Budacu de Jos

Budacu de Jos (Deutsch-Budak; Szászbudak) is a commune in Bistrița-Năsăud County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of five villages: Budacu de Jos, Buduș (Alsóbudak;Budesdorf), Jelna (Kiszsolna; Senndorf), Monariu (Malomárka; Minarken), and Simionești (Simontelke; Seimersdorf).

Geography
The commune is situated on the Transylvanian Plateau, at the foot of the Călimani Mountains. The river Budac (a tributary of the Șieu) flows through the commune.

Located in the Nösnerland historic region of Transylvania, Budacu de Jos lies in the south-central part of Bistrița-Năsăud County, 6 km south of the county seat, Bistrița. County road DJ172G connects the component villages of the commune, while road DJ173C leads to the city of Bistrița.

Demographics
At the 2011 census, Budacu de Jos had 2,772 inhabitants, of which 78.97% were Romanians and 17.93% Roma. At the 2021 census the population had increased to 3,289, of which 78.63% were Romanians and 15.66% Roma.

Sights

 * Wooden church of Budacu de Jos
 * Lutheran church of Budacu de Jos
 * Lutheran church of Jelna
 * Lutheran church of Monariu

Natives

 * Iulian Pop (1880 – 1923), lawyer and politician, first Romanian Mayor of Cluj