Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SOUTHWEST TRANSYLVANIA
The patch of Transylvania between the Retezat Mountains and Apuseni Mountains, west of
the Cluj-Napoca-Sibiu highway, is home to Dacian ruins, mountaintop citadels and one of
Eastern Europe's greatest ' Dracula -style' castles (in Hunedoara).
The history is undeniable. The pre- Roman Dacia kingdom lived in full force in the area
until Romans conquered the capital Sarmizegetusa in AD 106. The union of Transylvania
with Romania occurred in Alba Iulia. Twice. It happened in 1599 and again after WWI.
Those willing to drive on back roads - such as the lovely hilly drive from Deva to Abrud
- will get a break from often- industrial, highly trafficked roads.
DISAPPEARING MOUNTAIN
Eighty kilometres from Alba Iulia or Deva, the
Roşia Montană
('Red Mountain') has mines dating from Dacian
times, 2000 years ago - indeed some of the gold mined here wound up in Rome. In recent years Canadian mining
company Gabriel Resources launched a plan to create the continent's largest opencast cyanide goldmine here, a
16-year project that would reportedly extract 200 tonnes of gold and silver. Meanwhile, Unesco has been lobbying
to preserve the mountain - and its 7km of historic Roman mines, resident bats, 91 species of birds, lynx and wolves
- as a protected heritage site. The Romanian government has yet to decide the mountain's fate.
Also opposed to Gabriel Resources' plans is Alburnus Maior, an NGO based in the village of Roşia Montană.
Forty families opposed to leaving farms they have occupied since the 16th century (and that Gabriel Resources is
now attempting to purchase), form the backbone of the organisation, which organises Fun Fest - a coalescence of
documentary-makers, musicians, artists and guest speakers, taking place in Roşia Montană in the middle of May.
All proceeds from the festival go towards saving the mountain. Visit:
www.rosiamontana.org
to learn more.
Alba Iulia
POP 65,748
Alba Iulia is a good stop-off if you're heading between Cluj-Napoca and Sibiu. While the
modern part of town does its best to put you off with a handful of hotels and banks back-
dropped by an ugly concrete sprawl, the amazingly intact citadel is magical. Wander its rar-
efied collection of churches and monuments early morning to avoid the crowds, and come
evening you may be lucky enough to hear the dulcet voice of a priest wafting from the Ro-
man Catholic cathedral.
