Târgu Jiu

Târgu Jiu developed beside the Jiu River in northern Oltenia, where routes connect the Carpathian foothills with the lowlands. Its name recalls its role as a market on the river, serving surrounding communities and travellers.

A document issued by the Wallachian ruler Mircea the Elder mentions the town in 1406. By 1497 it was the seat of Gorj County. As part of Wallachia, the market and its district belonged to a principality whose rulers and local institutions operated under changing political and fiscal pressures.