Tălmaciu is situated at the confluence of the Sadu and Cibin rivers, two km before the confluence of the Cibin with the Olt. It lies on one of the main access routes between Transylvania and Wallachia, at the north entrance of the Olt River Gorge; the European route E81 passes through it. The town administers two villages:
It also administered four other villages until 2004, when they were split off to form Boița Commune.
History
The first documents referring to Tălmaciu are from 1318. After the Saxon colonisation of Transylvania, Tălmaciu was the administrative center for the settlements of Tălmăcel, Boița, Turnul Roșu, Racovița, Sebeșul de Jos, and Plopi. After 1453 the administrative center was moved to Sibiu. In 1987 Tălmaciu was granted town status. Because using the Olt pass to the south requires passing through Tălmaciu, it has witnessed numerous historical events:
Capital of Romanian-occupied Transylvania (16 - 28 September 1916)
On 27 August 1916, Romania entered World War Ion the side of the Allies, launching an invasion of Transylvania. One of the multiple localized offensives across the Transylvanian border led to the Romanian occupation of Tălmaciu by the end of August. The Romanian invasion of Transylvania was carried out as a slow turning movement, with the pivot of the Romanian armies south of Sibiu. The Romanian force south of Sibiu consisted of General Ioan Popovici's I Corps. Originally tasked with operations further west, General Ioan Culcer moved the I Corps headquarters to Tălmaciu to direct the operations of the two divisions located there. Popovici and his staff arrived in Tălmaciu on 16 September. Tălmaciu was also the junction of the railway lines from Făgăraș to Sibiu. Făgăraș was taken by the Romanian 2nd Army on 16 September. The Romanian 2nd Army was the one making the main effort. On 16 September 1916, Tălmaciu became the headquarters of the Romanian military force south of Sibiu, the I Corps of General Ioan Popovici. As the junction of the railway lines from Făgăraș and Sibiu, Tălmaciu linked the pivot of the Romanian invasion of Transylvania - the aforementioned military force south of Sibiu - to the Romanian army which was making the main effort: the 2nd Army, which took Făgăraș on that same day. Linking the pivot of the Romanian invasion force to the Romanian army which was making the main effort, Tălmaciu became the de facto capital of Romanian-occupied Transylvania. This was not to last long, however. Around 10:30 p.m. on 28 September, the Romanians retreated from Tălmaciu.
Economy
Industrially, Tălmaciu is home to one of the most important thread manufacturers and spinners in Romania. There are also textile and lumber products manufacturers. The water flowing from the mountains is used for one of the most popular brand of bottled water in Romania: Fântâna.
