Rīmnicu Vīlcea, city in Romania, capital of Valcea County, 156 km (97 mi) northwest of Bucharest. It is located in the Olt Valley, an area well known for its hot-springs resorts of Calimanesti and Caciulata, and for one of Romania's oldest and most beautiful monasteries, Cozia (14th century). Other buildings of interest include the churches of Saint Parasceva (16th century), the Annunciation (16th century), and All Saints (18th century). A church at the bishop's palace is decorated with paintings by the 19th-century Romanian painter Gheorghe Tattarescu. The city is also known for its folk art, which includes costumes and pottery.
Throughout the Middle Ages (5th century to 15th century), Rīmnicu Vīlcea was an active market town. During the years of Communist control (1948 to 1990), it became highly industrialized, with a factory for processing salt from nearby mines, and leather factories. Population (1992) 115,268.
