The Red Ravine

Râpa Roșie (English: Red Ravine), is a geological park of 25 hectares, located about 3 km from Sebeş, Alba County, and was declared nature reserve since 1950. Its walls with heights between 80-100 m, have very unusual shapes: columns, towers, pyramids, all with reddish color.


Vizualizare hartă mărită
The Red Ravine detritic deposits consist of sequences of red clay, gray and red sandstone, white sandstone, loose, red marl, white calcareous marl; by erosion, subsidence and collapse processes was sculpted the richness of forms that make the Red Ravine a natural monument of rare beauty. Here are some of the largest caves in the world developed in earth, of which one of 25 m.

Here can be found also several rare plant species (Cotoneaster integarrima, Ephedra distachya, Centaurea atropurpurea, Dianthus serotinus, Cephalaria radiata, Asplenium nigrum).

Images from here.

Runcu Gorges

The Runcu Gorges (Romanian: Cheile Runcului) are a natural reserve (20 ha) located in the extreme north of Alba County, at the Cluj County border, situated on the Ocoliş commune territory between Lunca Largă village at north and Runcu village at south. It is a complex reserve, consisting of a very beautiful landscape, a set of slopes, ridges and towers. Access roads: on 75 National Road Turda-Câmpeni up to the confluence of the Ocoliş Stream with the Arieş River, then by the village road towards north, on the Ocoliş Valley, about 5 km until the entry into the Runcului Gorges.

Runcu Gorges are located in the east of the Muntele Mare Massif, on the Ocoliş Stream banks, left tributary of the Arieş River. Geographic coordinates: 46°31'N, 23°22'E. Altitude: 595 m (at the entrance of Ocoliş Stream in the gorges) and 500 m (at the the output of the stream). Runcu Gorge is the most spectacular morphological breakthrough in the Vulturese limestone, not so much by their length, which exceeds 1 km, but by the vertical scale of development, the relief on the perimeter keys sometimes exceeding 450 m. The gorges territory is mostly state owned, in general as unproductive land and forest land, but also in private agricultural use (meadows, pastures, meadows and, in lesser extent, cultivated land). The Runcului Gorges can be crossed by car.

Images from here, © Pompei Cocean

An unique dance

Căpâlna (German: Kapellendorf, Kapolna; Magyar: Sebeskápolna, Alsókápolna, Kápolna) is a village in Săsciori commune, Alba County, Transylvania, Romania. The village has an absolute Romanian majority.

In 1948, Stana Biriş, a teacher from Galaţi (Eastern Romania), established here due to marriage with a local. She 'discovered' in Căpâlna a remarkable dance and, charmed by its uniqueness, amazed by the beauty and purity of interpretation, she organized the ensemble and became its leader.

"Purtata fetelor" is a Romanian traditional girls' processional walking dance from Căpâlna. The dance dates from the Middle Ages, or maybe earlier. It is performed on Sundays and holidays, only by girls and unmarried women; when a woman became engaged, she has to leave the ensemble. Young girls learn the dance and the song from their mothers when they are 4-5 years old, and are invited to join the ensemble at 7 yo. The participants are grouped by age: 7-11, 12-18 and over 19. Over time, the number of participants varied from 20 to 80; today, the ensemble has 50 dancers.

The girls wear traditional folkloric costumes and perform the dance in a row, each with one hand on the shoulder of hers predecessor, and singing. The steps are in the rhythm of the heartbeat, and the row describes circles, spirals, waves and the infinite sign. Its uniqueness derives from the fact that is the only contretemps dance: the performers stop unexpectedly, and starts unexpectedly forward or backward. Also, the song is not synchronized with the steps of the dance, with a stunning effect on the viewer. The researchers resembled the row of dancers with a snake, associated with the deities of the earth, with the fertility, healing, rowing, and with seduction. The stances are a hymn for the loved one; although it seems simple, the dance dance express sensuality, display of female beauty, and greatness.

Râmeţ Monastery

Râmeț Monastery is one of the oldest and most renowned worship places in Romania. It is located in Alba County, Transylvania, in Trascău Mountains (Western Carpathians).

