Strehaia

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Strehaia is a town in Mehedinți County, in the Oltenia region of Romania. It sits in the Motru River valley in the county’s eastern part and administers nine villages: Ciochiuța, Comanda, Hurducești, Lunca Banului, Menți, Motruleni, Slătinicu Mare, Slătinicu Mic, and Stăncești. The town is about 48 kilometers east of Drobeta-Turnu Severin, on the DN6 road (part of the European route E70). It borders Gorj County and is 25 km west of Filiași and 29 km southeast of Motru. Nearby forests host one of Oltenia’s largest colonies of Hermann's tortoise.

In 2021 Strehaia had 9,059 residents, mainly Romanians, with a Roma minority, and most people identifying as Romanian Orthodox. The 2011 census recorded 9,837 residents.

Strehaia is mentioned in documents from the 15th century. It was once the site of a Banate residence during early Craiovești rule, replacing Severin due to Ottoman attacks; Craiova later became the center. The town is largely rural today. The Monastery of Strehaia was built in 1645 by Prince Matei Basarab. In 1671 a cattle fair began there and helped the town grow. Strehaia was also the site of clashes during the Wallachian uprising of 1821. Nearby were estates owned by Prince Antoine Bibesco.