Cugir (; German: Kudsir, Kudschir, Hungarian: Kudzsir) is a town in Alba County, Romania. Declared a town in 1968, it administers seven villages: Bocșitura (Hungarian Boksiturahavas, German Potschitur), Bucuru (Bukuruhavas/Bukur), Călene (Kalenihavas/Kalleney), Fețeni (Fecehavas/Fetzeberg), Goașele (Goaselehavas/Eisenhammer), Mugești (Mugestihavas/Kudschirstallen), and Vinerea (Felkenyér/Oberbrodsdorf). Geography The central settlement of the Breadfield region, the town lies on the banks of the Cugir River, at the confluence of headwaters Râul Mare and Râul Mic. It is situated above sea level, at the base of the Șureanu Mountains. Cugir is located in the southwestern part of Alba County, about from Sebeș and from Alba Iulia, the capital of the county. It lies on the border with Hunedoara County, from Orăștie and from Deva. Demographics According to the 2011 census, there was a total population of 21,376 people living in the town. Of those for whom data were available, 95.4% were Romanians, 3.4% Roma, 0.9% Hungarians, and 0.2% Germans. Name Throughout the history the name of the town is mentioned in many documents under different names in different languages, therefore the old settlement "villa Kunentum" becomes in 1493 villa Kudzyr, in 1566 Kwczyr, in 1599 – Kuchir, in 1656 – Kuchjir, in 1673 – Kucsir, in 1733 – Kuser, in 1750 – Kudsier, 1760–1762 – Kudzser, in 1805 Kudsir and in 1850 – Kusir. History Ancient times Numerous archeological discoveries prove that life in the region flourished as early as the Bronze Age, around the 10th century BC, Cugir being part of the territory known as "The Iron Gates of Transylvania", a region famous for its natural iron resources. In 88–44 BC, king Burebista, the most powerful of the kings of Thrace, according to the historian Acronion, established the new capital in the area, at Sarmizegetusa Regia (located in the Șureanu Mountains, west of Cugir). In this period the settlement of Cugir (villa Kunentum) was an important center for metal extracting and processing, with renowned workshops producing tools, weapons, and coins. Modern period Cugir has a complex political history with periods under the Principality of Transylvania, the Habsburg monarchy, the Kingdom of Hungary, and the Kingdom of Romania. In the mid-18th century the Habsburg Empire authorities established the "Frontier Police" in Transylvania. They also tried to recruit Romanians from southern Transylvania between Baraolt and Orăștie, but the locals put up a fierce resistance against the enrollment. The population revolted due to a policy of forced removal and