Râmeţ Monastery

It seems that the monastery was founded by two monks, father Ghenadie and father Romulus, in 1214. The great scholar Nicolae Iorga showed that the name "Râmeț" is derived from "eremite" (lonely monk). The painting of the old church is a real chronicle of it's history: the first layer is from 1300, and the second layer from 1310. The third layer, on which a text that dates back to 1377 can be deciphered, was laid on the surface of the arch that is situated between the nave and the pronaos; the fourth layer dates from 1450, the fifth layer from 1600, the sixth layer from 1741, and the seventh layer from 1809. The church was painted again by Grigore Popescu between 1987 and 1988.

The old church

Since 1506, the monastery was protected by ruling prince of Wallachia, Radu the Great. During the reign of Michael the Brave, it was restored by princely craftsmen an painters, as Petre the Armenian, Mina and Nicolae from Crete. The holy establishment was abandoned for one hundred years. On 20th August 1762, the monastery was destroyed by cannons on the orders of General Bukow, because it was one of the most celebrated Orthodox places of worship, as well as one of the most powerful centers of Orthodox spirituality in Transylvania. The monastery ran a school which was also devasted in 1762. During the following years, Râmeţ Monastery underwent extensive repairs and restoration works. Nevertheless, it was again destroyed by the Austrian imperial army on December 23, 1785.

The new church

In 1826, the monastery was transformed into a parish church and in 1932 it became a monastery all over again. The newly acquired monastic status was owed to the persevering efforts of a monk, father Evloghie Ota. In 1955, it was transformed into a female monastic community, but in 1960, it was closed down and turned into a touring chalet. In 1982, the monastery received once again official approval from the local state authorities to resume the religious activities that are regularly carried out in a monastic establishment; yet, the outbuildings designed for monastic domestic uses were still occupied by lay lodgers. In order to regain possession of these outbuildings, father confessor Dometie Manolache, Mother Superior Ierusalima Ghibu and the dedicated monastic residents set about constructing a touring chalet outside the monastery grounds. In 1969 the monastery set up a museum to exhibit icons on wood, icons on glass, old books, and an important numismatic collection. The personalities relating to the existence of the museum include: Nicolae Iorga, Vasile Drăguț and Virgil Vătășianu.

Saint Ghelasie

The need of the believers required the building of a new and larger church. The architecture of this church represents a synthesis of the Moldavian and Wallachian architectural styles. Its construction began in 1982 and was finished ten years later, when the church was consecrated on June 29, 1992, and dedicated to the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. Saint Ghelasie of Râmeţ was father superior of the monastery and the archbishop of Transylvania in the second half of the 14th century, and was canonized the same day. The monastery houses some 95 nuns and sisters who pray and work according to the holy canons of the Orthodox monasteries.

Râmeţ Gorges

The Râmeţ Gorges (Romanian: Cheile Râmeţului) are located in the proximity of Râmeţ commune, Alba County, Transylvania, Romania. Developed at the east of the Trascău Mountains, on the middle flow of the Râmeţ Rivulet, the Râmeţ Gorges are among the most important touristic points from the Apuseni Mountains (Western Carpathians). In its upper part, Râmeţ Rivulet is named by the locals Monastery Valley, and in its lower part, Mogoşului Valley; the rivulet is also named Geoagiului Valley.

At the exit of Trascău Mountains, between Trascău, Urmezu and Vulturilor peaks, it formed a gorges zone of 1 km in length. On the entire length of the gorges, there are traces of an old tunnel-shaped cave. The gradual collapse of the cave ceiling eased the further evolution of the gorges. This can be argued by the fact that the keys have a transverse V-profile, wider at the top. The Râmeţ Gorges are extremely narrow, with steep walls. At the basis of the walls there can be found many caves’ entrances.

Eaves presents a large distribution, both in water and suspended, which reflects the stages of deepening of the river stages in the limestone ridge. The most impressive are found in the area called La Cuptoare, where the gorges are very narrow (3-4 m) and the slopes are eave-shaped. In the central part of the gorges, there is a tunnel with a length of about 15 m and a height of 4-5 m.

After leaving the gorges, 3 km downstream, Râmeţ Rivulet form new gorges, near the Râmeţ Monastery. Though having a length of about 100 m, these gorges are spectacular, having the appearance of a huge gate. Slopes have a V-shaped transverse profile, wide open at the top, presenting numerous towers, poles, and grottoes.

Due to the spectacular landscape and to the special karstic elements that it presents, the Râmeţ Gorges have been declared Geological, Paleontological and Speological Reservation since 1969. The reserve consists of limestone massifs since late Jurassic. In the western part prevails conglomerates, sandstones, marls and marno-calcars, and Cretaceous and Mesozoic basalts in the eastern area.

