The Jiu Valley in Romania was once an economic powerhouse, producing millions of tons of coal. Now most of the mines in the region are closed.
Coal mines were once a bloodstream for Romania, a source of economic vitality in the days of Communist rule. Ribbons of exhaust from smokestacks were a signature of a modern, 20th-century state, and the rich mines of Romania’s Jiu Valley employed tens of thousands, generating vibrant cities.
The mines, and the cities and the jobs, have faded.
Thriving communities were built around the mines during coal’s heyday. Residents recall that the theater in Lupeni was packed during Romania’s Communist era. Many mine complexes had their own libraries and clubs.
Read more – nytimes.com
