Vistea commune is located in a monumental area, bordered at south by Fagaras Mountains, covered with snow almost all year long, and at north by river Olt. The name of the commune, which includes the villages Vistea de Sus, Vistea de Jos, Vistisoara, Oltet and Rucar, means in Slavonic ?beautiful place?; there are some historians who consider that Vistea has a dacian origin and means ?remote place?.
Relief and History
Three relief forms unfold within the territory of the commune: mountains, hills and plane. The climatic conditions and the characteristic of the soil determined a diversified vegetation, including coniferous wood, beech and oak.
The first written mention of Vistea villages dates back to the early 1400, during the reign of Mircea the Elder. The oldest conserved document mentioning its name dates back to 1511. Starting from the XVI century, Vistea and its habitants are frequently mentioned in various historical writings. Oltet village, although the smallest within the commune, seems to have had a tempestuous history.
The Dance?s Inheritors
There are five orthodox churches in Vistea. The local popular cloths, proudly worn by he inhabitants on special occasions, are practical and nice. In 1939, at Stockholm, Sweden, took place the International Congress of ethnographical sciences and popular dances, where Romania was represented by the dancing bands of Vistea de Jos, which won the first place. The popular dances had a peculiar importance ever since, ensuring the transmission of the tradition inherited from the ancestors. The best conserved traditions are today the customs consecrated to the Christmas celebrations.
A touring and Leisure Area
The commune?s relief represents a very important touring potential for Tara Fagarasului and Braşov county. Various mountain ranges, crossing Vistisoara and Vistea de Sus take to the highs of Fagaras Mountains. According to the durable development strategy 2005-2015, the village Vistisoara will become a settlement of tourism and leisure. ?An investor already drew a set-up plan of an agro-touring complex, containing a 25 lakes trout farm, several sport arenas, a football school and a hotel. The villages Rucar, Oltet and Vistea de Jos are unfolding various activities in fields as food and ecological products promotion. Tourism can represent for Vistea an economical and social ramp, benefic for both the inhabitants and those wishing to invest into the commune? mayor Gheorghe Tabara stated.