The vegetation of the area is remarkable, with endemic species as Dianthus spiculifolius, Silene dubia, Aconitum moldavicum, Hepatica transsilvanica, Cardamine glanduligera, Viola jooi, Sorbus dacica, Cephalaria radiata, Campanula rotundifolia ssp. kladniana, Centaurea pinnatifoida, Cirsium furiensis and some rare species as Taxus baccata, Geranium macrorrhizum, Cypripendium calceolus, Aquilegia nigricans ssp. subscaposa, Viola biflora, Daphne cnerorum, Geranium macrorrhizum, Sparganium neglectum, Typha shuttleworthii, Herminium monorchis etc.

Because of the abrupt relief, the gorges can be browsed only along the water during the summer, with a good knowledge of the area and a good training!

Aiud Fortress

Aiud (Hungarian: Nagyenyed, German: Straßburg am Mieresch) is a city located in Alba County, Transylvania, Romania. Aiud Fortress (13th - 15th century), is among the oldest urban fortification in Transylvania.

The fortress with stone walls and towers is located on the site of an old earth fortification which in its turn overlaps a Dacian-Roman settlement from 3rd century AD. The building complex has known two-phase construction. The existence of an initial fortress (14th century) was attested by archaeological excavations (1974-1977). According to the local Saxon tradition, its beginnings had occurred before the great Tatar invasion in the years 1241-1242, but this dating was not yet confirmed.

The pentagon-shaped citadel is fairly small, with a perimeter of 350 m and an area of 3600 sq m, but has 1.2-1.3 m thick walls, with a height of 7 m and a supplementary brick guardrail of 2 m. At the meeting angles of the walls and the middle of their long sides were built towers with four, five and seven sides. Present form corresponds largely to the second stage of construction (16th-17th centuries), but were preserved also elements of the first phase, as well as some later additions and restorations. Inscriptions that were preserved on several places on the towers and walls bring information related to those works.

The communication between towers was realized by a way of guard behind the parapet, which could be accessed through several wooden ladders. Inside the 9 towers, their upper levels could be reached by timber stairs. The towers were under the care of craftsmen guilds, which had military obligations, the artisans choosing military commanders - the so-called "officers of the guild".

Inside the fortress walls is the Calvin Reformed Church, built in late Gothic style at the end of 15th century, a hall-type church with three naves, with polygonal apse and a 64 m high tower with battlements, modified in Baroque style. The second place of worship inside the citadel is the Evangelical-Lutheran Church, built in the second half of the 19th century, on the site of a chapel built in 1333-1334. Here can be found also the parish building (18th-19th centuries), the rectory building (17th century), the bell ringer's house (18th-19th centuries), the former Evangelical parish house.

On the northern side of the citadel is the Princely Palace (16th-17th centuries), which belonged to the Transylvanian Prince Gabriel Bethlen (in 1612-1629). Now, here is the Aiud History Museum.

The plan of the fortress:
A. Evangelical-Lutheran Church
B. Calvin Reformed Church
C. Bethlen Princely Palace
D. Rectory house
E. Parish house
F. Bell ringer's house
G. Former Evangelical parish house

The towers:
1. Butchers' tower
2. Tailors' tower
3. Shoemakers' tower
4. Furriers' tower
5. Coopers' tower
6. Potters' tower
7. Kalendas tower
8. Locksmiths' tower
9. Gate tower

Photos from Aiud Online.

Ocna Mureş Castle

Ocna Mureş (Hungarian: Marosújvár, German: Miereschhall) is a town in Alba County, Romania, located in the north-eastern corner of the county, near the Mureş River. The town is situated next to a large deposit of salt. The city was attested as a Roman civilian settlement in Dacia (II-III century AD), known for salt exploitation, as Salinae.

The Teleki Castle in Uioara de Sus (Upper Uioara), a district of Ocna Mureş, was first an medieval castle. In a document from 1290, it was named Castrum Novum (New Castle), supporting the existence of an earlier fortification (10th-11th centuries), from which can be seen today portions of a mound with a ditch. This New Castle was built at the end of the 13th century by order of the Hungarian Crown, to protect the neighboring salt mine. It was then attested in documents of 1336 and 1382. During the 14th century the castle became the property of some nobles.

