Harta Literară (The Literary Map), a project highlighting real-world places featured in fiction works, will expand next year from Bucharest to Braşov and Iaşi after receiving funding from Romania's National Culture Fund (AFCN).

Bucharest was the first city covered by the map, with more than 300 documented places, and 600 highlighted connections to classic and contemporary works or landmark moments in the history of Romanian literature.

The project will expand to the two cities using the model validated in Bucharest, namely documenting and integrating literary places on the platform, developing institutional, cultural, and educational partnerships, and organizing events such as literary tours, meetings with authors, and other activities.

Depending on available resources, the project aims to expand to other cities as well and achieve national coverage in the medium term, the initiators said. 

The map is built on four complementary axes: cultural, educational, tourist, and urban. They are meant to connect Romanian literature to the city's space, offer alternative learning tools, and propose ways to explore the city through literary tours.

"We were overwhelmed by the enthusiastic welcome from the public, but also the interest from authors, cultural institutions, and the media. Harta Literară reached schools, museums, universities, libraries, bookstores, cafes, artistic venues, and relevant media outlets," Cristina Foarfa, project manager at Harta Literară, said.

So far, the project gathered more than 400 participants for the events it organized and has recorded over 15,000 active users on the platform.

(Photo from one of the tours by Mihai Eremia, courtesy of Harta Literară)

simona@romania-insider.com