Băilești

Băilești
Băilești
Municipality
	Church of the Holy Apostles in Băilești
	Coat of arms
	Băilești Location in Romania
	Coordinates: 44°1′51″N 23°21′9″E / 44.03083°N 23.35250°E
Country	Romania
County	Dolj
Government
• Mayor (2020–2024)	Costel Pistrițu (PNL)
Area	163.76 km2 (63.23 sq mi)
Elevation	80 m (260 ft)
Population (2021-12-01)	15,928
• Density	97/km2 (250/sq mi)
Time zone	EET/EEST (UTC+2/+3)
Postal code	205100
Area code	(+40) 02 51
Vehicle reg.	DJ
Website	www.primariabailesti.ro

Băilești (Romanian pronunciation: [bə.iˈleʃtʲ]) is a city in Dolj County, Oltenia, Romania, with a population of 15,928 in 2021. One village, Balasan, is administered by the city.

Geography

The city lies in the western part of the Wallachian Plain, on the banks of the Balasan River, which flows into the Danube some 20 km (12 mi) to the south. Băilești is located in the southern half of Dolj County, 57 km (35 mi) southwest of the county seat, Craiova and 32 km (20 mi) northeast of Calafat, a port city on the Danube.^[3]

History

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1930	13,169	—
1948	15,289	+16.1%
1956	15,932	+4.2%
1966	18,490	+16.1%
1977	19,890	+7.6%
1992	22,344	+12.3%
2002	22,231	−0.5%
2011	16,283	−26.8%
2021	15,928	−2.2%
Source: Census data

The first documentary attestation of the town dates from January 4, 1536, during the reign of Prince Radu Paisie; the document recalls that the town existed since the time of Voivode Mircea the Elder.^[3]

During World War I, 156 people from Băilești died on the battlefield; in 1924 sculptor Ioan Iordănescu [ro] constructed the Monument of the Băilești Heroes in their honor. During World War II, 108 citizens of Băilești died on the battlefield.

In 2001, Băilești was declared a municipality. The city has been expanding during the past few years; several commercial centers have been built, while banks and old buildings have been restored.