In 1576 it was the property of Báthori Kristóf, who left it in 1581 to Gálfi János. Michael the Brave donated the castle and the Uioara domain to his counselor Mihalcea, Great Ban of Craiova (1599). In 1620 Prince Bethlen Gábor donate the benefits of the castle and town to the orphaned son of Siményfalvi Székely Mózes. Mikes Mihály acquired the castle during the reign of Apafi Mihály I, and his family owned it until the middle of the 19th century. The Latvian count Mikó Imre repaired the castle and converted it in Baroque style.

The castle was partially demolished to permit the construction (between 1850-1860) of an impressive neo-Gothic castle for the Banffy noble family, building which later became the property of Teleki counts. From the medieval castle can still be seen today the ruins of a pentagonal tower, representing an old dungeon.

The building has a square plan, with ground floor and two levels. The residential building is adjacent to annexes for management staff and estate maintenance. In the court there is a wine cellar and a chapel, which was originally equipped with an organ. The Teleki family arranged around the castle a park with paths and trees, including some rare acclimatized species.

The complex includes the ruins of a church, built in Romanesque style around 1300. There are still preserved some brick walls and a bell tower, that has windows with cubic capitals. Over time, it underwent several major changes. The castle is a historical monument.

Fotos from Ocna Mureş Online.

Câlnic Fortress

Câlnic (German: Kelling, Hungarian: Kálnok) is a commune in Alba County, Romania, composed of Câlnic and Deal villages. Câlnic village is known for its castle, which is on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites.


The name of the settlement comes from the slave "kal" or "kalinik (= clay, clayey). The Saxon name of the locality is Kelling and is coming from the early masters, the nobles Kelling. They were greavi of Câlnic (Saxon: Graeve or Gräve, German: Graf, Hungarian: Grof - meaning great landlord or earl) and they are mentioned from 1267, 1269 and 1309. One of them, Chyl de Kelling, built in the middle of the 13th century the dungeon of Câlnic and used it as housing. Chyl then bought Blaj and his followers have continued to buy the villages of Cut, Vingard and many other territories. At Câlnic was found prehistoric material, and vague medieval traces from the 11-12th centuries, but the medieval settlement itself dates from the 12-13th centuries. The most consistent area is corresponding to the consolidation of power of the Saxon earls (1267).


Reconstruction by Radu Oltean (click photo to enlarge)

The first residence contained a quadrilateral hall (probably an initial dungeon or a rectangular altar of the Chapel). The dungeon was built around 1272 and has a rectangular shape. It was called the Siegfried Tower, and the thickness of the walls reach one meter. Initially was only 14 m high, but was subsequently raised to 20 m. At the ground floor was a cellar with a semi-cylinder dome, same for the first floor, but the other levels have no dome, but a ceiling. On the first floor there is a fireplace, and were founded fragments of enameled tiles. During the 1962-1964 restoration was discovered a clover-shaped bipartite window, indicating an early Gothic phase, perhaps in the second half of 13th century.


The fortress has been designed with a inhabited massive rectangular keep protected by an oval precinct, fortified with defense tower to the south, a rectangular gate tower to the northwest and probably filled by a drawbridge; it was probably a ditch 3 m deep and 10 m wide. Subsequently was built the chapel, dated by coins from the time of kings Bela IV and Stefan V. Restoration work and pickling have revealed the existence of three rectangular windows slightly arched at the top on the west wall and one on the southern wall. The two Gothic windows, visible today, were built later and dates from the mid-14th century. The triumphal arch store the remains of two successive murals, the latest being a bust of Christ.


The last descendant of the noble family sold the fortress to the Saxon peasant community of Câlnic. Beginning with the first half of the 14th century, the community started to erect a new wall, to fortify the gate-tower by a barbican and to build a chapel in the courtyard, on the ruins of the former construction. One can find fragments of a fresco from the beginning of the 16th century, a wooden stand on the west side from 1733, decorated with panels painted in the floral Renaissance style, inspired from folk art. Provision larders have been built in the courtyard, along the walls, to be used in times of affliction. The raising of the second precinct in the 15th century was followed by the ranging in tiers of the keep by two floors, reaching a height of more than 20 meters, ensuring thus an efficiency of the fire arms beyond the exterior wall.


The fortress was restored between 1962-1964 by the Romanian Board for Historical Monuments, and today has been transformed into an international scientific and cultural center.