Retezat Mountains

Retezat massive gained its name owed to its summit which appears on the horizon’s line, seen from Hateg depression, as cut by a giant hand. The denomination given by the people extended to the whole mountainous mass from Timis Cerna corridor and Jiu defile. This mountain’s greatness has not escaped the attention of the scientists. “From all the mountains that compose the chain of Romanian Carpathians – Emil Pop and N. Salageanu say, any produces towards the traveler a more powerful impression of massiveness as Retezat”.

In its totality, the group Retezat-Godeanu has a character of high mountains, with a variety of forms of relief, realized on crystalline schist, granite, calcareous stones and aggregations, which explains its high, massive and ponderous forms. Everything here offers the chance to admire the refreshing beauty of the heights awarding the tiredness of a long way. The group of Retezat mountains is welcoming, though trough its massive plaiting represented a natural guarding place of the first capital of the Dacian state-Sarmizegetusa. Man back than had only paths over the heights, but today the access is facilitated by roads and railways which was trough the foot of the mountains, and by numerous forestry roads
Retezat massive, indented by former quaternary glaciers, is strewed with caldrons in which glacial lakes formed. Trough it touristic roads converge from Retezat. Also here is the deepest lake from all Carpathians of our country – Zanoaga. From these lakes more rivers and brooks leave in different directions. The water’s valleys open ways of entrance in the interior of the mountains until the highest summits. Besides the common plants found in the high mountains – beech forests, spruce, fir, juniper – here are found a series of floristic rarities specific to Retezat, from which we mention: hawkweed, with more varieties denominated after the name of the forms of relief where were identified or of some scientists, meadow grass with different varieties, than varieties of “draba nemorosa”.

In the rich and various fauna of the National Park marmot was colonized, animal that originally lives in the Alps Mountains and Pyrenees Mountains. The National Park of Retezat represents a great unity of value, common good, a natural fortune of Romania, which we have to respect and protect.
The biggest attraction is represented by the impressive alpine appearance. The catchiest are Peleaga-2509m., Papusa-2500m., Retezat-2482m., Bucura-2433m., Slaveiu-2347m. with numerous glacial lakes. The ways of access to the summit of Retezat Mountains leave especially from Hateg Depression on the paths Raul Mare, Nucsoara and Raul Barbat.

The paths that spread from here connect, in most cases, the mountain’s backs, binding the main chalets: Gura Zlata -772m., Gura Apei-998m., Buta-1580m., Baleia-1410m., Pietrele-1480m., Straja-1445m., Campul lui Neag-850m.

Western Tarcu mountains-2190m. is the important touristic complex from Mic mountain-1802m. known also for the winter sports. Here are funicular and chairlift, as well as ski tracks for excursions from the weekend.

The existence of limestone from Mehedinti and Valcanului mountains formed some caves and canyons, interesting and picturesque touristic objectives. On the superior valley of Cernea is the beautiful Corcoaiei canyon. In the north of Mehedinti Mountains one can visit Motru canyon, Closani cave (speleological reservation), Cioaca cave with stagger weed. Eastern on the southern versant of Valcan is Sohodol canyon.
Valcan Mountains foots are some architectonic monuments from feudal époque: Tismana monastery settled in an enchanting natural landscape, one of the monuments famous through architecture and its past. In Tismana village the inhabitants are making folk art objects, Gorjean folk costumes and the well known Oltenian carpets.