicities and three times as many religions as in previous times. The city contains superb architectural edifices, including a few old churches and the "Samuil Vulcan" highschool, built in 1828, which obtained the "National College" designation in 1998. The city is a key point in reaching the Apuseni Mountains and their rich mines, or mountain resorts such as Stâna de Vale [ro] and Arieșeni through smaller but picturesque communities and villages like Budureasa and Vașcău. The nearby mountains are hosts to some of the most dense and spectacular limestone cave systems in the world. These caves contain remains of the extinct cave bear (Ursus speleus) and prehistoric humans, huge colonies of bats, subterranean lakes, striking calcareous formations and giant earthworms that live in the guano-flooded cave floor.
Beiuș has its own city museum which houses over 3,000 pieces. The museum exhibits reflect its natural history, military history and art, but most famous are its folkloric artifacts: peasant tools, pottery, garments and folk art gathered from the entire central and southern county of Bihor. The tunnels in the city are also famous, as they are believed to link together and act as escape routes used during the Medieval Age. Their construction began during the rule of Hungarian king Bela IV. The nearby landscape includes: agricultural hills with crops ranging from corn, wheat and potato to fruit orchards like apple, pears, plums and strawberries. A long stretch of wildlife depleted forest that is rich in flora begins in the north-east of the city. Industry is represented mainly through production of furniture and fashion destined for European markets. The nearby distillery and beverage factory of Sudrigiu also employs a large part of the city's labour force.
Available or popular sports in or around Beiuș are: fresh water fishing (trout, catfish, carp, barbel, chub, dace, and at least a dozen other edible species), speleology (spelunking), soccer (Sunday soccer is a local ritual for all ages), skiing, snowboarding, sledding, tennis, hiking, camping, backpacking, and rock climbing. Hunting for species like: wild boar, roe deer, rabbit, pheasant, dove, partridge, and ducks (mainly mallards) is also popular.
Sports
Football is the most successful and loved sport in Beiuș, Bihorul Beiuș being the most representative team of the city, a club with a rather rich history, being founded in 1921.
Notable people
Cosmin Bodea (born 1973), football player and manager
